The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-30
Priest Refused 10 Wed Mrs..
Mason TO Mr.. Donaldson.
she IS DAUGHTER OF GEN. ORD
TAsj HOPED Ceremony Would First Be Per-
formed In Catholic charch, but Were
Disappointed By PastsT's Decision.

New York, April 30-In the office OF
President Fornes, OF the board OF alder
men, a civil marriage was performed last
secret until yesterday. when their an
nouncement caused considerable surprise
20 the friends OF the bride and BRIDE
groom. who are well known in army cir
cles
Alderman Armitage Mathews says that
on that day he married Walter A. DON
aldson. who held position in the state
department during the last Cleveland ad-
minlstration to Mrs Lucy ord-Mason.
daughter OF the late General +. o. C.
ord.
Mr.. Donaldson smilingly refused 10 af-
firm or deny that he had been married
at the city hall His supposed bride. in
dispatch from Washington. denied IL. and
said the report must be a mistake or in
tended as Joke. Mr.. Mathews. however.
when seen at his office, q William street,
admitted that he had performed the cere-
mony He said that he had not yet filed
the certificate I'm the bureau OF vital sta
tistics.
Mr.. Donaldson Is a Catholic. while his
bride. whose home is in Washington. ID.
g.. Is a Protestant. They had planned 10
have Catholic marriage ceremony per-
formed I'm this city which was 10 be fol-
lowed by "a second marriage at st. Mar
garets Protestant Episcopal church. In
Washington.
Mr.. Donaldson is friend OF the Rev.
Father James Connolly. formerly secre-
tary OF Archbishop Corrigsn. who is now
pastor of the Church of our Lady of Good
- A.
Mr.. Donaldson and Mrs. Mason went 10
see Father Connolly last week, he re-
fused to perform the marriage ceremony.
he said the double marriage planned
by them was contrary to the rules OF the
Catholic church.
Mr. Donaldson and Mrs. Mason, IL is
said, then decided upon the civil mar
riage. which they hoped would not become
public until after their marriage in Wash
ington. on June T.
Mr.. Donaldson, when seen at the Cres-
cent Athletic club, Brooklyn, where he
has been living for the last two months.
said: "It is true that Mrs. Mason and
! wished 10 be married by Father Con-
molly. She came TO New York one day
last week, and we went 10 see the father.
He stipulated, however that she should
sign a. printed form In which she was re-
quired to promise that In the solemniza-
ton OF her marriage there should be only
Now. her friends I'm Washington had
made elaborate plans for her wedding I'm
St Margarets church, and we felt that
we could not disappoint them and disar-
range everything. That was the only
trouble SO we decided 20 be married at
the Episcopal church. In Washington. on
June 4"
Mr.. Donaldson holds an appointment
I'm the naval office. at 20 Exchange place.
His residence IL given as the Catholic
club, 100 Central Park South. but the
members OF the club say he is non-resi-
dent member
Mr.. Donaldson was appointed customs
inspector I'm Santiago in 1898. He took
his former wife and his two young daugh-
ters with him 20 San Domingo His wife
and his daughter. Marie, died there OF
yellow fever in 1900 and fearing that his
youngest child Kathryn. would also fall
a victim 10 the disease, he FASTENED back
To this country with her. in November,
1900
Mrs. Mason, now said 10 be Mrs DON
aldson. lives at rs Nineteenth street. n.
w, Washington. She is the widow of
Captain John S. Mason. who lost his life
i'm the Sioux campaign. Her brother,
Lieutenant Ord. was killed i'm the battle
OF Santiago during the war with Spain.
Her daughters will be maids of honor at
the wedding.