The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-26

: at home in such rural community, an
always on the lookout for profitable pro
, jects or chances OF advancement. H
: mixed freely with the inha Oitants, pick
: ing up information and extending hi
: knowledge OF topography and Of human
nature.
, It is thus, It is believed by the major
J ity Of the townspeople, those who asser
, that Mrs. Angel was married to tn
young surveyor, that ne met Sarah Ann
: Brown, then a young and pretty CIR
barely fifteen years OF age. one Of
numerous family without means of edu
cation, whose father was a man of un
governable temper, frequently given t
drink.
In an interview published some tw'
!. years ago. Mrs. Angel is quoted as say
ing:
The ceremony was performed by Rev
Dr.. Clayton at Champlain, in the it'll
parlor OF his house. Mr.. Gould had taker
10 witnesses along, and when il va:
necessary to secure a witness, servant
employed by Mr.. Clayton, was called in.
The missing certificate is explained by
Mr.. Angel. the eighty-year-old husband
Of the now famous claimant, as follows
REV. Dr. Clayton (Which, by the way
is not the name of the minister who wa:
in charge Of the Presbyterian church al
! the time-his name was Leighton) is
alive today and is now living in Penn
| eylvania. Several letters have been re-
| ceivcd from him, and during the last
| few days he has written that he is max
ing thorough search among his papers
| for his private memorandum Of the GER
| emony which he then performed
| l inquired and found that the law of
the state at that time in regard to the
| registration OF marriage was vague and
| but indifferently enforced. This was
especially 50 in small rural communities.
OF course. the conspirators claim that DR.
Leighton, to give him his proper name.
filled out and gave to the bride when
he married her to Jay Gould regular
marriage certificate.
"In addition to this" Mr.. Angel is re-
ported as saying "Dr. Leighton AYERS
tHst it was his invariable practice. ex-
tending over all the years of his minis
try, &c keep private record OF such
ceremonies. and that, although he does
not distinctly remember it, he has no
doubt he did so in this case. He re-
calls having performed the ceremony.
and it was from him that the name of
his servant who acted as witness was
secured"
Another Misrepresentation on the part
Of the conspirators. The Rev. Mr..
Leighton Is a very old, feeble man, his
memory almost entirely incapable OF re-
membering any Of the circumstances Of
the case.
The loss Of the certificate was, how
ever, not considered material, and there
were those in Rouses Point when this
matter was first agitated who disbe-
lieved the story OF its loss, and said il
was part of the policy of mystery which
the Angels had been obliged to maintain
by those who were conducting the case
Some alleged that the original marriage
certificate between Sarah Anne Brown
and Jay Gould was actually in existence
and would play an important part in
the pending proceedings.
COMING TO THE TRIAL.
So the story grew from day TO day.
until the time drew near for judicial
hearing. Testimony was taken and doz-
ncs Of people found who were willing 10
swear that they remembered Jay Gould
and that they knew he had married
Sarah Anne Brown. Within the past
two weeks, most extraordinary teSti-
mony has been given by the mother and
sister of the plaintiff, and ii seemed that
the time was ripe for finding out the
exact truth OF this most marvellous case
Of the day. The visit made 10 Rouse's
Point and the results obtained therefrom
by the Herald representative are not
far behind in their strangeness in incred-
ibilitythe wonderful beginnings OF this |
now famous case.
had gone 70 Rouse's Point expecting !
70 find a woman like the average far !
mers wife. house such as fairly we'll !
TODD farmer would live in, and IL not \
luxurious firm a farmers point OF view !
at least comfortable. My first view of /
Rouse's Point was very discoura ging |
in fact all country tovs are that in the .
immediate neighborhood of the depot. /
l felt rather loathe TO take either Of the /
hotel buses which stood waiting for |
chance passen gers. as my first Impulse /
was 70 finish up my business as quickly
as possible and get away by the Mon !
treal express going through that night |
I made my first inquiries OF the t,cke.
agent inquiring where ! could get a
conveyance. and II ne could tell me how
far away Mrs Angel lived. The nlme
was an open sesame. and yet. - my
surprise, found the old aisge verified
mo man is a prophet in his own coun-
try" No one seemed a that moment
very much interested in Mrs. Angel
TIE matter had been many nine days
z9ssip. but the last reports in the papers
- 70 the testimony given by her mother
and sister. had appeared 70 them - set
tie the matter es far as the Ga ma n
getting any money went. but the ma
io-ity % the people with whom I spoke
alter believed that she had really mar
lied Jay Gould.
Two or three OF he liysrymen did no:
even know where the woman lived.
.aough all had heard % her. and finally
he proprietor % the livery stable him
EFF said ne would drive ne out. and 80
stared on my quest
T.sc>e Of my readers who know % The /.
.no-rous power welded By these sane
Io3ld millions, the magnificent cogat-vi
at on TIE Hudson. he town house On
18th avenue. the Lakewood property.
ne steam yacht which has been hon
- ~ Lz E-,c-rz -