Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-25
CROKER TO MARRY
KITAW KALUNTCHY,
INDIAN PRINCESS
Former Tammany Chieftain,
at n, Will Wed Descend
ant of Cherokee Ruler To.
monow-Plans Secret.

NEW YORK, Nov. s5.-An Indian
princess. Kitaw Kaluntchy, Of the Chero-
! kee nation, is TO become the bride OF
Richard Croker, former chieftain Of Tam
many Hail. tomorrow morning. unless
publicity surrounding the marriage causes
a postponement
Until today utmost secrecy was thrown
about the identity Of Croker's bride and
the wedding, which is scheduled to take
place at st. Agnes Catholic Church.
The princess, or Miss Bsulah Benton
Edmonson, as she is known in New
York, met the former politician at the
national Democratic convention in Kan
sas City, where her father was a dele
gate from Oklahoma. She lives at the
Studio Club, on 62d street, is an ardent
sufrragette and has been studying dra-
mauo art for nearly year.
Besides devoting great deal OF the
study TO dramatic art, the future Mrs.
Croker has been interested in bettering
the condition Of Indians In Oklahoma.
Sho owns u farm OF GAO acres near Musko-
gee, on which Is an apple orchard Of 1000
trees.
Many Of the poems and legends OF the
Cherokee nation have been translated by
Miss Edmonson. Before her graduation
from the University OF Chicago she had
translated and written several poems Of
the traditions Of her nation.
SHE RODE IN SUFFRAGE PARADE.
Crokers first wife died early in septsm-
ber after living apart from her husband
for many years. He IL II years years old.
Nothing was known of the identity OF
the bride until today, when II became
known hAF do ha
the former chieftaIn's hancee.
Miss Ermonson has frequently been
brought forward as the most beautiful
woman Of the pure American type. In
the suffrage parade a year ago she cre-
ated sensation by appearing as an In
dian squaw, clad In buckslSins, Rstride an
Indian pony.
Miss Edmonson can trace her ancestry
directly to Sequoyah, the chleftain who
Invented the Cherokee alphabet and the
first picture writing of his tribe. Her
father was q Scotchman OF adventurous
nature, who settled in Oklahoma long be-
fore It was open to homesteadlng, but tho
descendants of Indian princes are stick
lers for caste and Miss Edmonson con-
siders herself OF the Cherokee blood
royal
She has the appearance OF a white
woman, but retains the graceful carriage,
the straight, piercing look and direct
speech OF her Indian ancestors.
The wedding has been planned with
the greatest secrecy. Mr.. Croker has
told less than half dozen Of those he
knew in the days when he ruled at the
wigwam on 18th street, and every one
of those who have been apprised OF II
has been warned that It must not get
out under any circumstances. In fact,
the details Of the wedding are being so
carefully hidden that the few who have
been invited to attend do not know at
just what hour the ceremony is TO be
performed, and until yesterday did not
know tho place.
WEDDING TRIP TO PALM BEACH.
Then, however. 1t became known that
Nuptial Mass was to be solsmnized at
the church at 10:S0 o'clock tomorrow;
that 1t would be followed by a dinner
for the few persons in the secret, and
that Mr.. Croker and his bride would
leave that same afternoon for the Flor
ida estate OF the former Tammany chief
at Palm Beach. The reservations have
already been made on a train leaving
New York tomorrow, and Mr.. Croker's
friends have been informed OF his leav-
ing. but only two OF three have known
that 1t is to be honeymoon trip.
The former Mrs Croker died In Sep
tember in Austria. whore she had been
travelling because Of Ill health, and Mr.
Croker had great dificulty, because OF
the war. in having her body brought
back to this country for burial. He
had married her in 1878, just at the time
when his political star was beginning to