The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-12-04
WIFE AT fifteen.
Mabel Wilsey Secretly Mar
ried Benjamin Brewer
November %.
MOTHER CAUSES HIS ARREST
He Is Charged With seduc-
ton and Held for the
Grand Jury.

MIS- . -
ark avenue, called at Police Headquar-
tiers, about 11:30 Saturday night, and in
a very excited manner reported to Ser
geant Michael Walsh, who was behind the
desk, that her ffteen-year-old daughter,
Mabel, had been missing from her home
since one o'clock in the afternoon
When Mrs. Wilsey quieted down a lit
tie. she told Sergeant Walsh that she
thought Mabel had eloped with a man
named Benjamin Bowers, twenty-five
named Benjamin Brewer. twenty-five
the Lehigh Valley Railroad, who former
" boarded with the family.
Mrs. Wilscy begged the Sergeant to do
all in his power to locate the young girl
Brewer had left the Wilsey home With
out leaving his new address The case
was put in the hands of Detective Nc
Nally, who went to the Lehigh Valley
Railroad yard and found Brewer aboard a
train.
Brewer told Detective McNally that his
arrest was an outrage as he had been mar
ried to Miss Wilsey, by the Rev William
H. Ruth of st. Paul's Methodist Episco-
pal Church, Of Third street. Brewer was,
however, locked up in the Gregory street
station
Mrs. Wilsey and her daughter called at
Police Headquarters, yesterday after
noon, and they were Immediately
before Chief of Police Murphy.
How did you come to marry Brower?'
asked the Chief, addressing the child
wife.
Because I loved him"
where did you get married?'
"At St Pauls Methodist Episcopal
Church, on Third street, by the Rev.
William H. Ruth"
How old are you?"
Fifteen years old"
.Did you tell Mr.. Ruth that you were
f~fteen?"
mo, 1 told him I was eighteen"
.Did you tell him anything else?"
eyes. 1 answered a numbe of ques-
tions for him.
Did he hesitate in performing the cere-
mony?''
yes, he did not want to marry US at
first. but insisted that I was eighteen
and he performed the ceremony
where is your ce~rtiicate?"
INV husband has it in his pocket, l
think. He took charge of it after the
ceremony was performed" The certih-
cafe was found on Brewer when he was
searched at Police Headquarters by De-
tective McNally.
Mrs. Wilsey insisted that Brewer suf-
fer the full penalty of the law. She ana
her daughter then left headquarters and
went home.
About an hour later little Mrs. Brewer
again visited Police Headquarters. Walk
ing up to the sergeant's desk. she said
.s4Nill YOU please let me have a pass TO
see my husband?'
.sWho is your husband?' asked the ser
eeant in amazement, as ne looked at the
little girl whose dress hardly reached her
snoe tops.
aReniamin Brewer" she answered.
The pass allowing her to see her impris-
oned husband was made out and handed
to her, She then hurried down stairs to
the City Prison.
After Mrs. Brewer a talked to her
husband she was interviewed by a
News reporter. She said
mo, I have not succeeded in bringing
my mother to my side. l want to i've
will my husband, and I propose to stand
by him during the trouble. MY mother
has threatened to send me to my father,
who is at Leadville, Col, but she cannot
do so as she has not the money to defray
the expenses"
Detective McNally told the reporter last
| night that he had succeed in learning that
Brewer, until several nights ago, boarded
witt a family at No. 515 Jesey avenue, and
that Saturday night he took his young
wife to rooms which he had furnished at
No. 95 Newark
Brewer was a%rraigned in the First
Criminal Court, this morning, on the
| charge of abduction. Justice Potts heard
the case.
Mrs. Wilsey was the first witness call
| ed. Mrs. Wilsey appeared heart broken.
over the action Of her daughter. Several
| time it was thought she would faint while
| giving her testimony. She was not over
come. however, until after the hearing,
when she tainted. Detective Mentally ana
Court officer McGurk. rushed to her as
| sistance and carried her into Inspector
| Archibald's private office. Mrs Wlisey
| said her daughter was fifteen. She had
never given her consent to the marriage;
| she had known Brewer three years, and
her husband had never given his.
Counsellor Charles Kelly has been re-
tanned to defend Brewer. Mrs. Brewer
was the next witness. She was dressed
in a longv black silk dress, white coat,
a purple velvet hat and gloves to match
She smiled at her husband, who was in
| the prisoners pen. She said
Brewer had asked her to marry him last
| August. "He asked my mother if he could
| not marry me- said Mrs. Brewer, and she
| said Eyes. I viii be glad to get rid of
| her." This happened at the breakfast
| table. MY husband is a steady young
| han and / sincerely love him. When l
| left home last Saturday ! went to rooms
| furnished for ms and | thought | would
| be happy, but my mother caused my nus
| bands arrest"
Frank Toosey. of No. 121 East Forty
| seventh street, New York. was next CALI
| ed as a witness. ~He swore positively that
| he was present at the time Brewer asked
Mrs. Wilseys consent to her daughters
\ marriage.
$500 bail 20 await the action of the Grand
Jury on a charge Of seduction.