The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-04-13
FATHERS LIFE
IN JURY'S HANDS
WHEN DAUGHTER MARRIED
MAN, HER MURDERED MOTHER
HAD REFUSED AS SON-IN-LAW.

Addie DiCkerson. Aged 16 Years
Married Her own Brother-in-L"w'
Girl was in Delicate Condition
Father on Trial for Life, and
Judge McAlpin Did Not Refuse Lii
cense Until Consent OF Parent Was
Gafned-Bride's Brother Had Mar
ried Groom's sister Only Last
Month.
With the mother who had opposed
her marriage dead, her fathers life in
the hands of twelve men and herself
in a delicate condition, Addie DieKer-
son yesterday afternoon married her
own brother-in-law.
shortly before 2 o'clock she had re-
luotantiy given testimony against her
fa1her, Benjamin r. Dickerson. charg-
ed with numbering his wife.
At few minutes past 4 o'clock she
entered the office Of Clerk Molina of
the Ordinarys Court and applied for
a marriage license. The prospective
groom was Daniel A. Burgess, her
brother-in-law.
The circumstances surrounding the
case are rather unusual. Miss Dicker-
son is q pretty country girl, 16 years
old last July About year ago she
promised to marry Burgess, man of
%. and the consent of her parents was
asked. Mrs. Eliza Dickerson, now dead,
{ positively refused TO grant the request
of the young people, and the marriage
was called off.
Girls Parents Interferred.
Burgess was ordered to have moth
ing to do with the girl, and she was
ordered not to let him keep com
pany" with her. The commands of
9he parents We're disobeyed, however,
the two young people managed to meet
often. and the love-making continued.
In the meantime William r. Dicker-
son, a brother Of Miss Dickerson, just
reaching his majority. became ac-
ouainted with Miss Mary E. T. Bur-
CESS, a sister of the man who was
counting his sister. Friendship deep
ened into a stronger feeling, ana on
March % the two were married. Inc
bride was only Is years of age, but the
consent of her father was obtained,
and the license issued by the ordi-
nary.
Miss Dick erson Married.
AFTER the TeIuSal Oh MIS- IAllHd Inn
erson to consent to her daughters
marriage to young Burgess, the fatal
quarrel with her husband took place,
the quarrel which resulted in the beat
ing which ended in her death. With
her death all opposition was removed,
as Dickerson himself had not expressed
any unwillingness to let his daughter
marry his sons wife's brother
With the arrest of her father all
thoughts of marriage were abandoned
until the girls condition made it alb
solutely necessary. Then. despite the
cloud which her fathers act had
brought over her life, to save her own
name, she decided to marry at once.
Married by Justice.
Judge McAlpin, of the Court of Or
binary after hearing all the circum-
stances of the case, decided that it
was the best thing for all concerned
TO allow the marriage and the license
was granted. The young couple at
once went before Justice G.. z. Bevans
and within half an hour after the mar
rage license had been issued, they
were made man and wife.
The nuptial knot was tied shortly
before o'clock Less than two hours
later the father of the bride was sem
fenced to serve three years at hard
labor in the penitenuary.
On the records of the Court Of Or
binary is the brief statement of the rea-
sons why the license was granted to
a minor without the parents consent:
the mother dead, the father on trial
for his life, and the delicate condition
Of the girl