The evening times., 1899-04-06
MARRIED IN HASTE.
\ Runaway Couple Welded In a PJ-
lice Court.

| New York, April 6.-In the Yorkvlle po-
! lice court room yesterday afternoon the
| clock was striking ; just as a fashonably
minutes later they had been married and
| were being whirled away to catch a train.
This dispatch led Magistrate Olmsted
to make some sort of a remark about their
being railrOaded into matrimony."
The man said he was William Pratt.
thirty-siN years old n merchant of Phil
adelphia. and described his companion as
Miss Mary Elizabeth Smith. thirty-fiye
years old. Of the same city. He admitted
that they had eloped.
Policeman Dennis Griffin was lolling in
the sun near the entrance when a car
riage hastily drove up and a well-groomed
driver sprang from the box and opened
the door. \ handsome man. wearing silk
hat and a frock coat. with a carnation pink
in his lapel. sprang cut and assisted tall.
beautiful brunette, elegantly attired. to
aliaht. The man tipped his hat to the
policeman, who made a profound obeis
ance.
Mr. Officer | desire to get married. ="
said the young man, 'and quickly. l want
TO catch a train at the Grand Central De-
pot.
is that lady the defendant mean the
BRIDE asked the policeman Receiving
an affirmative reply, he rushed into the
court room and said to Magistrate Ohm
stead:
n swell couple out here want TO get
married and catch a train. It's case of
life and death"
That's what matrimony generally is"
replied the magistrate. and the clerks
laughed heartily, as they always do when
the magistrate cracks a joke.
When the bride and bridegroom appeared
in the courtroom. Magistrate Olmstead, the
clerks. and the court attendants were I'M
pressed with the beauty and grace of the
woman and the aristocratic bearing of the
man. Magistrate Olmstead bowed as he
was introduced by Policeman Griffin, and
invited the couple to enter his private
Office. After the man had told his name
and that of his companion. he said:
I'VE are in a hurry, judge, because We
want TO catch a train that leaves at $50
from the Grand Central Station. You will
Oblige us with as much expedition as pos
sible''
Magistrate Olmstead set two clerks at
work on the certificate. Mr. T. de T.
Truax. who was visiting Magistrate Ohm
stead. was selected to give the bride away,
while Policeman Griffin acted as best man.
newspaper man present signed the GER
tificate as one of the witnesses.
With much dignity Magistrate O.mstead
united the couple. Then there were con-
gratulations. The man said he and his
companion had run away from Philadel-
phia. Asked why he said there were reas-
0ns. He said he was widower and that
1t was another case of true love- He was
so delighted that he went about giving the
court attendants appreciation of his esteem
in a material way, SO that they might
drink TO the health and happiness of the
bride. Mr.. Pratt refused to tell where he
and his bride were going. saying all would
be known soon. The happy couple got into
the cab again and were driven of at a :
high rate of speed.
That is one of the times did not have
chance to kiss the bride when l wanted
to-" remarked Policeman Griffin Most of
those who get married here will let you
kiss the bride. and in those cases you don't
want to do it,