The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-12-22
LEGS OFF,
WEDDING Off.
McCann's Sister Forbid the
Bans in Mayor Fagan's
Office.
The LOVERS WERE COUSINS
Bridegroom Gould Not Stamp
So He Said Bad Words in
Front of Miss Reilly.
THE LOVERS WERE COUSINS

Hall in time this afternoon to prevent
her legless brother from marrying his
first cousin, to whom he said he was
deeply i'll love.
The would-be bridegroom was John
Mccain, 27 years old, of No. 260 Wayne
street, who had his legs cut off two years
ago by a freight train in the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad yards. The company
gave him $1,000 damages, although it
was shown that the accident was due to
his own carelessness. He purchased a
cemetery plot and a pair Of artificial legs
with the proceeds and deposited the bal
ance in the bank.
His legs were sha3ely but they
wouldn't work, and Mccain bought a
wheeled chair and hired a man to push
him around in it.
Miss Mary Reilly, 81 years old, the
would-be bride, who lives at No. 253 st.
Paufs avenue, has been visiting the Nc
Cams for several days, during which
time her legless suitor wooed her diligent-
". When she left the house this morn
ing Mccain accompanied her in his
chair, which was wheeled by Barnard
McCabe.
The chair was rolled down Wayne
street to Henderson street and thence
to the City Hall, Miss Reilly walking
at her cousins side. 1t was lifted up
the steps into the big municipal building
and trundled over to the elevator.
81 want to go up and see the Mayor"
remarked McCann to Hallman Flan-
nigan sad Elevator Man Lutz. Il wish
to get married. This young lady is to be
my BRIDE"
The chair was too big to go through
the elevator door. Flanagan and Nc
Cabe solved the difficulty by lifting Nc
Cam from his chair They took him up
on the elevator and frotted him into the
Mayors conference room, followed by
the bride.
Mayor agan was busy in his office at
the time and did not see the pair. He
instructed Stephen Fitzgerald. his clerk,
to take their names, ages, address, ETC.,
for the marriage record, saying that he
would perform the ceremony as soon as
he got rid of pressing business with
which he was engaged
While Mr.. Fitzgerald was getting the
desired information a woman rushed nito
Secretary O'Connor's office, leading to
the conference room, and breathlessly ex-
claimed :-"Is there wedding going on
inside 2"
WANT TT STOPPED.
81 want it stopped, she said. "He's
my brother and she's his cousin. My
mother says they can't get married be
cause their first cousins. | must see the
Mayor. He should not marry them" +"
The woman said she was Catherine
O'Niell.
Clerk Fitzgerald had talk with Mr..
legless man and his sweetheart after an
experience with Miss O'Niell and he ad-
mitted that they We're cousins. Both said
that they were in love with each other
and didn't believe that their relationship
was an ybar to their getting married.
Miss O'Niell was prevented from en-
tering the conference room. She was
kept in the reception room while Fitz-
gerald saw the Mayor and explained all
that was going on.
The Mayor said that under the cir
cumstances he could not perform the GER
emony and McCann got as mad as a hor-
net when he heard the alienation. He
actually swore without excusing himself
to the disappointed young woman who
was with him.
Cant we get married somewhere
else?" asked Miss Rieely, her eyes snap
ping like fire.
Wen try a justice" said Mccain.
Then the would-be bridegroom was
carried downstairs vowing On every step
that his sister could not thwart him from
getting married.
Mrs. O'Neill said that she would follow
them all day if necessary to prevent thek
from having wedding. She was last
seen walking along Henderson street be-
hing the loving cousins as they started
out on their search for a justice.
McGann was formerly employed as d
brakeman on the P. R. r. He lost his
legs in falling under a train one day
| while he was intoxicated and off duty.