The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-08
100 LATE.
Mrs. w. I. Allen Fails to Pre-
vent Mr.. Aliens Marriage.
Her Divorced Husband Was on
His Guard.
A MIDNIGHT WEDDING.
Miss Josephine Dietrich Be-
comes Mrs. Allen.
Ceremony Performed by Pro-
bate Judge DOlman.
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
First Wife Has the Papers
Served Today.
Asks to Have Her Divorce Set
Aside.
Exciting Scene Before Mr.. Allen
Came to Topeka.
Exciting Scene Before Mr.. Allen
Came to Topeka.

w. 1. Allen, until recently assistant
general manager of the Rock Island,
and Miss Josephine DIETRICH were mar
ried a few minutes before midnight
last night at the home of the sister of
the bride, at 625 Harrison street. A few
minutes later Mr.. Aliens first wife
from whom he was divorced last May
and their attractive young daughter,
Byrd, stepped off a Santa F'e train.
They had come from Chicago to pre-
vent the marriage.
The train bringing Mrs. Allen and her
daughter to Topeka was late and it ar
rived at almost the exact minute that
the ceremony which they were determ-
ined to prevent, was performed.
The marriage was hastened by the
fact that Mrs. Allen and her daughter
were coming. All the arrangements
had been completed to have the ceremony
performed at Grace Cathedral at noon
today The relatives had arrived and
if the programme had been carried out
Dean Sykes of the Episcopal church
would have of1ciated.
1t was about IL o'clock when mes
senger raped at the door of Judge Dol
mans residence in North Topeka. He
had retired but got up and was then
told that he was wanted at the Lacey
home on Harrison street at once. He
dressed and accompanied the messen-
ger and when he reached the Lacey
home a few relatives of Mr.. Allen and
Miss DIETRICH were there and he was
requested to perform the ceremony
which would make them man and wife
At 11:45 the ceremony was performed.
When Mrs Allen and her daughter
reached Topeka they had no thought
that they were too late to prevent the
marriage. They were driven at once to
the home of A. H. Case on West Ienth
avenue where their appearance was ex-
planned to Mr.. and Mrs. Case who are
old friends of Mrs. Allen.
Miss Allen drove in the cab to the
ThrOOp hotel because she said that her
father made her promise before he left
Chicago that if her mother came to To-
peka she would accompany her and go
to him at once.
1t was nearly 3 o'clock when Miss AL
len reached the hotel. She was told
that her father had left the hotel at
II 30 and that he was expected back eV-
cry minute. She drove around for more
than an hour and returned frequently
to the hotel but her father did not re-
turn She did not know of his mar
riage but suspicion of the truth was
revealed to her by his prOlonge= alb
This morning early the ladies drove
down town. They stopped at the Epis-
cOpal residence and inquired whether
the marriage ceremony had been per-
formed and We're told that it had not
been, so far as Dean sykes or BlSnOp
MillspauSh knew.
Formal notices were then drawn up
showing that Mrs. Allen would contest
the legality Of the divorce and warning
the parties not to marry. These We're
served by Under Sheriff Williams on
Mr.. Allen and his bride.
"She came too late" said Mr.. Allen
to the officer
Judge Dolman was also served with
one of the notices. An effort was made
to keep the marriage quiet early this
morning and a Journal reporter who
visited the Lacey home about ten
o'clock this morning to secure prellm-
mary facts for the notice Of the we'd
ding was not told of the change in
the programme. A short time after
ward brief announcement of the mar
riage vas received at the State Jour
nal office but there was no hint of the
cause of the sudden change in the ar
rangements.
Mrs. Allen is a determined little wo-
man. She was becomingly attired and
wore a seal skin sack when she was
seen today. She has pleasant face
and her manner is rather Subdued than
otherwise.
'.The fact that Mr. Allen is married."
said she, will make no difference so
far as the legal proceedings are con-
cerned. I intend to press the suit to
have the divorce set aside, for was
coerced into signing the petition and
did not know what I was doing when
was granted me. was then suffering
from the effects of a drug that was
given to me to quiet my nerves.
For three years Mr. Allen urged me
to consent to a divorce and refused.
I did not want a divorce. I came back
from Colorado last November and was
taken sick a short time afterward and
was compelled to submit to a serious
surgical operation. was continually
urged to agree to a divorce and I was
given notice to understand that unless
I did so my daughters would be left
unDrovided for. as Mr.. Allen had a
position offered him in Cuba
I was told that if I signed the petit
ton I would not need to consent to
the divorce and that it could not be
granted without my presence signed
the petition on May p and was given to
understand that it was simply a pre-
liminary to carry through a business
deal Five days after they came for
me to go to the court room. / was