Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-28
CUPID IN A TANGLE
Two Men Take Out Licenses
to Marry Same Woman.
AUTHOR SAYS HE WE'D HER
Statement of Guy Carleton Lee
Deepens the Mystery.
FORMERLY LECTURER HERE
Race for Bride Interests Residents
Of Chester, Pa, Where Miss
Langsdorf Lived.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
PHILADELPHIA. January ga race
Tor q bride, SO hotly contested that both
men took out licenses to marry the same
woman. seems to have been won by Guy
Carleton Lee, the author, poet and his
torian. yet so complicated has the situa-
ton become that the three principals In
the triangular love affair went into hid
ing this evening, leaving the impression
OF startling developments to come.
Il won the girl" said Lee triumphant
ly, before leaving Philadelphia tonight
with his bride. But in an engimatical
interview he admitted that a return
would be made from the license secured
by his rival, John H. Aver. formerly OF
Boston, which provides a fruitful sub
ject tor speculation. The apparent win
ner raced here from Raleigh, N. c., ar
riviny yesterday morning.
DR.. Hildegarde H. Langsdorf, daughter
OF prominent Cumberland county family
and herself a practicing physician in Car
isle. Pa. is the woman named in both
marriage licenses. Aver stated he was a
resident Of Chester, Pa, when making
application for his marriage license. yet
he is not known in Chester or In Carlisle,
ton yesterday. The first clue to the
matrimonial tangle was the simple an
nouncement in court reports that q mar
riage license had been taken out at Phil
adelphia Friday afternoon by Guy c. Lee
to marry DR.. Hildegarde II. Langsdorf.
This license quoted Mr.. Lees age as
forty-seven years, his residence as the
st. James Hotel, Philadelphia, and stat
ed that Miss Langsdorf Is forty-four
years old and resides at Carlisle, Pa. At
the time Mr.. Lee was not identified AZ the
author and historian.
license Taken Out at Media.
The matrimonial race was revealed
whom another announcement came from
ernoon, Just before the courthouse closed.
John II. Aver. who was born In Massa-
chusetts. September 15, 1884, and who
stated he was q resident Of Chester. had
taken out q license to marry Miss Langs-
dorf.
Mr.. Lee was found at the st. James
Hotel this afternoon. He objected
strenuously TO anything being publish
with q chuckle. he said: Yes. ] heard
about Mr.. Aver taking out a license.
But married tho girl"
The bride could not be seen. She was
at the st. James Hotel the greater part
of the afternoon. but was absolutely
inaccessible and Mr.. Lee said she was
suffering deeply as result Of the
complication caused by the issuing Of
two licenses.
The entire affair is shrouded in mys-
terry that is only made deeper by the
statements of Mr.. Lee.
When the author saw that announce
ment Of the affair had been spread
broadcast, he said that In every
probability the truth would not be
printed about the case, but he could
not help It.
Says He Can Prove Marriage.
Il married the doctor. and can prove
It." he said. II can only say that I
won. We are going to leave Philadel-
phia tonight and no person Will know
whero we have gone"
When it was suggested that Aver had
seemed absolutely certain that Miss
Langsdorf would wed him. Mr.. Lee re-
torted:
well, 1 guess he was confident. l
was confident, too. I certainly did not
intend to lose"
When it was suggested that the official
returns from the marriage licenses would
in few days show where he lad married
suppose you refer to the license took out
in Philadelphia Well, you will never>near
of that again."
..That means that you crossed the state
line and took out a marriage license In
another state?' suggested a reporter.
1T may mean that to you,' was the
answer.
-"Well, perhaps Mr.. Aver would have
something to say about the matter down
in Media, where he took out his marriage
ia WIG married there
be return made OF II TO the MedR
courthouse"
.aThere will be a return made Of the
Media license" was the reply.
This ID an awful scrape and can say
nothing about that" said Mr.. Lee. Il
would like to clear 1t UP. but l simply
cannot. / simply can say nothing about
the matter.
Aver Not Found.
Aver could not be seen and no trace Of
him after he secured the license at the
Media courthouse could be found. Il
is understood that he had gone to Boston,
Mass. his former home.
No return Of either marriage license has
been made at either Media or in Philadel-
phia Search for other licenses in nearby
counties was without result.
It Is understood that Mr.. Lee had
known Miss LAngsdorf for several years.
The announcement that a license had
been issued for their marriage was re-
ceived with surprise.
Miss Lengsdorf has had d distin-
guished professional career. She is q
member OF a Cumberland county family
prominent In medical circles. Her
brother is DR.. Harold III. LAngsdorf OF
Centerville. Pa, and her nephew IL DR..
Harold f Langsdorf. until recently in
the government service In Panama.
Lee Is Well Known.
Mr.. Lee is well known throughout
America, and his works are known to
European and Japanese scholars.
He is journalist. lawyer and educator.
He was born In North Carolina in 1883
and studied in southern universities. He
later studied law in Dickinson Collegs
and is member Of the bar In Norti
Carolina. Pennsylvania and Maryland. Al
an educator. he has q long record. He
as professor Of En- lish history and com