The Detroit times., 1910-12-26
l|ARRIEO COUSIN,
] NOW TOLD SHE'S
NOT wife
Mrs. Mary z. Weaver Says Husband
Sets Up Michigan Laws Ban as
Excuse for Deserving Her for
Another Woman.
Former Patroln,an Is Father of Two
Families, One of Which Must Be
Declared Legitimate.

One of the most remarkable ia
vorce cases in the history or tho
Wayne circuit court was filed Satur'
day afternoon by Mrs. May Z. Weay
er, through her attorneys, McHu5i
e. Gallagher, against her husband.
Alpha C. Weaver, a former police
man, but now manager OF the Whit
ney building and residing at No. st5
Lafayette boulevard Weaver no"
lives with the divorced wife OF for
mer Sergeant Purdue. of the police
force, and the pair have four chill
dren, while his own wife and their
two children live at No. 359 Beniteau-
ave. SO complicated is the case that
no matter what the result oil the
divorce suit one or the other OF these
families of children will be declared
illegitimate.
Mr. and Mrs Weaver are first
cousins, and both were 10 years or
age at the time of their marriage IN
1889. Mrs. Weaver says she question
ed her husband as to their right 10
marry, and that he assured her there
was no legal barrier. They lived to-
gether for about ten years, and two
children were born. They are now
10 and 16 years of age.
In August. 1897, Weaver was APP
pointed to the police force, and had
been there but a short time when he
made the acquaintance of Mrs. Mary
Purdue, wife OF Sergt. Purdue, under
x.rI.x. a
Purdue soon brought suit for divorce,
naming Weaver as correspondent.
Mrs. Purdue contested the case, and
! later she was allowed to take the
bare decree, while her husband got
the children and was not compelled
to pay any alimony to his wife.
This suit is said 10 have led TO
Viewers dismissal from the force.
Mrs. Weaver charges that after this
divorce case her husband deserted
her, and went to live with Mrs. Pur'
due, and has lived with her ever
since. When Mrs. Weaver remon-
strated. she says her husband claim
ed they had not been legally welded,
as first cousins are prevented by law
in Michigan from marrying. He
thus branded his children as illegii-
mate. He then threatened 10 bring
suit TO have the marriage annuled,
but this was never done.
Mrs. Weaver started suit for d.
vorce at that time, but moved 10 To
ledo. where she remained for ten
years, and the case was allowed 10
drop. Now she starts a new suit. III
which she demands alimony and a
share of her husbands property. She
claims that he owns some real estate
IN the city and a chicken farm
Recently Mrs. Weaver called On
her husband in the Whitney building
to demand some alimony, but he was
not present. He heard OF her visit,
however, and wrote her, advising her
to stay away hereafter. He address
ed the letter 10 his wife under her
maiden name of Miss Malinda Wort
ley, and in the letter always referred
to her as Cousin Nay, by which name
she was Familiarity known. In this
letter he scolds his wife for wounding
his feelings by referring 10 herself
as Mrs Weaver.
Il tell people you are my first
cousin, and that is no lie; hunt up a
lawyer and find ont for yourself if
you want to-" he writes.
Recently one-of Weaver's daughters
by his first wife, called at her faith
er's home TO see-if il were true that
he was living there with Mrs Pur-
due, and she-alleSss that abe made
the acquaintance OF the woman who
now clairs to--be the Iightful Mrs.
Weaver Mrs. Purdue-Weaver then
told the young woman that the lat
ter's parents had never been mar.
ried, but when Miss Weaver replied
that she had seen the wedding Ger.
Itificate. wife No then retorted that
1.-THE ceremony was not legal as the
contracting parties were first cousins
I At the time of her desertion by her
husband, Mrs. Weaver says she was
left with two young children to care
for and with only three cents in the
house. The members of the police
force heard of her restitution aud
took up collection for her benefit
Attorney McHugh was granted an
Injunction. Saturday, restraining
Weaver from selling or incumberiul
any of his property, or from modest
ing Mrs Weaver.