New Britain herald., 1926-11-15
MANNING AMAZED l AT MULTIPLICATION
Episcopal Bishop Says Action
 Is Incredible

New York, Nov. Is R)-The au- thorities of the Protestant Episcopal church and society were stirred to- day by further revelations regard ing the annulment by the Catholic church of the marriage of the Duke Of Marlborough and the former Consuelo Vanderbilt of New York.
 Bishop William Manning. head of the Episcopal diocese of New York, thinks the annulment "amazing and incredible" The marriage was an- nulled by a decree of the Catholic diocesan court at Southwark, Eng land, which was upheld by the tri- bunal of the Rota in Rome.
 Announcement that annulment was grantes ss1 a plea of the former duchess has added to the stir, she divorced the duke several years ago and now Is the wife of Colonel Bal san of France. A report that Mrs. o. H. P. Belmont. who divorced William K. Vanderbilt, father of the former duchess, and other relatives appeared before the diocesan court and testified that duress was used in obtaining the consent of Miss Nan- derbilt to her marriage with Marl- borough has not been confirmed from Belmont. Mrs Harry Payne Whitney, sister of Consuelo, and other members of the Vanderbilt family have refused to be inter- viewed.
 Bishop Manning at a dedication Of the new tower of St. James church, after characterizing the nu- liflcation of the marriage as "amaz- ing and incredible" declared that when he had fuller information it was his purpose to make a state ment on the matter. The bishop said the sacredness and permanence of marriage should be adhered to. The people had been startled by the nullfication of the Marlborough marriage.
 This report" the Bishop added is So amazing and incredible, the action is so serious and its conse- quencei are so far-rsaching, that while I know that statement will be expected from me as bishop of the diocese in which the marriage took place, am waiting for some fuller information in regard to the matter
 "I will only say now that In every situation as it comes, stand ing four square like the tower of your church, we must be ready to bear our witness for Christ and for His truth"
 Regarding the law of consent for says:
 Those who marry do so by signi- flying their consent to be man and wife. Consent is the "ery essence Of marriage. and 1t is in conse- quence of their free, deliberate con- sent that a man and woman become husband and wife.
 "The consent must be free and deliberate. Violence or coercion by fear in a degree so great as to de- prive either party Of his freedom to dissent would invalidate the con- sent given. The fear need not be absolute. but if it be relatively so strong as to prompt external con- sent while the party dissents inter nally, canon law considers the requisite freedom wanting and this contract null and voil''
 The Duke and Duchess of Marl- borough when they were married were both Episcopalians. When the duchess secured her divorce she married Col. Balsan. a Catholic, the duke married Miss Gladys Deacon of Boston, who was bridesmaid at the Marlborough wedding, and who is a catholic,
 It was reported before the Marl- borough marriage that Consuela's father opposed the union but that Mrs. Vanderbilt insisted upon 1t an had her way
 From the s2,50o,00o dot given by MT. Vanderbilt as a marriage set tlement the duke Is still receiving an income of about 1000 per week. The agreement provided that the duke and duchess were to receive the income from the dot. and that on their deaths the income was to go to their heirs. Nothing concern ing a divorce was contained in the marriage agreement.
 When the duke married Miss Dea- con his former wife was quoted as having said: "If she can stand him, she Is welcome to him.