The evening times., 1899-11-20
RRpENr1Na AT LEISURE.
Young Mr.. Collins becomes Wear,
of Matrimonial Rauda

Young Mr.. Collins becomes Weary
of Matrimonial bonds.
NEW YORK. Nov. 20.-On behalf of
James Sanford Collins. of Brooklyn, as
guardian, Lawyer Henry S. Davis OF the
Temple Court building. is about to bring
suit in the supreme court in this borough,
to annul the marriage OF Melville S. Col
Inns, to Mrs. Minnie Delmathode, a con-
cert singer, whose stage name Is Minnie
Methot. Notice of the suit was served on
Mrs. Collins on Saturday at her home in
the Curtis apartments at 1s1 West 34th
Street. The elder Collins AYERS that his
SON was tricked and coerced into marrying
Mrs. Delmathode. she being a woman many
years his senior. He declares she is at
least 81 years old. and is the mother Of a
daughter who is on the stage. He further
AYERS that his son is a minor. being but 20
years old, and that he is going to college.
and that Mrs Delmathode married him for
his money. and not because of love.
Young Mr.. Collins says he was introduced
at a reception given in Manhattan, and they
became fascinated with each other. He
visited her afterward on two occasions, and
later. when they were at another reception
she proposed that they announce to those
present that they had become engaged.
Collins AYERS that the defendant said they
could afterxard explain that it was joke.
and he accordingly agreed to it. After the
announcement. she made him hold to his
agreement. and marry her.
Mrs. Collins is Il pretty woman and GER
tainly does not look within several years
of the age she OWNS up to. which is thirty
years. She has no daughter she says, but
has sister on the stage. Mrs. Collins
told the story of her second matrimonial
venture:
When my husband says he was coerced
into marrying me- she declared. he says
what he knows in his heart is false.
met him year and half ago at a recep-
tiOn at the house of friend of mine. We
were introduced and after that We met fire.
quently. He paid court TO me and was
very attentive last winter when / was i'll.
He finally proposed and We were married
on May 10 last. by the Rev. DIR. Houghton,
in the little Church Around the Corner.
The marriage was not secret one by any
means. At least forty witnesses were pres
ent. They were all my friends. none of
his being there. The marriage took place
with the consent OF his people. He mar
ried me of his own free will and / married
him against the consent Of my friends.
They tried to dissuade me but would not
listen. l liked him and had felt the need
OF protector ever since my first husband
died three years ago. He knew / was a
widow I did not marry him for his money
because | knew he did not have any. He
never told me he had money.
The suit is brought because it is al
legged that he was not of age IL he is a
minor. he was false TO me. He told me he
was twenty whine years old. and swore to
ii when we were married. He says | am
thirty seven. l have trouble enough with
out his adding more years to my age. II
he is twenty nine, as he looks and swore
he was, there is not so much difference in
our ages. After our marriage We lived
together four months. Then | got tired
and refused to pay any more bills. There
was nothing for him 10 do but clear out.
Our 6nal tiff was over my refusal to pay
hat bill Ny check book will show I
footed his bills. He never contributed one
cent to my support. The only thing he
ever bought me was my wedding ring.
could not AFFORD to support him longer.
How could | coerce a great big fe low over
six feet tall and broad shou,dered into
marrying me? There is nothing to him
except bulk. He is what l call an impos-
sible man. l haven't decided yet whether
or not it is worth while to contest the
suit
Mr.. Collins has been living for the last
two months in the Bachelor Apartment
house at 264 Fifth Avenue. He has been
sharing the apartments of Francklyn Howe,
a millionaire of 253 Fifth Avenue. The
Rev. K. X. Houghton said last night that
he did not recollect the marriage of Mr..
and Mrs. Collins. but OF one fact he was
certain that il he married the couple
Collins signed a sworn statement that he
was of legal age and there was no i'm
pediment TO his marriage.