STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 136, 8 June 1907, Page 13

STRANGE STORIES FROM AMERICAN PAPERS.

' " ROCKECFBLI—R'S WIG. 3fr. J. D. Rockefeller's new Parisian wis has been, held up by American Customs officers on account of alleged undervaluationThe wig arrived from Paris recently, and the value was set at £12. It was noticed that the hair was a very delicate hue, and had all the appearance of having once adorned the bead of some noted person. Secret service men attached to the Revenue Department were asked to inquire into the case, and inquiries elicited the fact that the hair grew on the head of a noted Parisian society beauty, and was -worth at least t-"o-Expert wig makers have sworn that the new wig is too e-heap even at the price fixed by the authorities, and Mr. Rockefeller will have to pay the extra duty or allow his new wig to be confiscated. A CENTENARIAN MARRIAGE! The "New York American" makes the interesting announcement of a unique love match between a gentleman Irving at Tatesville. Tennessee, and a lady of Preston, England, both of whom can claim to be cen- j tenarians. The bridegroom is Mr. John E. . Bundren. who has reached the ripe age of I 10L His bride. Miss Rose McGnire. has passed her hundredth birtheiay. The wed- j ding, which. "The American* says, is tne I first that has ever taken place between centenarians, is to be celebrated on August 25 j next. Miss McGuire was engaged in her youth to the gentleman who Is now to become ber husband. Her parents, however, in those' early days parted the iov2rs, j and tbe engagement was broken off. Kecently. however, the yarties discovered that each bad survived the ravages of time, with the result that various letters which passed between them terminated tn an engagement. THE ILAN WITH 100 WIVES. Evideace isays a New I'ork corresspondenti is accumulating against James Marshal!, who was arrested at Philadelphia | some weeks ago on a enlarge of wholesale : Dl_Tm_ He wa-* associated with a girt | cailed Tenie. who posed as his dangiiter, j the pair condur-'ng a matrimonial bureau . with such success that _e_oo women atfertrd { themselves as brid_ "l have found 13 of ; his wives already." an inspector explained | to the Court ou Wednesday. April _.. -'Ifrom j the letters fruut all parts of the country I wbich I receive, it looks as if be has at least 100. Marshall, wbo is (50 years of age, and a man of soldierly appearance, smiled broadly and win_d at the reporters. As tbe prisoner and his "daughter" were leav- - ing the Court for the cells one oi" the wives stepped forward and struck T a Heavy j ti'-,w with her fist. "You hussy," she hissed. ! TIT FOR TAT?. . Mrs. Henry D. Archer, of Westchester County, New York, is suing for divorce on j the ground of cruelty, alleging that Mr. | Archer used to turn her mother's portrait j with its face to the wall. The hnsband , said he was provoked to this horrible act by his wife's blowing a tin whistle iv his | ear when he was asleep. BRIDEGROOM SHOT. Mr. Tbaddeus Ross and Mis 3 Edith Sampsell, of Oli City. Pennsylvania, were to have been married or. April<2*s. While Mr. Boss was at dinner the telephone bell rang, and a woman's voice asked for him. He did not eommanieate to bis family wbat was said to aim over the wire. but annonn-eed that be was going to the office of a Dr. Magee. and would return soon. Fie did not return, and his father went to Dr. Magee's. He found LU son dead, sitting tn a with a bullet through his forehead while Miss Belle Stroup. bis son's former sweet- . heart, lay at his feet dead. No eye-_tness saw tbe tragody. The girl entered the doctor's office while be was .it dinner, and summoned Mr. Ross, apparently determined tbat he should not marry an other girL Miss Sampsell is almost mad with grief. DAUGHTER'S HONOUR AVENGED. I Still another "unwritten law" case engages the attention of America. ExJudge Lcrving. manager of the Oakridge, Virginia, estate of Mr Thomas F. Ryan, the New York millionaire, has surrenelered after shooting dead a man who dishonoured his nineteen-year-old daughter. This man. named Estes, who is related to Mr Loving, called oa Snaday evening : at the home of Miss Elizabeth Loving's i uncle, to take her out for a drive. He bronght ber back late at night drugged. Calling i physician, he said that the girl j was drunk, but the physician notified the I father, who waited till she regained conj scioosness on Monday, only to learn from i her own lips the terrible story. Then he tejok his gun and drove to . Estes' place of business. "So you were i ont driving '-ad'es last night." he said. j- "No," exclaimed Estes. throwing up his hands, and his face turning deadly white, as he saw the gun In the hands ot the ; avenging father. Mr Loving shot twice, I causing almost instant death; and drove I straight to the justice of the peace, saying : as he surrendered, "I shot to kill." | Mrs Loving had telephoned to aer brci ther to try to avert the tragedy, bat he l took a wrong road, and missed Mr Lov- ! ing, arriving just arter tbe murder. Estes' j brother wanted to kill Mr Loving, but his j mother restrained him, Mr Ryan has of- ! fered to furnish any ball for bis manager, j and Mr Loving has been released on a I bond of £1000. I AN EMBARRASSED OFFICER. I A trange story of three brides waiting : for a British officer comes from San FranI ciscn. It concerns Captain H-rb*rt Holford Brabant Holland, who is described as j "late of His Majesty's 7th Colonial Ca. I airy." Captain Holland met Dr. Mar- aret Croze, niece of Judge Olcott, three years! ago in Vienna, where she was taking a post-graduate eot_* in medicine. They were enga.ed to be married, but after "a covers quarrel sbe left for America. He determined to follow and find ber and ef | feet a reconciliation. They met again by j accident at Beatty, in Nevada, and a few days later, at the Alexandra Hotel they were married by a justice of the 'peace. While the pair were obtaining the mar riage license the mother of a Miss WH nelmma Bartz shook her fist in the captain's face, denouncing bim a s a „„__ drel and declaring that be had p___. Ed to marry her daughter. She threat ened to stop the wedding, but the counle by a strategic movement, escaped in an ; automobile. Later in the day somebodr j representing Miss Ella Wootfe, of Franc-sco. publicly accused him at «,. _,„ B a ut ra bv H T of - bein f en2:ised to ***£: But by this time he was s _f e , y married to Miss Croze. The captain was not pe_ turbed. and said be was the Tieri™ „V_ blackmailing scheme. MILLIONAIRE'S POOR RELATION. Surprising facts became known these cond week in April regarding Mr James Henry Smith, own as _£^ who d_d m Japan on March 26; while on | a honeymoon trip, leaving an estate n< j £15,000,000. wbich it was SUppo^T^ to his widow and bis sister, L ad _ Ma. tbe Deutschland on April 19. It had always been understood that "Silent Smith" inherited bis fortune from hi_ ucele. but in reality the money came to bim from his father's second cousin. It ..was m_-«sall2 beßewd thai &_, gjg_; r

! was his only relative, but ft later became known thai his mother, aged eighty, is living in bumble circumstances in Evanston, Uliaois, and that he had also a brother, a sister, two nephews, and a niece living In the West. Many of them announce their intention to contest the will, which practically disinherits Hiqtti " Stent Smith"' supported his mother, and occasionally made mysterious trips to the West for the purpose of seeing her.