The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-06-11
HIS CAREER CHECKED.
Brodie L. Duke. Strikes a Snag in
Attempting Fourth Marriage.

Washington, June 11.-Brodie l..
Duke, the tobacco magnate, came
| quietly to Washington to negotiate his
| fourth marriage contract and. after
| carefully-laid plans for the ceremony,
ran afoul of a Presbyterian clergy
| mans aversion to divorce
Mr.. Duke had planned to be mar
ried at o'clock yesterday afternoon
| to Miss Wylanta Roschelle of Durham,
interests and his magnificent estate.
The Rev. Donald Macleod, pastor of
| the First Presbyterian church, had
| agreed to perform the ceremony.
That understanding was reached be-
| tween Duke and the pastor about 9
o'clock in the morning soon after the
tobacco manufacturer and Miss Ros-
chelle had arrived in the city.
The law of the District of Columbia
requires that the name of the minister
or marrying justice appear on the Ii
cenSe application and the license be-
fore it is issued Cognizant of this
provision, Mr.. Duke, accompanied by
a friend, called on Rev. Macleod be-
fore he applied for his license. Having
arranged to be married in the pastors
study at 4 o'clock, Mr.. Duke pro-
cured his license. Later in the day
some seeker after news discovered
that Brodie L. Duke, the tobacco man,
three times married, twice divorced,
and on several occasions involved in
marital difficulties, the chief of which
involved trouble with his latest wife,
the late Alice Webb Duke, was to be
married. This fact subsequently was
announced in the newspapers.
Warned of the forthcoming event,
reporters and photographers gathered
at the First Presbyterian church. Half
an hour before the appointment, Rev.
Macleod arrived at the church. He
entered his study and a few minutes
later came out and told the reporters
there was to be no wedding.
Mr. Duke had not secured new IL
cense because the license office closed
at 4 o'clock. Miss Rochelle is the
daughter of a Durham merchant.
Duke is estimated to be worth a mill
lion dollars. Early in life he married
happily and by that marriage two
daughters were born. His first wife
died A second marriage ,ended in
divorce, and his divorced wife now
lives in California. Alice Webb, the
Texas promoter, was his third wife and
this alliance developed into national
sensation. She brought about Dukes
incarceration in a private asylum on
Long Island as insane and he was sub
sequently released by relatives. From
her he afterwards secured a divorce.
Miss Roschelle was discovered late
last night at the home of Mrs. Mary
L. Hershey, a private tutor, under
whom she had Deen Studying
Mr.. Duke called there shortly after
o'clock. had a brief conversation
with her and disappeared again. Miss
Roschelle was indignant over the at
tempted marriage and announced her
intention of returning Immediately to
her home in Durham.
''I was going to marry Mr.. Duke
today she said, "but 1 don't know
now whether 1 will or not"
They Both Disappear.
Washington, June 11.-Brodie L.
Duke whose plans to marry Miss Wy
lanta Roschelle of Durham, n. c., in
this city were frustrated when Rev.
Donald Mcleod, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church. refused to per-
form the ceremony. could not be found
in Washington today.
Colonel William Harkell, an old
friend of the Duke family, said he be-
lieved Mr.. Duke and Miss Roschelle
had determined to be we'd in. some 9TH
er city.
At the boarding school where Miss
Roschelle has been studying no in
formation concerning her could be