The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-08
Oowd and His wife May Bs
Punished BY Imprisonment
THEY ARE NEPHEW AND AUNT.
Punishment Prescribed Is 10 Years ImpTls-
oamsnt -Beih Greatly Distressed Say
They 0ldn'tknsw Thsy Were Offending

New York, May S.--John Francis Dowd,
who married his mothers sister. Mrs. Ce-
celia II. Lappine. four years ago. learned
for the first time yesterday that his mar
riage was contrary 10 law, and that II
the prosecuting authorities OF the coun-
~ see fit to take action there may be an
unpleasant time ahead OF him and hos
wife. who Is also his aunt
The story 0f the strange marriage
which had been kept secret for four
years and was only revealed by suit
for slandcr brought against Dowd by
George w. Webb whose wife is Dowd's
cousin has been told
DowD GREATLY DISTURBED.
Dowd and his wife. who until yester-
day called herself Mrs. Lappiae, were
greatly disturbed when they learned how
the law regarded marriages OF the kind
they had entered into.
He was sitting in the dining room OF
his home, at No. 232l Washington avenue.
fordham, when = reporter calico.
Did you look mp the law before YOU
married your aunt?' the reporter asked.
Yes, | did and didn't find any obsta-
Gle TO the marriage"
Did the minister who married you in
Albany know that you were your wife's
nephew"
mo. he didn't ask uly questions about
the relationship"
Section 302 OF the Penal Code SAYS:
When persons within the degree OF con
saEgninity, within which marriages are
ceclared by law TO be voi6 mter-marry
each OF them is punishabie By impIison.
ment for not more than ten years' Did
you not know OF that section OF the Pc
nal Code?"
mo, but 7 do not believe tina. Al ar
plies To the marriage of a nephew ana
an aunt"
''The Domestic Relations law prohibits
such marriages. Article l of chapter 272,
I'm enumerating prohibited marriages,
says OF among others AN uncle and
niece or an aunt and nephew.
Dowd looked completely crushed He
became very nervous and said:
Il must not let my wife hear OF this l
do not believe there Is anything wrong
about our marriage. but don't want her
even To think that any one doubts IT,"
HE KNOWS OF SIMILAR CASES.
why, there are n great many people
who have married, though related as we |
are. Some OF my clients I'm the real estate
business. bearing the same lationship
as we did have married. know OF am !
'ilctc VINO married MS niece, ana mar
riages OF that kind are quite common
This distresses me greatly. We are |
married and love each other, and have |
been married for years. Some one may /
try 10 fave the marriage annulled What |
good would that do now? But the law I
says such marriages are void. shall |
consult my lawyers about the matter"
Later Mr.. Dowd and his wife talked |
the matter over and telephoned TO their
lawyers, kronfield & Harris, No 800
Broadway.
Mrs. Dowd was much affected by the |
discovery. She Is only a few years older
than her nephew-husbsnd, who is about
forty. Mrs. Dowd Is a handsome woman.
q. l.. +. Rohan. counsel for Mr. Webb. |
whose suit for s25,0o0 damages for slander
revealed the strange marriage, SAYS she
is worth s5ooOOo, willed to her by her first
husband
Earlier I'm the day Mrs. Dowd, i'm ex-
planning how she came To marry her |
nephew. said:
our minds and souls were alike and
We were fond OF each other so we were |
married
The marriage was kept secret because
Il was feared that It would provoke the
anger of Gregory Leahy. Mrs Dowd's 1
brother and Mr.. Dowd : uncle