Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-29
FORMER MRS MACKAY
IS BRIDE OF DR.. BLAKE.
Ceremony Within Twenty. -Four Hours
OF Divorce Granted Groom's
Former Wife.
COMPLETE SECRECY INSURED
After Wedding, Which Is Shorn of
All Splendor, Both Contracting
Parties Return to Work of Help
ing Suffering French Soldiers.

PARIS. November 2s.- within
twenty-four hours OF the divorce grant
ed to his Tife In Connecticut, DR..
Joseph Blake was married secretly In
Paris to Mrs Katherine Duer. wife Of
Clarence II. Mackay until February last,
when she was divorced here.
Aside from the rapidity and secrecy
OF Mr. Blake's marriage. which was
totally unknown to friends OF both par
ties. the distinguishing feature of the
event waa that II was a war wedding.
shorn OF all splendor and ceremony
Blake went to the American military
hospital as usual this morning, and
worked at the operating table until
1880 o'clock this afternoon A fresh
batch OF wounded arrived from the
battlefield, necessitating an unbroken
succession OF amputations. and pre-
vented the bridegroom from partaking
of luncheon
hands discarded his oyeralls and then
accompanied by DR.. Richard Derby.
Colonel Roosevelt's on-in-law. quilted
the hospital In huge Red Cross auto
mobile Ecar for Mrs. Mackay's apart
ments an the Avenue Henri Martin.
The bride Joined him. and the party
continued to the District Mayors hall
In the same thoroughfure. The only
persons awaiting them here were the
Countess Bonneval, Francis RIGGS and
the BRIDES witnesses. DIR. Walton Mar
tin. who. with DR.. Derby. the bride
groomS witness. and Benjamin Conner,
an International lawyer, and the cor
respondent. witessed the marriage
Major Boillct bowed the party into
bnrc, undecorated room. where Dr.
Blake and Mrs. Mackay were wed with
In few minutes
consent to take Katherine Duer az
your lawful wife?" DR.. Blake re-
sponded: Yes" In an emotional voice.
Mrs Mackay responded In clear. nrm
tones and then assented to the terms
OF the marriage code. which does not
to follow her husband TO any part
OF the world. no matter where he
elects TO maks his home.
FRANCE IS GRATEFUL.
FOR SERVICES RENDERED
! The Mayor next made speech say
ms France was grateful to AL Ameri-
cans. and to this bride and bridegroom
particularly for the services rendered
20 Frances soldiers, to which Dr. Blake
replied.
The bride. who wore dark blue
tailormade suit. extremely simple but
very smart. with n marquise hat, said,
smHngly and radiantiy:
II am very happy to marry the man
i love"
With DR.. Blake she then re-entered
the Red Cross automobile. took the
wheel herself. and drove DR.. Blake to
the hospital, where he resumed his
operations. while she returned to her
own apartments and continued knitting
Jerseys for the troops.
Later In the afternoon two automo-
biles loaded with costly flowers ar
rived, and DR.. Blake came later for
dinner.
There will be no honeymoon. and the
couple Will continue their Red Cross
work in Pnrissti1l the end OF the war
Complete secrecy to the marriage was
insured by DR.. Blake obtaining from
tho district attorney a regular dis
pensation from the publication OF the
marriage bans granted in war time.
That the couple would eventually
marry was recognized here when DIR.
Blake arrived In Paris Il month after
the Mackay divorce, and took an apart
ment within stones throw OF hers.
Before the war the couple were identi-
fed by their charitable work here, and
since tho war both have devoted their
whole time to the allcviation of the
suffering of soldiers.
Since the outbreak of the European
war Or. Joseph a. Blake has been head
of tho American Red Cross hospital
which was established in n large build
ing in Neuilly, near Paris. Here. to-
gethcr with twelve other American
doctors. including DR.. Richard Derby,
son-in-law of Colonel Roosevelt Dr.
Blake has been working ten hours q
day attending wounded soldiers.