The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-29
Rev. N. M: Jurney Aids
the Heroine.
PROOF OF MARRIAGE
An Orphaned Daughter Struggling for
Her Rights and Fortune Finds in
Him the Preacher Who Mar
ried Her Mother and
Father.

That is a very interesting story con-
nected with the recent trip of Rev. N NJ.
Jurney to New York city. 1t concerns
the proper party to receive the estate
of the late Harry d. Smith. a well known
shoe drummer, who died in the omnibus
Concord not great while ago. Mr.. Smith
was well known all over the State of
North Carolina and South Carolina. which
he travelled for long number Of years
He was successful in business and left
an estate valued at about thirty thous-
and dollars. He left one child, daugh-
ter, nearly grown. When he died his
brother, not knowing that he had ever
been married, administered on the estate.
Sometime after, his daughter, who was
at college, made a demand for the prop
erty as the heir. Mr. Smith had newer
informed his brother or any of his family
that he had ever been married and the
brother refused to recognize the young
lady as his dead brothers daughter, and
took the ground that her claim to be
the legal daughter Of Mr.. Smiths was
a fraud This of course, brought the
matter into the court and referee was
appointed to take testimony. The whole
matter hinged upon this fact: Was
Smiths marriage to the mother of the
young lady claiming to be his daughter
The girls mother was dead and she had
very little evidence to prove that Mr..
Smith and her mother was married. For
some unaccountable reason, Mr.. Smith
had never Informed his family of his
marriage and, as he was a travelling
man he was seldom with his brother and
his family. They never suspected the
marriage until the girl came forward to
claim the estate.
The girl or some of her friends found a
certificate of marriage signed by Rev. N.
NJ Jurney as the officiating minister with
his wife as witness Armed with this
the attorneys for the girl called upon
the brother to acknowledge the marriage
and to recognize the girl who was suing
for the property as H. D. Smiths lawful
heir. They refused to do so.
Last week Rev. N. M. Jrirney and wife
were summoned to New York to give evi
dence before referee. i was talking
with Mr.. Jurney last night and the story
he tells is substantially as follows:
Il was married in 1886 and with my
wife went to New York on a little trip.
1 had known H. D. Smith for long
time and l wrote to him before going
on to select a good hotel for myself and
bride. He did so. Shortly after we
reached New York, he came to see us
and invited us to go out with him to
some entertainment the next afternoon,
l think it was Buffalo Bill. and then go
out to dine with MIN at one of New
York's famous cafes. We accepted his
invitation and after we had seen Buffalo
Bill and had our dinner at the cafe he
said to me, NAT Che always called me
NaD, l want you to marry me today
Why / said, ''are you going to get
married."
He replied, Eyes, and l want you &c
perform the ceremony while you are mere
and l want to get married today
L said to him, "All right, where is your
license?'
He said, mo license is required in New
York. all that is necessary is for thc
preacher to give us a certificate OF mar
riage.'
l said, "All right
So he came around with the youns
lady, and a very good looking young lad!
she was too, and l married them and m!
wife witnessed the marriage. l then wen
down to the Methodist book concern anS