Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1911-04-27
MARRIED THREE TIMES.
Preacher, Well Known in Audrain,
Helps Couple "Get Around
The Law"

at Hardin College three or four
years ago, and who was a brother
of the late Rev. n. S. Johnston Of
near Worcester, this county, be-
lieves that worthy Young couple
who are deeply in love with each
other, should not be prevented
from getting married, by the law,
or "any other creature" if they
want to get married. Here is a
case in point:
After being married twice by
proxy, he in Kansas City and she
in Holland, Wilhelm AsjeS and his
bride were married again last
week in New York City and ar
rived in Kansas City last week,
happy that the three weddings had
united them for all time. They
had been egnaged several years,
but when they were ready to mar
ry it took them four months to be-
come husband and wife. And, if
it had not been for the work done
in their behalf by John T. M.
Johnston, chairman of the board
of directors of the National Re-
serve Bank, and by Queen Will
helmina of Holland, they would
not have been married yet.
m glad it's over" Doctor
Johnston said. 81 married them
once myself-that is. | married
him, in my office in Kansas City,
to one of my stenographerS, who
acted as proxy for Katrina Rief-
bebber, the bride, in Holland. 1t
took me four months to get them
married for keeps"
Doctor Johnston, besides being
a banker, is a Baptist minister.
The way this wedding happened
to stretch over four months, and
the reason that the good Queen
Wilhelmina came to take personal
interest in it, was all because of a
stupid immigration law, with all
sorts of whereaseS and wherefores,
which restricts the coming of sin
gle women to this country.
Asies was engaged to marry
Katrina when he left Holland a
year ago, and he promised to send
for her as soon as he got job in
America. He found the job as
soon as he arrived in Kansas City
He became landscape gardener for
DR.. Johnston at Sunset Lodge, the
bankers country home neal
Swope Park. And four months
ago he told the banker of his love
for the girl in Holland and that he
longed to bring her here and mar
ry her.
Then the trouble began. Law
yers were consulted and they sale
Katrina would have to be married
before she could get past Elli'
Island. But Wilhelm could NO
go clear across the Atlantic tC
marry her. lie was too poor fol
that. And besides he had the
bankers lawn to look after. Fin
ally lawyer, brighter than the
others, suggested that maybe the!
could be married with Wilhelm
here and Kathrina over there, {
sort of hands-across-the-oceaI
idea. And SO it was planned.
Wilhelm wrote to Katrina an,
at the same hour Of the same day
two months ago, Doctor Johnston
married Wilhelm to one of hi
stenographers in his private ofiic
in the bank and Katrina was mar
rled to n man friend of Wilhelm
IN Holland, the proxy bride her
declaring that she acted for Kat
rlna and the proxy man in Hol
land declaring that he acted fo
Wilhelm.
But the immigration officials re
fused to recognize this marriag
and declared they would not lie
Katrina land in America.
Then Doctor Johnston appeale
to the Dutch consul in Washingto
and he was SO struck with tn
strange plight of the two lover
that he wrote and told the quee
OF Holland all about it. Her ma
JeSty, having married for love hel
self, and having some difficult