Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-29
Centenarian Wedding Story De
velops to Be a Pure Invention
Of st. Louis Man
OBJECT is NOT REVEALED
Centenarians in Iowa and Elsewhere
Will Be Disappointed-Had Been
Promised Free Entertainment, and
Many Planned to Be Present at the
Ceremonies.
Special to Times-Republican.

Cedar Rapids, July 2s.-For several
weeks a number of aged and honored
residents of this state have been fig
uring with the most pleasant antici-
pations on attending Il reunion of old
people, to be held at Tate Springs,
Tenn August 16, and the additional
pleasure of witnessing the marriage of
Miss Rose Mcclure, who on that day
of her birth, and John Bundren, Sr.,
aged 101 years. But the pleasant an
ticipations will have rude shattering,
for the whole thing has been found
to be the biggest kind of fake.
The first invitation to the proposed
novel wedding and reunion We're re-
ceived several weeks ago. The re-
ceipt of the invitation brought a
story to the effect that these two
lovers We're separated over eighty
years ago, and the girl being taken
to England by her parents, while the
boy went to California, where he
amaSsed great fortune. Returning,
he bought the old homestead and the
adjacent one, where his sweetheart
had lived. He recently discovered, SO
the story went that the sweetheart
of his boyhood days was still living
in England, and that she had never
married. Arrangements soon were
completed TO have their marriage
celebrated on the day she was 100
years old, under the old trees on the
Tennessee farm where they had court
ed as boy and girl. The story was
to the further effect that Mr.. Bun
dren, who was immensely wealthy,
had determined to make it an event
long to be remembered, and that he
was inviting every resident of the
United States over 80 years of age
to attend the wedding at his expense.
The old fellows invited soon spread
the news to their acquaintance of
like age, and now almost 800, living
in all parts of the country, have COM
pieted all the arrangements to make
the trip to Tennessee.
The recent receipt OF photographs
of the bride and groom to be in this
city excited suspicion, and investiga-
ton in ST. Louis brings forth the fol-
lowing report, which explains itself:
John B. Bundren. Jr., clerk in the
employ of the United States army
street, gave his address as S43O Ead.s
avenue, altho the block mentioned is
an empty lot, claims that his great I'M
Gle, John Bundren, aged 1o1 years, will
be married on August 26 to Miss Rose
Mcclure, Of England, aged 100.
Invitations have been sent by Bund-
rem, Jr to all octogenarians and old
men and women in this country to at
tend the marriage at the expense OF
the groom. According to the press
agent. 20s have answered favorably,
including the oldest woman in the
world, Mrs. Mary Chilchease, of Pine
Mills, Tex, who was born in 1776.
The photograph of the latter woman,
which Bundren has received is fac
smile Of one used by a medicine con-
Germ in one of its testimonials.
The whole story is a palpable fake,
but what's the game? There are sew
eral reasons for the story that can
he figured out. In the first place, Tate
Springs is summer resort on the
New Orleans and ST. Louis railroad,
Just outside of Memphis. 1t will be
noticed that the Bundren story was
first sprung at the beginning Of the
summer and the marriage is to take
place at the end of August. In this
way the interest is made to cover the
whole summer and tends to focus the
eyes of the public on the summer re-
sort. The fact that some of the pic
L.
advertisements may have something
to do with it. The marriage will prob
ably become transformed into med
icine "ad." signed by the bride and
groom and all the guests Then, again,
Bundren may be playing a joke, or
he may be crazy. All are open to be-
lief Whatever the facts may be- the
story is a fake of the rankest kind.