The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-03-18

"I, Gertrude Wakefield Hassler, by
the signing Of this contract. give nv
self to Frederick A. Carpenter, as his
lawful wife, to have, to hold, to love
as long as he proves true" This is
an entry in the records Of the munich
pal court Of Kenosha county, written
in a girlish hand on November 6. 1913.
and on Saturday in the divorce court
of Judge Charles A. Mcdonald, this
unusual contract was marked null and
void, and Gertrude Wakefield Hassler
Carpenter was divorced from Frederick
A. Carpenter, bringing to an end the
most unusual wedding contract ever
written in Kenosha. The wife assert
ed that Carpenter had invalidated the
contract because he did not prove true.
Carpenter, who is declared to be
wealthy did not appear in court, but
settled upon his wife seven hundred
dollars in cash and real estate to the
value Of three thousand dollars.
Most Unusual Wedding.
The ceremony in Chicago recalled
the most unusual and interesting we'd
ding ceremony that ever took place in
Kenosha. Gertrude Hassler was a
daughter Of David Hassler of Indiana
polls. She was forty when she came
to Kenosha in the fall Of 1918. She
was beautiful and stunning. A month
before she had been a successful liti-
CANT in suit against Carl Fisher,
wealthy Indianapolis automobile man.
She had demanded half a million dol
lars for breach of promise. A jury
awarded her fifty thousand and she
compromised it by taking half this
amount. She went to Chicago and
bought the Sheridan theatre, and then
she met Carpenter. Carpenter had
been already divorced from a former
wife, so Miss Hassler came to Kenosha
for her wedding. 1t was said that she
was one of the most beautiful women
who ever stopped over in Kenosha long
enough to say love, honor and obey"
and the unusual part of the story is
that she didn't say anything of the
kind.
No HackneyeG Ceremony.
Miss Hassler and Mr.. Carpenter had
ideas and ideals of their own in regard
to the marriage service, and when
they got married they insisted on fol-
lowing these ideas. It was Judge
Clifford E. randall who had charge of
the ceremony, and when it was pro-
posed to him along the new lines, he
baked. He said that he could find
nothing in the statue to permit his
sanctioning such a marriage and he
insisted on reading from the ritual
and having the ring passed before he
declared Miss Hassler and Carpenter
married, Miss Hassler was in Keno
sha for some time, making arrange
ments for the marriage and she made
her home at the Pennoyer Sanitarium.
After the marriage she and Mr.. Car
penter lived in Kenosha long enough
to establish residence in Wisconsin.
Records Show Contract.
The records of the municipal court
were searched today and sure enough
the contract between Miss Hassler and
Carpenter was found. 1t had been
entered on November 6, 1918, just after
sunset. The mother of the bride was
present at the ceremony and signed
the record. The record reads:
Gertrude w. Hassler and Frederick
A. Carpented.
81, Gertrude w. Hassler, by signing
Of this contract, give myself to Fred
erick A. Carpenter, to be his lawful
wife, to have, to hold, to love, as long
as he proves true. / promise to keep
myself faithful in word, deed and
thought, and I will strive every day
to fill with q vast treasure of content
ment, every day of our lives so joined.
Signed, Gertrude Hassler.
And then follows the other entry
on the record in the hand writing of
Carpenter:
Il, Frederick A. Carpenter, by this
contract, take as my lawful wife, Ger
trude w. Hassler, and / solemnly
promise and agree to be truly faithful
in word thought and deed, to protect
and love and to devote my life to give
her sweet happiness and contentment,
which she so well deserves, through
life, until death.
Signed, Frederick A. Carpenter.
Dated this 9Th day of November,
1918.
Each Took Copy of Contract.
The contract was ornate with beauti-
full decorations and copy of it had
been, prepared for both of the parties.
1t is recalled by court officials that
after the contract had been signed Mrs.
Hassler took the hand of her daughter
and placed it in the hand of Carpenter
and said, MAY all the good and truth
IN the universe combine to keep your
hearts bright"
No Marriage Without Love.
Miss Hassler explained to the little
coterie witnessing the unusual mar
riage that she was guided by love and
love only, and that without love any
marriage rite would be only hollow
mockery.
1t was only little while before she
had married Carpenter in Kenosha
that Mrs. Carpenter had sung herself
into national fame as "The Girl With
the Auburn Hair" 1t was while she
was on the concert stage that she met
Carl Fisher in Indianapolis, and their
-