Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-14
BOY WEDS SISTER
| after SEPARATION
Lad, Seventeen, Has Strange
lnfatuation for Girl Of Nineteen
Reared In Different Homo
HONEYMOON LASTS 3 DAYS

Ringhamton. N. Y. Nov. IA. - A
literature was revealed yesterday BY
the confession Of John II. Cregier, sev..
enteen, OF Binghamton, that a week
ago he married his sister. Elisabeth NJ.
Hafner. adopted daughter. Of Mr.: ard
Mrs. Adam j. Hafner, OF New York.
and lived with her three days. The
hoy admitted each knew their relation.
ship and could say only that they were
infatuated with each other.
Cregier told his story nt the home
where he has lived since he was little
boy with Mrs. Margaret People, whom
ne calls aunt. but who never legally
to him.
She was present when correspond. /.
ent confronted the boy with proof OF his
marriage. Humane Officer Samuel J..
koerbel, of Blnghamton, before whom
the !ad will be brought today, also
heard his confession.
Reared In Different Homes
The bridegroom. n bright. handsome
laI. ana his sister are the children Of
Edwnrd Is. Crriger. Siyty-twO, u farmer
Of North White Lake. Bethel. n. T..
where they were born. Their mother
died when Elizabeth was xix and John
iour. Elizabeth was adopted on April
IL. 1000. by Mr.. and Mrs. Hafner,
not quite year after her mother s
death. Mr.. Hafner and Mr.. Cregier are
cousins.
Soon after Elizabeth's adoption, Mrs.
Depew People. mother Of Mrs. Mar.
garet People. visited North White Lake
and fancying the little boy, John
Cregter. obtained the consent Of his
father to take him as her son.
John only saw Elizabeth three times
between her adoption and their. eiope.
lhent; and does not remember her as
little girl. Their first meeting, he re-
calls, was when he was twelve years
old and he says that at this time they
were told they were brother and sister.
lie said he could not remember feeling
time.
Elopement Carefully Planned
Last summer, however. he saw her
again and the mutual infatuation com.
menced. Late in October with the
excuse Of visit to half sister living
In New Jersey, he came to New York
and met Elizabeth again. The beuuti.
ful girl, almost twenty, appealed to
MIN more strongly than ever and her
response seems to have been the same.
An elopement was carefully planned
and OH November 4 they went to Bing-
hamtOn. where John knew he would
find his home vacant. ms Mrs. People
was away on n visit to relatives. A
week ago yesterday they went to Bing.
hamton marriage license bureau to ob.
tain a marringe license.
Here Elizabeth Hafner seems to have
family realized for the first time what
she was doing. for her application con I.
tains several false statements. First of
all, she took care to spell her name
Hefner. She said she was born in this
city and gave the names Of her parents
as Joseph and Cora (cook) Hefner.
Her foster fother's middle name. by
which he is generally known, is Jo.
seph. Mrs. Hafner's name Is Cora T..
llafner. The girl said she lived at
No. Lawton avenue. Binghamton,
John misstatcd only his age, which he
gave as twenty two. lie is u shipping
clerk.
They obtained the license and on the
following day. week ago yesterday,
went to Conklin. n suburb Of Bingham.
ton. and were married by Il justice Of
the peace.