Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-03-28
NEVER SAW HER HUSBAND
krasge story % courtship and Marriage
To,d In o Lawsuit.


To,d In o Lawsuit.
|, Alawsuit over a valuable piece Of land IN
The city % superior. Wis, brings out q
strange story Of courtship and marriage.
In ISL Miss Edith Footc was a Telegraph
operator In the Office Of the Western Union
somrany at Bismarck. y. D., and Melville
sherman occupied n like position with tho
same company nc Helena, Mon. They
had worked together on tho same circuit
for several months and had formed an in
Innate friendship, which developed into
love. They had corrcspondcd regularly by
mail and by wire mp to the timc Of their
engagement, but had no. gazcd upon each
others faces, except Photographic like
nesses. They were TO be married in the
fall % issi, tho wedding day had been set
and 10th rartics had arranged for vaca-
tons In order that they might spend their
Honeymoon In the cast.
Ono day, several weeks previous to the
time set for tho wedding. young Sherman
called up his betrothcd at Bismarck
and imfnrtcd to her the unexpected in
teili-cncc that he had received n tolc-
gram from tho Superintendent transferring
him 90 an oficc In san Francisco and
must leave for that city lIy the carly train
next morning. or course this meant that
the wedding must 10 postponed, for the
lovers were SEQ nilcs apart and could not
meet before tho time set for Sherman de.
parturc, and there was no telling when
they would meet again owing 90 the in
ability u the Western Union TO furnish rc-
lf.f frr then. Ne. chat tt,.t- tf,,.
The situation was fully discussed by the
young lovers over the wire. They were
loa,h To bc separated by tho distance be-
tween Bismarck and San Francisco with.
out first being united in marriage, and be-
sides sliss fouto entertained certain super
stitiOus notions about bad luck resulting
from postponed wedding. But what WINS
% b. donel The question was puzzler,
but love finds way at all times. In this
case the way was paved by an old friend OF
Miss footc, Mr.. Burke. who was also a
telegrapher, but retired from the business.
Mr. Burke camo 10 the front with sug-
gcstion which the young people accepted
a. joke nj FIRST, but which they finally
adopted rs the only resort in the matter.
Burke proposed that they 10 married by
wire and offered 10 perform the ceremony
himself. Hcwas n justice Of the peace and
therefore vested with the necessary author.
ity for marrying people, but the lovers
questioned his right to perform the cere.
mony in the manner proposed. A lawyer
WINS consulted by tho prospective groom
and an opinion obtained which dispelled
all doubts rs to the legality Of such mar.
riase. - twas decided that the marriage
take place that day. In ordgr to be on the
safe side license to wed was taken on. In
Montana by the groom and another in
Dakota territory by tho bride. Then ut the
appointed hour Sherman stood ut the Key
with two witnesses In his Office Mt Helena
and Miss Footc stood nt the other end Of
the wire with the justice and two or three
Of her intimate friends.
Tho justice called up Helena and asked
Who Is nc tho keyf" Tho answer came
Melville Sherman" Then Miss Foot<
signihei her presence and readiness TO b
married., and the justice went on with tho
ceremony, which consisted of the usual
short service as prescribed by law. 1t wa
all done by dots and dashcs, oven to the
kissing and handshaking flor which teleg
rsphcrs have n code Of their own In the
fsssa "t"ths Va hlohy oisi1sofs aiObS tns
line bstwecn bismarck and Helena Foul
persons subscribed rs having been wit
ncsscs 20 The ceremony-two at Hcicns
and two NJ Bismarck-and Mrs. Sherman
was presented with the marriage certifl
cate ty Justice Burke.
Next morning after the marriage By
wire sherman bearded the train for Sar
Francisco and, according to the complaint,
has teen employed IS telegraph operator
ever since Of various points. Though they
eorrcspondsd regularly for three or foul
years Mrs sherman never saw her husband
she alleges that the land In question ono,
stood In the name of her husband. who
disposed of the same by deed without hel
signature. converting the entire proceeds
90 his own use. notwithstanding the law,
81 Wisconsin allow the wife n third inter
| -. In the prorcrty Of her husband.