The evening times., 1897-07-26

New York. July 26.-Tbe little settle
ment of West Chester has its romantic trag-
edy, which is not unlike that OF Verona,
made immortal by Shakespeare in the story
of Romeo and Juliet. Some time between
IL O'Clock Saturday night and sunrise yes
cousin, Patrick, died together and for each
other.
They could not marry; the laws OF the
church of which they both were members
forbade that. and, besides, their parents OBJ
iected to any matrimonial alliance between
them. They made last effort Oh Friday
They walked from priest to priest, deter
mined 10 be Joined in wedlock, despite
parental objection.
At eacD parish house they met with the
same response. NO, we cannot marry
first cousins without a SPECIAL dispensation
from the bishop They knew then that
they could never be married, for neither
the father or the young gih nor the mother
of the young man would give consent, ana
without such consent there was no hope OF
a dispensation.
In utter despair they hired small room
in q little saloon almost within hailing dis
tance Of their respective homes, and when
morning came they were dead.
The romance OF these two people dates
back for a period extending over at least
fifteen years. Annie was the daughter OF
Lawrence Sulli van, who, ever since the
late Millionaire j, A. Morris founded the
Morris Park race course, had been a trusted
empioye of the association.
Three miles away lived Sullivan's only
brother, Michael. This brother was far
more successful in life than was the care
faker of Morris Park.
Several years before his death he caused
to be erected on his land four houses IN
tended for each OF his four sons. Two OF
these sons married and brought their
wives To the prettylittIe cottages, but two
Others remained single.
One OF these was Patrick. the third son,
He was the handsomest and sturdiest of
the four, and long ago the neighbors had
commented on the fact OF how frequently
he and his cousin Annie We're seen together
When the parents OF either We're spoken
To regarding the ripening affection of the
young people they merely smiled and said
could never amount to anything anyhow.
as they Were first cousins.
Reluctantly the two yielded, or pretended
to do 81. when told that the canonical laws
OF the Church OF Rome. of W hich both were
deyout and earnest members. forbade such
a union. They pretended to be resigned to
their fate. and when old Michael Sullivan
died 1t was with the conviction that there
would never be union In his family to
which he had objected In life.
Yesterday morning the wife of the sa-
loonkeeper where the couple secured their
room noticed strnng smell of gas 1t was
evident that the odor came from the room
occupied by the dodgers. she says she
suspected something was wrong, and. fear
ing to make the discovery herself, scr canned
for help, Her calls We're weSed by her
next-door neighbor. a Mr.. Haniey. who.
after knocking on the door placed his shouI
der against the panels and eXerted all his
strength. There was a crash of furniture,
and he almost fell into the room He saw
that q chair had been placed against the
door, and the next discovery he ma de was
that OF the mans body stretched prone on
the floor There was an unmista ka bic osfor
Of gas in the room.
They opened the windows, however, and
as the sunlight streamed into the room they
saw that there wa s another occupan { of the
apartment beside the still body of the man
On the floor. Upon the narrow bed clothed |
In the bright dress, with its many ribbons,
was the body of Annie Sullivan. One hand |
was above her head, the fingers resting |
among the thick, brown hair which in life |
had been one of her rmostattractive features
She lay partly on one side, an hanging |
from the side Of the couch was the right |
arm, bare TO the elbow.
The two spectators did not notice at first |
hat the left arm Of the man on the floor |
reached upward, aad that the fingers Of his |
land clutched in a firm grasp the slender |
in gers of his sweetheart
They did not touch the bodies. but sent |
messengers for a doctor, priest and a DO
iceman. The doctor when he arrived said |
hey had both been dead for several hours