Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-19
WALDOBORO'S LATEST.
John Shuman, Aged so, WEEDS 49,
Year-oId Isadore Mank.
Parents Make Her Return Home and Shuman
Is Making Threats.

Waldoboro, July 18.-The queerest
marriage in the annals of Maine nup-
tials has just taken place here, and
this part of Lincoln county is full of
gossip concerning it.
Mrs. John Shuman, for SO the law
recognizes her, is living with her par
en.s. John Shuman is Quartered with
friends in another part of the town.
She is IS, and unsophisticated; he is
so and has seen lot of the world, and
has been married and divorced in years
gone by.
Orren Mank is a well-to-do farmer,
living on the road from Waldoboro to
North Wahoboro. His family consists
of two people, his wife and their
daughter, Isadora. He is known
throughout the town as a hard-work-
ing. honest citizen.
A little more than a fortnight ago
some embarrassing and papering be-
ing needed about the house, Mr.. Mank
employed Shuman to do the work.
Shuman took four days to complet,,
the job during which time he was in
the company of Mrs. Mank and her
daughter much Of the time. He talked
no more than any other workman nat
urally would.
1t never entered the heads of either
Mr.. or Mrs. Mank that he was casting
a second glance at their daughter nor
unusual interest in the paperer of two
score years and ten.
When the work was completed Shu-
man went away, and he was hardly
thought Of again by the elder members
of the Mank family till he was recog-
nized in the guise of a son-in-law.
John Shuman on Monday, a week ago,
went to the town clerks office in
Waldoboro and had the marriage in
tentions published. To even up the
disparity of the IS and SO he gave his
age as 36. The town clerk, knowing
both parties, thought it rather a
strange union, but everything being
straight and legal, he said nothing.
Saturday Mr.. Mank went to Thomas
ton, leaving his wife and daughter
alone. In the afternoon Miss Isadora
went up to North Waldoboro to mail a
letter. She did not return in her usual
time, and Mrs. Mank grew alarmed.
When her husband returned, she told
him her fears, and he at once hitched
up his team and drove to North Waldo
boro. 1t was some time before he got
on the track of his daughter, and then
he found that she was no longer Miss
Mank, but Mrs. Shuman.
Mank tried to persuade his daughter
to return with him but she was lOath
to do so. unless accompanied by her
husband. Shuman made some pretended
resistance, but finally went with Mank
and his daughter to their home. Be-
fore nightfall Mr.. and Mrs. Mank sue
ceeded in getting rid of their new SON.
in-law, who since has made threats
which have kept Mr.. Mank and his
wife in a state of much alarm. The
report reached them Thursday that
Shuman was coming after his wife with
an officer to bear her away.
Mr.. Mank consulted a lawyer, to see
if there was any flaw by which the
marriage could be annulled. The at
torney looked into the matter carefully
but found no loOphole. He cOunselled
his client in an unprofessional way to
exert his parental authority and keeI
| the man away. This Mank has made
up his mind to do. When brought home
the girl seemed sorry that her honey
moon had been broken into, but since
then has undergone change, and ex-
presses no desire to go with her hus-
band.
One of the queerest things in the
whole affair is the girls statement thai
when she left home, last Saturday she
had no idea of being married, and that
she had never thought of such a thing
till she met Shuman in Waldoboro.
! Meantime the people of the neighbor.
hood are watching to see if John Shu.
man. the cheated groom. will make any
attempt to recover his youthful bride
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What seems but a case of simple diar