New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-14
YORK OF THE "CUPIDS" AT THE CITY HALL.
THEY PROMOTE THE TYING OF MARRIAGE KNOTS
SOuE ROMANTIC INCIDENTS

colleagues. Mr.. hamburger rot long ago mar
red twenty-sx couples in day. few
couples, however, aspire 10 a wedding in which
the Mayor shall oflfciate. but if such fall In with
the "Cupids' they are apt to be dssuaded. The
"Cupids' fear the Mayor. They have learned
that he regards their taking of tips with great
disfavor. and they are still talking about the
threat against them which he made only the
other day, and which looked as if he intended
to put end TO their tax receipts"
The Mayors fling came at the end Of we'd
ding at which he himself ofnciated The bride
groom was Professor Howard Crosby Warren.
of Princeton, of which the Mayor IS an aumnus.
The bride was formerly-FMIss Catherine Camp
bell of indianapolis The ceremony took place
in the big reception room Of the Mayors suite
of Offices and after the and woman had
been pronounced husband and wife, William F.
Dix. the best man. handed the Mayor an en-
velope which contained a fee.
Don't Go that" exclaimed Mr. Mcclellan, with
much emphasis. and then glancing toward the
corridor he added, land don't give it to any one
else in this building, either"
MI Dix was somewhat disconnected as were
the other LENDERS Of the party. Finally, Mr..
Dix asked the Mayor why he refused a fee or
would not permit it to be given to some one
. else in the Office.
Because" said the Mayor. Il don't want any
one in my office to go to State Prison. No one
can accept fees for work done in this office"
Few Of those who apply to the Mayor to marry
them obtain their request for the reason that
he is generally overwhelmed with the regular
work of his Office. Yet if a couple is willing to
wait long enough he will as a rule. accede
I to their wishes. In all the time he has
held the office Mayor Mcclellan has per-
formed only sixteen marriages, most of them
for persons he had not seen before. Occasionally
they come introduced to him through some per-
sonal friend.
Some time ago Mrs Cadwallader Jones. who
is friend of Mr.. Mcclellan. asked him if he
would marry a French couple. who. according
to the custom of the French. desired a civil mar
riage. The intending bridegroom, Mrs Jones
said, Louis Vanthier. a fencing master Of
the Fencers' Club. and the girl Mile. Jeanne
Peignot almost a total stranger IN this
city. The Mayor said he would be delighted 10
perform the ceremony, and when the party came
he FASTENED TO be at It's service. To the pleas
ure and surprise of the Frenchman and his
! betrothed, he greeted them IN their own Ian
guage. T. Marion Crawford. the novelist. was
! one Of the witnesses.
Those who go TO the Mayor to be married rep
resent many sides Of life. For example among
! the men welded in his office in the last year
| and a quarter were artist. clockmaker, an
! insurance agent. veterinarian. a newspaper
! man fencing master, salesman a drummer,
a cigar dealer. manufacturer restaurant
| keeper. a bookkeeper and laundryman.
| In the terms of earlier Mayors many notable
| weddings were celebrated at the City Hail.
Such a one was that of the Duke Of Marlborough
! and Mrs. Louis c. Hamersley who were mar
| ried by Mayor Hewitt June % 1855. The
wedding party came in carriages through Cham
bers-st. alighting at the steps Of the County
Courthouse and proceeding through the build