Encyclopedia Titanica

EXPLORER RICE WEDS MRS. G. D. WIDENER

New York Times

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Law Requiring Five Days' Delay After Securing License Waived by a Court Order
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PLANS FOR SECRECY FAIL
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Bishop Lawrence Officiates at Ceremony in Emmanuel Church Vestry Witnessed by Twelve Persons
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Special to The New York Times
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BOSTON, Mass., Oct. 6---In order to avoid the publicity involved in the wedding in Trinity Church announced for tomorrow, Dr. A. Hamilton Rice of Boston and Mrs. George D. Widener of Philadelphia and Newport, donor of the new Harry Elkins Widener Memorial Library at Harvard, were married shortly after noon today in the vestry of Emmanuel Church, Newbury Street, by Bishop William Lawrence.

Though reporters were barred from the church it was learned that there were about a dozen persons in the wedding party. Those included Mrs. Widener's daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Dixon of Philadelphia; Mr. and Mrs. T. Suffern Tailer of Newport and New York, and their children, Larry and Betty Tailer, and the brother of the bridegroom, John C. Rice, a prominent Boston attorney, who acted as best man. The couple found no difficulty in getting around the Massachusetts law requiring five days' delay after securing the license.

John C. Rice appeared at the registry of births, marriages, and deaths in the City Hall Annex this morning armed with a power of attorney from Dr. Rice. He requested a blank for a petition to the court, asking a waiver of the five-day law. This he filled out, and at the courthouse he presented it to Judge Grant. The Judge without delay issued the waiver. The five-day restraint on the bridegroom-to-be and his betrothed bride was thus dissolved and rendered of no more force than if such a law did not exist.
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Special to The New York Times
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NEWPORT, R. I., Oct. 6---Dr. Rice and Mrs Widener left Newport early this morning in a motor car and made a fast run to Boston, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon and Mr. and Mrs. Tailer going to Boston on the train which left Newport at 8:15.

At the wedding the bride wore her celebrated string of pearls which she saved from the Titanic disaster, in which her first husband and son, Harry Elkins Widener, were lost.

Her second romance began last June at the dedication of the Memorial Library at Harvard University, presented by the bride in memory of her son, where she first met Dr. Rice.

They expect to come to New York for a short visit before going to Mrs. Rice's estate at Ogontz, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Later they plan to go to the Panama-Pacific Exposition, returning to Philadelphia to make their home.

Their marriage comes after emphatic denials both from the bride and Dr. Rice that an engagement existed between them, which was first reported last August, while Dr. Rice was a guest at Miramar, the Widener villa at Newport.

The steam yacht Josephine, belonging to Joseph E. Widener, sailed from Newport this afternoon for Philadelphia, having on board Mr. and Mrs. Dixon and George D. Widener, Jr.

The bride is 47 years old, and Dr. Rice is 40. He is a well-known explorer, and has received several gold medals for his scientific achievements while exploring in South America. The bride was Miss Eleanor Elkins, daughter of the late William L. Elkins of Philadelphia, before her first marriage.

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Encyclopedia Titanica (2004) EXPLORER RICE WEDS MRS. G. D. WIDENER (New York Times, Thursday 7th October 1915, ref: #2730, published 6 April 2004, generated 2nd December 2024 10:48:22 PM); URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/explorer-rice-weds-mrs-g-d-widener.html