The evening times., 1902-07-10
TO CONTINUE
MARRIAGE CEREMONY
Prospective Groom Tilted at
the Altar.
TOO SERIOUS" SAYS BRIDE
Miss Theodore Van Wyck, Said to b.
Wealthy and a Relative of New
York's ex-Mayor, Declines to yfe.
Frank Mitchell.

A peculiar story of an R,terrro5e,
marriage ceremony came to light today
/ The principals in the case so far a,
can be learned are Miss Theodora Il
Van Wyck, said 10 be extremely wealth,
/ and relative Of ex-Mayor Van WICK
| Of New York. and Mr.. Frank Mitchell
both of this city.
Several evenings ago the couple az.
| companied by i number. Of friends. Wis
ted the residence of Rev. DR.. waIlac,
/ Radcliffe, pastor of the New York Ave.
nue. Presbyterian Church, and asked II
be married The prospective groom pro
dueed a license issued in due form apt
Dr.. Radcliffe consented to perform ths
ceremony.
Says Its Too Serious"
The couple took their places and the
ceremony was begun. When DR. Pad.
cIiGe reached that portion of the mar.
riage ritual in which the bride is asked
TO take the groom .as. her lawfully we'd
ded husband. Miss Van Wyck suddenly
surprised the clergyman by saving no
1t IS furthc- :sserted that when asked
her reason for SO suddenly changing her
mind she merely answered that If was
too serious. After some further words
during which the bride refused to 90 on
NTH ehe ceremony the bridal party took
their departure.
1t was asserted today that the dis
appointed groom was emploved AZ a
clerk in the car service department Of
the Southern Railway. Inquiry there re-
veaied the fact that a Frank Mitcbsu
rs on the rolls, but that he was absent
on sick leave
Declares Story a Joke.
Joseph Mitchell, who is emploved in
the freight claim ofice Of the Southern
snd who is a brother OF the Fra,t
Mitchell referred to, when asked about
The affair, declared the report that tbo
latter had left his work to be married
vas joke and really without founIa-
len he added that his brother was NJ
home sick, and insisted that there was
no grourd fer the story that he had
been the victim Of Z girls wbfm AZ tbo
eltar. ~
Mr. Wyman. chief OF the car qe-v,,.
department Of the Southern. when asked
in regard TO the report. said that he
knew Of = Frank Mitchell. but declined
70 say more, He referred the question
% Mr- MitcheIIs brother.
Several o. Frank Mitchelrs acouai1t-
snces IN the Southern Railway building
stated that he had left his post several
Gays ago. saying that he was going to be
married One man said Mr. Mitchell had
stated that he was going to we'd .
wealthy girl and give Up the railroad
busiress.
When Or. Radcliffe was asked about
the case today he said:
/ WI say nothing about IT, II fs not
true tf2- I refused to continue the cere-
mony. 1 had a long talk with them
'Ehen the ceremony was declared of. but
that was strictly confidential"
License Never Returned.
The records Of the District Of colrm-
bia show that on July 2 4 license was
issued to Frank Mitchell and Tbeodora
H Van WycI- The age OF the former is
given as twenty-six years; that of the
latter as twenty years The address of
both parties IS given as this city.
The District records fail to show anv
return uDon this marriage license.
According to the city directory both
Frank and Joseph Mitchell reside at 902
" Street northwest INQUIRY n thar
place this afternoon elected the nfo~-
nation that Frank Mitchell was not
there.
It was learned later that Miss Van
Wyck Is niece Of the ex-mayor Of New
York. and that she has been living at
he Nj mandie all winter with her
mother She left several days go for
Far Rockaway.
It is also stated that the prospective
room made a second effort to get her
to the altar, but she refused. Miss Van
Nyck,,s income Is said to be 5000 a
month
0uCJ InImT01T ~