Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1901-06-24
A SENSATIONAL CASE.
An Engagement Broken off Because of
CoIored Blood.

An Engagement Broken off Because of
Colored Blood
DR.. Thomas T. Wilkerson, of Jer-
sey City, who was engaged to be
married this summer to pretty Miss
Lizzie Rector, of that place, confessed
that there was negro blood in his
veins, and the engagement has been
broken off. The New York Press
tells the story as follows
he Rectors are one of the promi-
nent families in Jersey City. DR..
Pierson Rector, who died seven years
ago, was one of the leading physicians
OF Jersey, and his home, 100 Grand
street, was in the center of social life.
His son, DR.. Joseph M Rector, fol
lowed in his fathers professional foot
steps. Young DR.. Rector has a large
practice, having married and made
his home in the most fashionable
neighborhoods One of the Rector
girls married DR.. Charles D. Hill and
lives next to the old house, in Grand
street. Miss Lizzie, the second daugh-
ter, who is now Fl years old, is a IA
vorite in the society of that city.
after DR.. Rector's death Mrs. Rec
tor turned the homestead in Grand
street into a fashionable boarding
house. Two years ago young DR..
Wilkerson was the head of the United
States Dental Association, at Warren
and Montgomery streets. He was
then 80 years old, tall, athletic and
handsome, moving in the best social
circles. His jet-black hair, dark COM
plexion and dark eyes made him strik-
ingly handsome. To this he added a
charming personality.
'The expected happened. Miss
Lizzie and Dr. Wilkerson fell in love-
About Year ago their engagement
was announced and met with cordial
approval They were to have been
married in the coming summer, but
two months ago DR.. Wilkerson told
his fiancee a story that wrecked their
happiness. He acted as man of
honor, black or white, would act.
"Ie told Miss Lizzie that genera
tons back there had been a strain of
African blood in his family. Even
since the time Of his grandmother
the black strain had been lost in the
white till all remembrance of it had
been lost. He had lived the life of
white man among gentlemen. To
all practical purposes he was a white
man in manners, in habits, in looks.
But he felt that honor demanded that
he tell this woman Of the faint in
his ancestry.
"It is probable that Miss Rector,
coming from a family of doctors,
knew of the way even slight strain
of African blood sometimes concen-
trates in a child of some later genera
tions. 1t may be that her brother told
her. There was no reproach. They
decided that they could never marry.
eyes, said Dr. Wilkerson, I was
engaged to Miss Rector, and the en-
gagement has been broken off. It
is always better to tell the truth, and
will tell it to the public as I told it
to her My parents were not known to
have negro blood in them, but it
showed in my grandmother. have
tried to live reputable life. l have
studied hard and have built up a large
practice. I was educated in the
Presbyterian College and graduated
from the dental department of the
University of New York. I have
many friends, and I do not think I
have lost any of them. But to the
woman I loved I could not sail under
false colors. 1t is better that she
should know every bit of truth now
rather than learn to repent after her
marriage. We both love each other,
but we can never marry"