Evening star., 1923-05-17
SOCIETY WEDDING
HALTED AT ALTAR
Nancy Hoyt Realized Love for
Young Officer Had Cooled,
Friends Say.

shock yesterday afternoon in the an
Iouncement carried in the society
columns Of The Star to the effect
that the wedding of Miss Nancy
McMichael Hoyt 10 Lieut.. Frederick
Wiseman- Clarke. II. N. scheduled to
take place at 3 O'Clock in the brides
home, had been indefinitely post
poned
Many guests hidden to the we'd
ding. though it was to he a rather
quietly conducted affair. had made
were fairly on the way to the resi-
dence: the bridal gown, the we'd
ding feast and in fact everything
but the finishing touches were ready
for the ceremony. the license having
been taken out a week ago. The
sudden announcement from Mrs.
Hoyt was unexplained by other than
the assertion that Miss Hoyt was
critically Ill. and this was also the
given the fashionable attendants Of
the bride. all of whom were ipti-
mate schoolgirl friends.
Bridegroom Leaves.
Lieut.. Wiseman- Clarke. called Wise
man by his intimates. has been In
Washington for two weeks. guest
in the home Of Mrs Hoyt, and his
Wiseman-Clarke arrived few days
ago to attend the wedding. They lett
Yesterday for New York and will sail
Saturday for England.
Many brilliant prenupt!ai entertain
ments had been given for Miss Hoyt
and her fiance. among them dinner
and dance in the home OF Senator and
Mrs. James W. Wadsworth. jr.. on
10Th street. and dance at Grass
lands, Miss Evelyn Wadsworth, who
made her debut with the bride-elect.
being one of the attendants. Mr.. and
Mrs. Michael ]. Colbert entertained a
dinner party for the young folk.
their daughter. Miss Helen Colbert.
also being a bridesmaid. The matron
Of honor was to have been Mrs. Ezio
cousin Of the bride. and her husband.
Mr.. Garibaldi was to have served as
best man.
Troussenu Ready.
The bridal trousseau and the gowns
for the young attendants had heen
shown to intimates for days past: and
the wedding gifts. which pathetically
still on exhibition. Many guests had
come from other cities to be present.
and everything but the feast was
spread.
While society folk conjecture over
the calamitious ending of the romance.
Mrs. Hoyt still refuses to add to the
statement made in The Star yesterday.
and Lieut.. Wiseman Clarke left Wash
ington with his parents. While Miss
Hoyt is undoubtedly seriously ill, her
friends are saying that short time
ago Miss Hoyt realized that she did not
really love the young Englishman. but
allowed the ARRANGEMENTS for the we'd
ding to go on. She decided. however.
on the very threshold Of the altar to
break her promise to wed. and an
nounced the news to her mother. who
upheld her in her decision.
Deny Tragedy Cause.
The friends of Mrs. Hoyt and her
daughter are stoutly denying that the
tragedy in the life of Mrs. Elinor
Hoyt Hichborn Wylie. in which she
left her husband. Philip Hichborn. son
of the late Rear Admiral Hichborn
and her baby son. had anything to do
with the postponement Of the we'd
ding. Mrs. Wylie was an elder sister
OF Miss Hoyt and had been married
but a few years when she eloped with
Horace Wylie. a married man with
four children. twenty years her senior
Young Hichborn. unable to stand the
disgrace, committed suicide. Another
tragedy was added to the family's
misfortune in 1920. when Henry Mar
tyn Hoyt. an artist. brother of Elinor
! and Nancy, committed suicide.
Many are OF the opinion that the
Wisenan- Clarke family knew moth
| ing Of the dramatic scandals in the
family before arriving for the we'd
ding. but the three-year acquaintance
OF the young people must have made
| il all known to him.
; Miss Hoyt is a popular girl. noted
for her quaint beauty and sweetness
being particularly loveable in dispo-
sition. She went abroad with hei
act
| they were in England that the en-.
gagement was announced.
The Hoyts have been prominent in
Washington society for years. Miss
i Hoyts father was solicitor general In
, the Taft administration and hel
grandfather. Henry VI. Hoyt. was q
| former Governor of Pennsylvania
/ She is the great-granddaughter o.
F, Morton McMichael, one-time mayor OF
Philadelphia.