Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-06-30
THE ROMANCE OF 0HARLIB LEE

marriage license arrived, and that
Chinese Inspector Connell would give
the bride away. The license was de-
layed aud Mr.. Cornell acted a a kill
Cupid" and the troubles the lovers
have had has been the most interest
ing bit Of gossip that Lordsburg has
had 10 many a long day.
Mr. Lee Is a Chinese merchant, and
under the Chinese exclusion act has
the same right here as any other for.
eigner. This right also extends to his
family. He had tired Of single blessed
ness, and wanted a wife, one Of his
own race. Some years ago he married
a Mexican woman, but the union did
not turn out a happy one. The woman
was murdered near STEMS Pass some
time since. He was not disconsolate.
To get a wife Of his own race he had to
send away, or go. His business kept
him at home, and he arranged a mar
riage by correspondence, something
after the mi of many that have
been arranged by Americans In this
section, who are too busy to go hunt a
wife, which are commonly called the
Montgomery Ward marriage, as 1t is
supposed this firm Of providers often
act as the introducers Of those who
wish to commit matrimony.
Mr.. Lee co%rresponded with his friend
Mrs. Laura Marche, in San Francisco,
and asked her to get him a Chinese
wife. Mrs. Marche is a native daugh-
ter Of the golden west, Of Chinese par
entage. She is we'll educated in Amer
lean ways and manners, speaks Eng.
lish fluently, and after listening TO her
talk to a Cinnamon one would easily
believe that she talked the Chinese
language as fiuently. Mrs. Marche
knew Lilly Chung, a Chinese maiden,
who was working in an American
family. Miss Chung, when a child,
had been sold by her mother as a
slave 10 a Chinese family. After a
year OF this life she ran away and
went to the Methodist mission on
Washington street, San Francisco,
where she was cared for. After she
got old enough she made an honest
living, working as a servant in Ameri-
can families. AS Mrs. Marche said,
Miss Chung had to work hard, and
thought it would be better to be an
old mans darling, and Mr.. Lee is not
a youth. The courtship was carried
on by letters, pictures exchanged, and
finally a marriage engagement entered
into. Miss Chung, with Mrs. Marche
as a chaperone, arrived In Lordsburg
for the wedding.
After the arrival 1t was found that a
marriage license was necessary. The
Rev. N. d. Wood, who was going to
perform the ceremony, offered to send
for the license, as the law permits, but
Charles Dunn, jr,, Mr.. Lees book
keeper, butted 10 and said he would
attend to that. Mr.. Wood attempted
to explain that it was necessary for a
person Who was authorized to perform
the marriage ceremony to take the ap-
plication for a license, but Mr.. Dunn,
with the wisdom originating in Ken
lucky, and accumulated through many
years, insisted on attending to this
work, and he sent after the license.
AS he had no authority to perform the
Wedding ceremony the county clerk,
very properly, refused to issue the
license.
IL was at this time that Chinese H.
spector Cornell broke into the game.
He arrested Miss Chung as a Chinese
person improperly in this country, and
was going to have her %deported. II
Mr.. Wood had been allowed to do as
he wanted, the license would have
been here on time, Miss Chung would
have been Mrs. Lee, and as the wife Of
a merchant would have had a rightin
the country.
Thursday evening Mr.. Wood took
their application for a license and for.
warded it to the county clerk Friday.
Then the effort was made to have the
case postponed until the license could
get here. Inspector Cornell acted
very nicely about the matter, but
Deputy United States Attorney, e. l..
Medler, who hal arrived to attend the
case, announced that he would prevent
the wedding, II possible.
kilograms were sent from Lords
burg to the department of immiRra-
tlon and commerce urging delay.
Governor Otero was appealed to and
he also telegraphed the department,
OF immigration. The case was brought
before Commissioner Titus Saturday,
and was postponed until Monday, so
Captain Beall, an FL Paso attorney,
could get there to defend the case,
Il was figured out that the marriage
license would get here Sunday after
noon. the marriage would be complet-
ed 10 spite OF the United States At
torney, and all would be well. The
license did not arrive, but Captain
Beall did. Monday he went before the
commissioner, and asked TO have the