Arizona republican., 1899-02-18
SOnEwHAT COMPLICATED
The Late Mrs. Bivins and Her Three
 Husbands.

mantle incidents that has ever occurred in Georgia.
 Bivins was president of the First Ma tional bank of the little town of Cor delie, in the s0utheEn part of the state, and was a shrewd and capable busi- ress man. His health broke down from overwcrK and he was sent to the sanitarium for treatment, but suc- cumbed to the disease and died few days ago.
 To begin at the beginning it will be necessary to go back to a perl0d Just prior to the war, when John Pitts, q bachelor, who had acquired quite a large amount of property, suddenly announced to his friends that he be- lieved he would get married. No soon CT had he formed that resolution than he dressed himself in his best clothes nut on his hat and walked down Whlte- hall street to millinery establishment conducted by a maiden lady in moder- ate circumstances.
 Tn a few words he explained his mls- sion, proposed marriage and was az cepted and in q few hours the two were made one. Pitts was a good business man and had accumulated quite lot or nvoperty in real estate. which was com
 
 the time the civil war broke out he was considered a rich man, but he formed 2 suddeu resolution tC volunteer in the confederate service, and. joining a company. he went to the front That was tbe last tha. was ever heard of him by his wife and his friends. She watched and waited for some tldlnSS of her husband and finally, after the war closed and there were still no tld-
 h0 m for dead and assumed control of the nnanertv. being the sole heir of the missing man.
 In 1869 there appeared in Atlanta pr. T B. Marvin of St. Louis, with his WlLe and young son, and he opened an or fee on Whitehall street as 'gynecol- ogist" and he soon secured lucrative DTactice in his profession, which was then little known in this section. w hlla rnactising his profession he formed the acnuainItance of the wealthy widow, Mrs Pitts. and they became great friends. as Dr. Marvin possessed a large amount of personal magnetism and was very attractive among the ladies.
 Suddenly he closed his office. an- nl9unced his intention of removing to Cincinnati, and, packing up his belong ines. he took his wife and boy and left the city. He remained away year CT two, and as suddenly appeared agaln in Atlanta, but without his Wlfe aIHa son. After time he renewed his ac- o1saintance with Mrs. Pitts, and the ac- uuaintance soon -ipencd into WarmeE feeling than mere friendship, and the two were married.
 Dr Marvin was a fine business man, and when he assumed control Of Mrs. Pitts property it had increased III value. and joy jEdiciOGs investment, aL a time when Atlanta real estate was on a boom, he soon became very wealthy man.
 In 1888 the Georgia Southern and Florida railroad Was built from Macon sc1thward, crossing the Savannah, Americus and Montgomery: also, newly built road at the little town of CordeIe, in the southern part of the state. Ccrdele was a boom town, and pr. Marvin was quick to take adYan- tage of the opportunity offered to make profitable investments there. He placed his money so iudiciously and manipu- lated the property with such success tEat he soon became a magnate in the little tctWn He established the First National bank, of which Joseph E. 'BlV- ins. an active young business man or Americus, was made cashier. Dr. Mar win engaged in local politics, which he controlled through his wealth and in f1uence. and became mayor of the town He took the side of prohibition ana won, and was otherwise of great 1nf1u- ence in shaping the government of the town.
 He continued to deal in real estate and in two or three years was recOS- razed as the wealthiest man in all that section But in 1891 he was stricken with sudden illness and died. His SO1a bln She pro- 1 cured the services of a skilled em- palmer and had the body carefully treated It was then placed in hand | some and costly casket and placed i'll | a conspicuous position in her parIof where she could gaze on the dead face of her husband through the glass front | of the coffin. This eccentric acticn on her part created a great deal of com rrent but the widow paid no heed to ii. and the grelwsOme remlnder Of con nubiaI happiness remained there for about three years, the widow occupy ing the lonely mansion with nc other companion during all those years.
 Young Bivius, in the meantime, con- ducted the affairs of the bank with such success and ability that he was elected president to succeed Dr. Mar vim He was a young man about 5N years of age, active and vigorous, and he looked after the aT1a-g45 cl MIS- A1-- win with the ucmost diligence.
 As sine was well advanced in years, and, apparently, so devoted to the memory of her late husband, nobody supposed that she would consider for a moment any suggestion of another matrimonial venture, consequently, when the marriage of President BlVlnS and Mrs Marvin was announced, the community was electrified by the news.
 But they were married, and to add to the sensational features of the we'd ding. when they started north on their bridal trip they took with them the casket containing the body of Dr. Mar win, and at Macon turned it over to 2n undertaken for burial. while they pro ceedcd on their journey.