New-York tribune., 1902-11-29
FLORENCE BURNS MARRIES
BRIDEGROOM is C. W. WILDRICK, FoRG-
Err, WHOSE COMPANION IN HOTEL,
MABEL STRONG, DIED.

Florence Burns, the Brooklyn girl who was
arrested and held a prisoner in the ToHlbs Tor
weeks. suspected of the murder or wafer
Brooks at the Glen Island Hotel but who was
finally liberated and exonerated. has been mar
ried to Charles W. Wildrick who has also re-
ceived notoriety in the courts
The marriage was performed Wednesday
evening after the prayer meeting at the Thirty
fourth Street Collegiate Reformed Church by
the Rev John H. Elliott. pastor of the church.
Dr. Elliott in an interview said yesterday
After the prayer meeting on Wednesday even
ing I went to my study. where | expected a
couple who had made arrangements to be mar
ried. | had left word with the sexton of the
church, James Mason, to show the couple up to
my study when they arrived. Shortly after
o'clock a couple came into the room and SAID
they wished to be married. AS had asked two
witnesses. James CrOmie and Edyth b Marrl-
ami to be present .at the other ceremony. ana
they were In the church, | consented 10 marry
this couple. l was particularly attracted by
their appearance. as the man was handsome
and the girl very pretty. They gave their names
clearly as Charles W. Widrlck and Florence w
Burns. and seemed well versed in the marriage
ceremony, as the questions were ansW ered
clearly and promptly. Now that recall the
matter. I think the reason [ did not realize the
identity of the girl was the fact that she laid
special stress upon the middle initial of her
name. l remember her saying twice that her
name was Florence w. After the ceremony
they both thanked me pTofusely for marrying
them and left the church. The sexton says they
boarded Eighth-ave. car and went down
town.
Wildrick is the son of the late Lieutenant
Colonel WildriCk. u. s A, and received nOtorte-
ty in the summer of 1901. when he was arrested
for passing a worthless check on the proprietor
of the Gerard Hotel in West Forty-fourth-st
His companion at the hotel Mabel Strong,
the daughter of a Cleveland merchant. At the
time of his arrest the Strong girl suffering
from consumption. She taken TO St. Luke s
Hospital. where she died soon after. Widrick
served a sentence of six months on the charge
OF forgery.
Florence Burns has led quiet life since her
exoneration in connection with the Brooks muir
der At her home in Brooklyn none of her fam
lily would say anything concerning her marriage
or whether she was in this city or not. 1t is
understood that Wildrick attentive TO her
after he had been convicted of forgery and be
fore the Brooks tragedy 1t appears that the
girl came to Manhattan on Monday. and acct
dentaIly met Wildrick, whom she had not seen
for some time. WildTiCk asked the girl to
marry him, and she gave her consent. Plans
were made TO come to this city Wednesday
for a quiet marriage. 1t did not leak out until
twenty-four hours after the ceremony when the
girl, they connected her name and face with
the sensational Brooks
At the office of Foster l.. Backus. who de-
Tended Florence Burns at her trial, it was said
that Mr.. BaCkus was out Of town. Harry T..
Lewis said Mr. Backus knew nothing OF the
girls marriage. and had not been acquainted
with her movements for several months.