Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-01-15
4 RUNAWAY marriage
IN WHICH THE GROOM WAS A FOR
MER WELL KNOWN WHEEL
ING MAN.
NOW LIVES IN CLARKsBURG.
DESPITE the Objection of the Brides
Parents They Were Joined in
Wedloek at One O'Clock Yesterday
Morning in q Baltimore Hotel-Full
Details of the Romantic A6afr.

Mr.. Walter T. Rau was the groom
in a romantic runaway marriage
which was solemnized at n O'Clock
Sunday morning in a Baltimore hotel,
Mr. Rau came to Wheeling from his
home in Martins Ferry, and for a
number of years was travelling sales
man for the Locke Shoe Company. He
is a brother of DIR. R. M. Rau, Of this
city. Less than a year ago he re-
moved to Clarksburg, where he en-
gagged in the hotel business, in which
he has been very successful. Mr.. Rau
has many friends who will extend
hearty congratulations to him..
The following interesting account
of the marriage is taken from yester-
DAYS edition of the Baltimore Sun:
One O'Clock Sunday morning was the
romantic hour selected by w. T. Rau,
of Clarksburg, w. Va, and Miss Mary
Agnes Hess, of Washington, D. C., to
merge their lives into n
One of the parlors of the Hotel Rem
merit was the scene of the wedding.
Rev. William T. Way, pastor of En-
manuel Reformed Episcopal church,
at Eden and Hoffman streets, was the
officiating clergyman.
As bridesmaid and best man were
Miss Annie Rau, of Washington, and
Mr.. w. o. Rau, of Harper's Ferry, Sis
ter and brother Of the groom.
1t may be inferred from these odd
proceedings that the family of one OF
the leading actors in the midnight
wedding had objected to it. And 1t
may now be said that those directors
were une parents of Miss Hess, who on
more than n occasion had frustrated
an elopement. Perhaps that is why the
brother of the groom cried out eXult-
antly just as the clergyman said the
last word, We've stolen her this time
a remark that caused no little merri-
ment.
The couple, accompanied by the re-
latives of the groom, arrived in Balti-
more on a late Saturday train from
the capital.
About midnight Mr.. Charles E..
West, deputy clerk of the Court of
Common Pleas received a visit from
Thomas o. Agnew, of Agnew & Berry,
IL North Howard street. Mr.. Agnew
told Mr.. West that he was just the
mar to help a pair of faithful lovers
to do some laughing at locksmiths
and join in wedlock two trusting souls
who had hitherto been kept apart by
the cruel hand of fate. Mr.. Agnew
was certain of it because Capt. A. J.
Pumphrey, at the head of the detec-
tive force, had told him SO, and the
Captain knew everything.
Would Mr.. West go along with Mr..
,,ou - L;a .1@ao 80 l,,;aa1, --l4"o
the wedding party was waiting and
hesitating for it's next cue?
Mr.. West would and did.
There he found a determined and
confident groom; a pretty, shrinking
and somewhat frightened bride and a
~jubilant gentleman and lady, who
proved to be w. o. Rau of Harper's
Ferry. and Miss Annie Rau, the broth
er and sister of the groom.
Mr.. West proved a good general
manager. He found that Mr.. w. ~.
Rau had stopped at the Rennert and
suggested that the party go there at
once while he took the necessary legal
steps to make a success out of the
midnight romance.
What's the correct thing in regis
tering at a hotel in an affair of this
klnd?" asked the groom. I'm a little
new at such a thing, and we cannot
be too careful about observing the pro-
prieties."
This is the way" said Mr.. West. Il
shall at once order a suite of rooms
for you. Now the two ladies will reg
lister in their parents name and be as
signed rooms. The two men will do
the same. Then when We get this
wedding over, why there will appear
a new entry of w. 7. Rau and wife
and Miss Hess. of Washington, will
have disappeared"
This met the approval of all and
Mr.. West began to look like the biggest
man in Baltimore.
Now for the marriage license said
he.
Directing Mr.. Agnew to meet him
within a short time at the court house,
he soon had Mr.. George Wise. the
marriage license clerk, on the spot with
the keys, and Mr.. Agnew got the
license and the two went to the Hotel
Rennert. The groom's age was given
"f THOUGHT I Would Neyer Re Wal, ho,,-