New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-27
JUDGE ORDERS AGED
BRIDEGROOM TO COURT
overr,IIes Plea of Young Wife
of Wealthy Carpet Manu-
faCturer.
BROTHER WANTS INQUIRY
Asserts That Henry N. Walter,
Who Married Housekeeper,
Is Mentally Incompetent
and Paralytic.

Notwithstanding the plea or ms VIE
that Henry n. Walter, carpet manu-
facturer. is suffering from stroke OF
naralysis and that it would endanger MS
life n he went to court, Justice Lehman
ordered Yesterday that the application or
Moritz Walter, a brother OF the aged
bridegroom. that Henry be declared men
tally incompetent be heard by jury
next Monday. Moritz Walter said his
brother. who is seventy-three years DID,
married his housekeeper. Miss Anna M.
Kuthe. on January 25. about three months
after he had suffered stroke OF paraIy-
sis. and that at the time he was not
mentally competent to contract mar
rage.
The alleged incompetent and his wife
live az No. 465 West 10th street. MI
Walter il said TO be worth sSooVV and
is an officer and n director OF d. \. q
r. Walter, carpet manufacturers at NO
SO Union Square.
The petitioner says his brother was LED
into the marriage with Miss Kuthe while
he WAS HELPLESS and under the care or
musicians and nurses, whom Mrs. waiter
discharged about two weeks after the
nary q Miss Kuthe went to the Marriage
License Bureau in the City Han lot
license The carpet manufacturer was
physically unable 10 accompany her. ana
she gave all the necessary particulars
10 the clerk at the Marriage Bureau, who'
however, went 10 the home Of Mr.. w al
ter the next day and talked with him
before he could issue the license. 1hat
night Miss Kuthe called in the Rev
Ernest A. Tappert, a German Lutheran
psstor. of No. $40 West 15Sd street. ana
the wedding ceremony was performed IN
the presence of her brother-in-law and
nurse. The Rev. Mr.. Tappert said last
night that Mr.. Walter seemed to under
stand what was going on and answered
his questions distinctly. Mr.. Tappert said;
His ewes were full of tears and be-
heved the emotion he showed was due TO
the fact that he was doing something
that brought relief TO him He wanted
10 nut the ring on the brides finger HIM
self. but in our ceremony il is done by
the minister. so / put on the ring.
think he knew what was happening and
would not have married him If l had
thought otherwise"
Moritz Walter, who seeks TO have
judicial order issued declaring his brother
incompetent and have the court appoint
committee for his person and property
which. he asserts. his brother is unable
TO manage. alleges also that from nurses
he has obtained information that leads
him TO believe Mrs Walter is not a proper
person TO have the custody Of his brother,
.
ing from the physicians. countermanding
prescriptions. which. with her violent
outbursts Of temper, are injurious TO the
patient.
Mrs Walter filed an affidavit oojecuns
10 the removal of her husband TO court
SAYING il might bring on a second attack
OF paralysis and endanger his life. She
said che was graduated from the Wom-
ans Medical College of Pennsylvania and
vas licensed 10 practise medicine In New
Jersey. Her attorney explained that she
had been in the home OF Mr.. Walter since
1s8a and that ell their friends recognized
them as husband and wife. The lawyer
said Mr. Walter divorced his first wife
I'm California about twenty years ago,
and would have married Miss Kuthe be-
fore. but believed be was restrained from
remarrying until his first wife died. about
year ago.
The attorney added: After Walter had
his stroke Of paralysis his relatives
seemed 10 regard Miss Kuthe merely as
The housckecper, and she decided to have
tho marriage performed TO strengthen
her posifion in the household"
The statement that Mr.. Walter is unht
10 care for his property. which consists
If $1,000 in real estate and $4,000 In
stocks and bonds, is supported by three
rbysicians who attended him and were
discharged by Mrs. Walter FEBRUARY 4
Another physician makes an aff1davit Tor
Mrs. Walter in which he says Mr.. wal
Ter IS slowly recovering and that IN Two
or three months he VIII be able 10 take
care OF his affairs.