Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-03-02
M|OSH|PMENS HUM0R
TOOK CURIOUS TURN
Through Chief Night Clerk Ba||en(lne
al ChamberIin Hotel Mack Mar.
riage Reported Real.
HOTEL Man DECLARES NE WAS DUPEO
Principals to "ceremony" Unaware
That the Jest Would be Published
Far and Wide by Their Friends As
Real Weddino-"Bride" Thinks
Joke Went Too Far.

Il simply wish y-u would say that
am ut married AMI thai The report
given cut to the newspapers Sunday
morning was due to practical joke
prrprtra,ed upon Midshipman Robert
Smonton Young and myself by
snvcral of our closest and hest
friends"
The above statement was given 70
the Daily Press representative yes
i"rday Afternoon by Miss Margaret
CLnnell. If Scranton. Pa. whose no
mantle marriage at the Hotel Cham
BERLIN was given out early Sunday
morning. Miss Connell declared that
while she is provoked over the re-
port. vet she wa not going u cen
sure her friends fo- laying a ''prac-
teal j Ike" Il simply wish 10 le:
the public know thai the entire affair
was joke. AMI that do not blame
IA" newspaper for publishing the
story. l.! fact my friends were not
considering the seriousness OF the az
fair when they had the reported mar
riagc sent out Some Of my friends
Went so far as to send private mes
sages out announcing the marriage"
Miss Ccnnell added that her friend.
Miss Nation. who with Midshipman
Strauss are responsible for the story
of the romantic marriage. was her
bosom friend and that she did not be-
lieve Miss Nation guilty of anything
further than mere attempt 10 play
n joke.
When the announcement of the
wedding appeared in the Daily Press
Sunday morning it created ripple
nf excitement around the Hotel Cham:
berlin II is understood that the
commanding officer of the cruiser
North Carolina sent for Midshi7men
Young and Strauss and interviewed
the young officers relative to the
sending out CT the report. 1t is
further asserted that the captain OF
rfe North Carolina fatty told Mid
Shipman Strauss that he would have
to go to the newspaper office and
make personal retractiOn OF the
story. This Midshipman Strauss has
failed 10 do.
Miss Ccnnell is authority for the
statement that Midsnipmen Young
and Strauss left early Sunday and she
has not seen them since. So this
does away with the absolutely mis-
leading story that Midsfipman Young
was cunning" for the man thai
gave out the information. Had Mid
1oI hn
Press Office he would have learned
vino gave out the Information and "
he has any grievance he has failed
10 make the fact known to the news
paper man that sent out the story.
How Story Got Out.
The facts in the marriage stony
are these: Sunday morning at 1880
O'Clock Mr.. Vallie Ballentine. the
chief night clerk in the Hotel Cham
berlin. called up the Hampton cfIicc
IF the Daily Press and informed the
Daily Press representative that a
marriage had taken place in the Red
Parlor'' Of the Chamberlin at mid
night. Mr.. Ballentine gave the,
names Of the contracting parties
Midshipman Robert Simonton Young.
.Jr.. Of the cruiser North Carolina and
Miss Margaret ConneH. daughter OF
pr. A. J. Connell. a prominent p!lysi-
elan Of Scranton, Pa. He said that
Mhshipman Strauss wantei the news
&C The marriage wired to the Scranton
Tribune and a newspaper in Concord.
y. c. II the Daily Press carried
the story the midshipman. according
TO Mr.. BaIlentine. wanted dozen
copies Of the paper containing the an
nouncemrnt Of the marriage. As Mr..
RalIentine is a Thoroughly reliable
and upright man and being personal
IL known to the Daily Press rePres-
ertativc the story was accepted with
good faith. That Mr.. Ballentine was
deceived in the facts connected with
tho alleged marriage is indicated by
Miss Councils statement that the "af
cair was the result Of a practical joke
Of hcr friends and those Of A.sdship-
man Young" Mr. BaIIentine believed
the story e the marriage and nc
saws he gave the information to the
paily Press representative al tn" re-
D,..-, Of Miss Nation and AidshiPman
Strauss.
the Daily Press representative
rcoudiafes the reports alleging that
some unknown pSYon sailed NJ tn"
Newspaper map: also that tn" man
represented himself as being r"-
srousii,ic party. who had bcca present
4, tho wedding" No such story Vas
-.s, g. tho naiIy PROSE- Mr. DII