The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-09-24

nature bl WHICH bANLS A1Ai NC CCSNfS the attention of the authorities of two states.
 On Jan 30, of this year, Merritt ! Lane, then Vice Chancellor Lane. the | youngest and considered the most | brilliant man who ever sat as Vice | Chancellor of New Jersey, married | Geraldine Garrison-Kerr.
 She was a daughter of Supreme | Court Justice Garrison, of New Jer- sey, and a niece of Lindley M Garri- | son, former Secretary of War.
 For some strange reason, Chancel- | Tor Lane kept the news of this cere- | mony, his second marriage, from be- l coming public. The public only 1 learned of it about six months later.
 On April 4 of this year, some per | son giving the name of Joseph Lane 1 applied for a license to marry one Grace Hercht in Stamford, Conn. This marriage ceremony was per formed by the Rev. Dr. Clarence Hill Frank.
 The man who married Grace Hercht, gave as the names of his father and mother, names identical with those of Vice-Chancellor Lanes father and mother.
 About the first of June of this year a -NtWaEk newspaper puDllSlltu D4 leAIS the first account of Chancellor Lanes marriage to Mrs. Garrison-Kerr.
 Within a day or two a mysterious woman walked into the Court of Chancery where he was sitting in the trial of a case. He adjourned court Immediately and went into his private chambers with the woman.
 That was the enE of the career of Merritt Lane, or. as he was known earlier in life, Joseph Merritt Lane, as the alI-important Vice-ChanceIlor of New Jersey. After his talk with the strangs visitor. he never again sat on the bench as Vice-Chancellor.
 He resigned the next day, June f, 1919. to the a-nr cement of every law yer in New Jersey, for the Vice-Chan- cellorship is the secret ambition of every able attorney at the New Jersey Bar.
 Lane Denies Wedding.
 Since that time the question that has been banded about from one end of New Jersey to the other is, "Who is Joseph Lane?''
 New York persons having, after a long search, located the Rev. pr. Frank, who married Joseph Lane" and obtained a copy of the marriage certificate issued in Connecticut, sent representatives last night to see the former Vice-ChanceIIor.
 He was asked to make some state ment that might help to solve the great mystery of Joseph Lane"
 Chancellor Lane, of course. stated that it was not he who had been mar ried by the Rev. Dr. Frank, and then he was shown the certified copy of the certificate.
 You will notice that the name given by the groom is that of Joseph Lane, and while you are known as Merritt Lane, you were Joseph Mer- rRt Lane earlier in your career" said a reporter. Don't you think that this obvious use of your name merits some kind of statement?"
 NO" he replied. "I don't intend to make any kind of statement on which publication of these facts can be hung. If say word of explana- ton or denial you will make use of it. Of course there is nothing of an affirmative nature that I could say because I know noning about this marriage"
 The reporter then asked the Cham cellor to read the certificate more carefully to see if there was not something in 1t which he thought migh merit some public utterance. He read it again and said he had nothing to say.
 You will notice that the man who married Grace Hercht gave your mothers name as the name of his mother. Don't you want to say any thing at all about that?" asked the reporter.
 Nothing" replied the Chancellor. And in this place." said the re- l porter, pointing to another line In 1 the certificate, Joseph Lane gave ! your fathers name as the name of l his father"
 Again the chancellor refused to comment.
 1 All efforts to interest the chancellor ' in the mystery of Joseph Lane" who had used his name and the names of l his father and mother, failed utterly. "Wiu you state if by any chance you have a brother named Joseph?' the reporter asked.
 | The only brother I have is named Harry"
 T have nothing to say, either in af- firmation or denial in connection with the purported ceremony"
 What have you to say to the story current in legal circles to the effect that on June or 4, after a news
 
 riage to Mrs. Kerr, the daughter Df Supreme Court Justice Charles c. Garrison and niece of former Secre- tary of War Lindley M. Garrison, a strange woman appeared in your lcourt?'
 The report has it that she sum- moned you from the bench and that shortly atferward a commotion was heard in your court offices and that a horsewhip was taken from -ro- man?" MT. Lane answered:
 l q will not discuss that report, one way or another"
 At the time the story of the Lane Kerr wedding was published, Lane, then Vice Chancellor. is said to have offered varied explanations for the secrecy attached to the ceremony. The lceremony was performed by Police Judge Frank A. Goettner in the office of Commissioner Thomas l.. Raymond in the Newark City Hall. 1 Lane. who had been married when 21 ye- - old, just after his admission to the bar of New Jersey, was di- vorced two years ago. Prior to that he and the first Mrs. Lane had been