The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-12-25
r. A. Wilson Reported to
Have Eloped With Miss
Lillian Willems.
KEPT IT A SECRET
Wedding Was Kept Secret But
Leaked Out as Girls Par
ents Learn of Nuptials.

Robert A. Wilson, wealthy Kenosha
real estate man, who has been much
in the limelight in Kenosha because
of his domestic troubles and his love
affairs, launched again on the sea Of
matrimony recently according to re-
ports which reached Kenosha today.
These reports declare that Mr.. Wilson
and Miss Lillian Willems the sixteen
year-old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
John A. Willems, 703 Edward street,
were married in Waukegan, Wednes-
day afternoon by justice of the
peace at the court house and that
they are now enroute to jacksonville,
Florida, on their honeymoon.
One report declared that they had
planned to stay few weeks in Jack
sonville, and then sail for Hawaii, re-
turning to Kenosha in the spring.
This, however, could not be confirmed.
Had Kept Secret Close.
The elopment had been kept close
secret for several days, not even the
brides parents learning of it until
late Friday afternoon. Officials at
Waukegan evidently had co-operated
with the newlyweds in keeping the
wedding secret as an effort to gain
information from the county clerks
office there this morning resulted in
securing a statement from an at
tendant that there twas no such ap-
plication on record" Later County
Clerk Hendee stated that such a
license had been issued last Wednes-
day.
Invstigation, however, established
the fact that the couple had been
married in Waukegan on Wednesday
afternoon, several Kenoshans having
been witnesses to the marriage.
In applying for license, it was
said, Mr.. Wilson gave his age as 81,
while his bride stated she was 10. The
brides parents, however, state that
their daughter is only sixteen.
Parents Learn of Elopement.
Friday afternoon when Lillian could
not be found her mother started a
search which resulted in the disclos-
ure of the elopement. After the we'd
ding at Waukegan, the couple had re-
turned to Kenosha and the bride had
gone to her parents home. On Thurs
day she had gone. to her work as
usual; on Friday the mother, who was
also working that day, had left the
home Upon her return late in the
afternoon, she discovered that the
daughter had not been home through
out the day. Investigation of various
rumors brought out the story of the
marriage.
The parents were very much per-
turbed by the elopen ent They de-
clared that they knew nothing of their
daughters romance with the older
man and that they were much sur
prised over the entire affair. They
discussed the situation with an at
torney relative to the possibilities of
having the marriage annulled.
Wilson Widely Known.
Mr. Wilson is widely known among
the business men of Kenosha, having
conducted large real estate business
in this city for several years. He is
the owner Of large block of business
property on Rowland avenue.
He has been much in the limelight
here because of his domestic troubles
and romances. Several years ago he
was divorced from his first wife, now
residing in Kenosha. He broke into
print again months later, when Miss
Marion Wons, claiming that she was
disappointed because Wilson had not
married her, went to his apartments on
Rowland avenue and attempted sui
eide by drinking quantity of veronal.
She recovered and has since been mar
ried to another.
No message has been received di-
rectly from Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson
since they left Kenosha. The brides
parents this morning started a search
to locate their daughter, believing
that she is now enroute to Florida.
A report of the girls disappearance
together with the rumor thst Wilson
had disappeared at the same time and
that they were reported to have been
married in Waukegan was made TO the
police this morning and an official
search for the couple was started.