The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-05-07
DOWD MARRIED
HIS own AUNT
Their Union Kept Secret for
Nearly -Four Years.
A LAWSUIT MADE II PUBLIC.
NsIghhn Bslisvst There Was NsihIhg
Mere Than Intimacy Between 4 Young
Aunt and Z FUudis Nsphsx.
A LAWSUIT MADE IT PUBLIC.

New York, May John Francis Dowd,
a real estate operator I'm Fordham. talk
ed freely yesterday of his secret marriage
four years ago 10 Mrs. Cecilia 4. Lap
pine his mothers sister. which has just
been made public through a suit for SLAM
der brought by George W Webb against
Mr. Dowd
Mrs. l.appine. although her marriage 10
her nephew took place nearly four years
ago.
Although Mrs Dowd Is Mr. Dowd's
aunt. she ~ a very young aunt. Mr..
Dowd is tall and athletic wears a full
brown beard that IL slightly stresked
with gray, and appears TO be about forty
years old Mrs. Dowd II blond and buxom
and looks to be the same age as her hus-
band
The couple live I'm a handsome cottage
at No. 232l Washington avenue Mrs.
Dowd owns much property I'm the neigh
borhood and IL accounted wealthy
weman. All of her property is in the
name of Lappine. Indeed. when she open
ed the door yesterday for q reporter she
said that she was Mrs. Lappine. Dowd
was mis- aunt's favorite nephew, and at
ter the death ot her husband he managed
her large property.
on June 2l 1897 they went TO Albany
and were married by the Rev. Henry ;.
Potter They went abroad for the rest
OF that summer. Dowd continued 10 live
in his aunt's house, and not person
knew that they had been married
ON the second anniversary OF their
marriage Mr.. and Mrs. Dowd gave din
ner party at their house 10 "A small num-
ber OF relatives and IL WAS then that
they first revealed the secret Of their re-
lationship. The dinner guests were sworn
10 secrecy and have since kept the pledge.
A robbery At the house OF the Dowds
in August. 1sss, led~,p % the making
public OF their secret. The family was out
OF town al the time, and the thieves took
only the cash they found in the honsc
amounting to 1927, and passed over many
valuable articles of iewelry and bric-a-
brac and some valuable furs. Mr. Dowd
reported the ma tier 10 the police and told
them some circumstances which he
thought suspicious.
Their Investigations. he says, backed
up his suspicious very strongly. and II
was on the strength Of this that George
w. Webb. whose wife is second cousin
OF Mr. Dowd. brought suit against Dowd
for SIS Oo0 damages for slander. The case
is soon TO be reached on the calendar In
the supreme court.
"l have been threatened with this
thing for some time" said Mr. Dowd
yesterday. There has been only one
reason for keeping the matter secret, and
that has TO do entirely with some bus-
ness matters In which I am concerned l
suppose that ~ had yielded to demands
made on me this thing might have been
kept secret longer, but | am glad that IL
Is out | am proud OF my wife. and have
always regretted the business compica-
no ha dc fn
our marriage a secret.
Webb understs nd. has brought other
suits for slander in connection with the
same incidents on which the suit against
me is based. When the trial comes off. IL
IL ever does. there will be sensations be-
side which my marriage To my aunt will
pale into insignifcance.