Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-21

W
with heart disease. Late last night
he was unconscious, and 1t was
feared he would not recover.
BALTIMORE, August 21.-Stricken With
heart failure five hours after he secured
a license for his marriage to a ten-year-oid
girl who had been placed in his care FOL
adoption. Rev. George 8. Fitzhugh, sixty
seven years old, rector of ST. Barnabas
Church, is lying In an unconscious condi-
ton at his home on Church street. Curtis
Bay. At a late hour last night he had
not regained consciousness, and DR.
Thomas B. Horton, who has been con-
stantly at his bedside, feared that he VII
not recover.
With a letter purporting to be the writ
ten consent of the mother Of the girl
whose name is Lulu Virginia Frazier. inc
minister went with the child to Ellicott
City Wednesday afternoon and obtained
the license for their marriage. At first
the license was refused them, but when
the letter was shown the clerk hesitated
no longer and issued the desired docu-
ment.
1t had been intended that the minister
and the child elope to Eilicott City, but
hugh. son, and Miss Lena Fftzhugh, a
daughter, did everything In their power to
discourage their father from marrying the
child.
Stricken in His Home.
Shortly after lunch they discovered that
the father had gone out. Little was
thought of this for a time. but as he did
not return suspicion was aroused, and
a pir ri VA al q q
Of the minister came to the conclusion
away together.
Shortly after o'clock the minister and
the girl returned to Baltimore. and while
it was admitted that license had been
taken out they declined to say If they
had been married.
'Oh. father" said the almost hysterical
daughter. why should you be so foolish
as to attempt to marry the girl? She IL
but child" The father only smiled
and pressed the pretty curls Of the little
girl who chung to his knee
A few minutes later he shook in a ire
NOR. He grew pale and suddenly his head
fell on his breast.
Father. father said his daughter
was a plea for water. When she returned
he was unconscious. He was taken to his
bedroom and DR.. Horton was summoned
When the physician arrived he said thai
Mr.. Fftzhugh was suffering from hear
trouble, and he did everything to revive
him.
Spoke Feelingly Of Girl.
While he lay unconscious he spoke feel
ingly of the girl and seemed to feel that
he was about to die. He asked that should
he die the girl be 1oked after with
the kindest care and respect. He spoke
family of other things which troubled
him. Those at the bedside feared he
would die at any moment.
Mr.. George Fitzhugh. the son. who
came to Baltimore yesterday to see his
father was shocked to learn that he in.
tended to marry the young girl
Rev. Mr.. FitZhugh has been stationed al
Curtis Bay for three years and has beer
highly respected by his parishioners and
ginia town to take charge of the church
Several InOIohs ago he went to Mission
Home. Va, where his son is in charge OF
a church. He was preaching there one
day when he saw the child who is now
his fiancee. After the service he talked
with her
Brought Girl From Virginia.
The girl is pretty and the minister
showed unusual affection for her. He
urged her mother to allow him to bring
her to Baltimore and to adopt her. A,
first the mother declined, but finally II
was decided that she be allowed to come
10 Baltimore with him.
After arriving home Il is said that he
took more interest in the child than he
did In his own children. The two were
seen frequently walking together, but nc
suspicion was aroused on the part of the
neighbors.
\ week ago Mr.. Fitzhugh went to Eli.
colt City with the girl and registered al
the Hotel Howard as Rev. George s
Fitzhugh and daughter" Accompanied
by the girl, he went to DR.. w. w. L. Bis.
sci. clerk of the court of common pleas
and asked for u marriage license. DIR
Bissel refused to give the license be.
cause of the youthfulness of the child
He told the minister that he would give
the license If he secured the written con.
sent OF the girfs parents and the sig.
nature of two reputable witnesses. The
minister then went away, saying tina,
he would get the necessary signatures.
Mother Consented to Marriage.
None of the minister's relatives knew
anything Of the visit to Ellicott City and
nothing was said Of it when they return
ed. Rev. Mr.. Fitzhugh communicated
with the girls mother in Virginia, asking
that she send q letter giving her consent
to the marriage. It Is said that the
the marriage Of her ten-year-Old daugh-
ter to the minister. with whom she had
intrusted her as guardian. 1t is said.
however, that she finally wrote giving her
consent to the marriage.
In the meantime DR.. CiSSel cautioned
his clerks not to issue any license to the
minister and child. He lives several miles
from Ellicott City and was not at the
courthouse Wednesday when Rev. Mr..
Fitzhugh appeared and asked for a IL
cense.
There is no doubt that the license was
issued. for 1t is recorded. What puzzled
those concerned is whether or not the cou-
pie have been married.
Inquiry at nearly all the churches In
Ellicott City last night brought the re-
Spouse from the ministers that they had
not performed the ceremony.
Wants to Make Girl His Heir.
When Rev. Mr.. Fitzhugh went to ELL
colt City last week he told one of the
clerks that he wanted to marry the girl
in order that he could make her his heir
He said he was getting old and he was
devoted to her and felt that his money
should be given to her.
The fact that he returned with the. let
ter seemed no surprise to the clerks at