SECRET MARRIAGES IN NEW YORK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 812, 7 December 1882, Page 2

SECRET MARRIAGES IN NEW YORK.

[“Detroit free press.”] The Badger case, which has just been settled by compromise in New York, is very remarkable in its character, the facts being as follows: Jacob Badger recently died in his seventy-sixth year. He was a rich old bachelor, and had for many years been at the head of an opulent shipping house. His heirs proceeded to divide the property, when a claim was made by a woman, who asserted her dowerright as his widow. For thirty-five years she and “ John Baker ” had held connubial relations, their homes being in Brooklyn. “ Baker ” had always conducted himself in an exemplaty manner, providing liberally, and enjoying the respect of the neighborhood. Every day he went to New York and returned at night, and this uniform life was only terminated by his sudden demise. It was then learned that “John Baker,” of Brooklyn, and Jacob Badger. of New York, were one and the same, and the woman was allowed a dower of 42,000 dollars. New York contains many such instances, which find protection in that mantle which a great city throws over society. I well remember the flour dealer, Daniel Angerine, who always passed for a bachelor. After his death, however, it was found that he had a family, which had only known ,

him under a false name. I. was also acquainted with another bachelor business man (the late H. N, Ferris), who kept hjs residence a secret from even his clerks. Every morning he appeared at the store, and at night he left, but no one knew whither he went, and his employees became so accustomed to this that it ceased to be a matter of comment. Eventually Ferris was taken ill and died, and it was then discovered that he had a private establishment in an obscure street, far up town. R. G. Schuyler, formerly the noted railway contractor, also passed for a bachelor, until his failure brought out the fact that he had a wife and family, in which he had long been known by the name of Spicer. I could mention a man of wealth, and of high family, who passes in the fifth avenue circles as a bachelor, but his friends have long been convinced that he has a wife somewhere in the city; Some of these secret marriages occur in the following manner :—Young men see the impossibility of supporting those helpless, hightoned city girls, who want a fashionable establishment, and hence/ going from one extreme to another, they will sometimes marry the daughters of their washerwoman, simply because the latter can take care of themselves. As . sqch a marriage would distress their friends, they keep it secret, and pass for bachelors, being thus enabled to retain their position in society. Such are .among the strange features in metropolitan life. No man, however, can say he marries below his station if his wife, however humble, is of decent character, and possesses intelligence. That false notion concerning men marrying beneath them, has led to a vast exten| of mischief.