1915-03-13-New York Tribune-Mayo and Present Wife Wed in Mormon Church

Mayo and Present Wife Wed in Mormon Church

New York Tribune, 13 March 1915, p. 1

Ceremony look Place with Rites of Latter Day Saints, Is Story?--She Met Radiator Man in Newark--Christian Scientists Repudiate Him.

A Mormon church in Brooklyn was the scene of Virginius Mayo's marriage to his present wife, who was Wilhelmina Meyer, of Newark. This is the latest information concerning the New Haven man, whose life is linked with those of so many women. The New Haven wife, who remains as silent as does her now celebrated husband, is said to be the niece of the late C. E. Henry Stengel, a wealthy leather manufacturer.

Mayo's religious affiliations have been touched on from time to time in connection with the stories that have been uncovered about him. It was said that he was a Christian Scientist, but the authorities of the Christian Science Church in New Haven denied that he was a member of their church. The idea that he became a Mormon--in religion--has not been advanced until now.

Residents of the old 12th Ward, in Newark, gave out the news yesterday about Mrs. Mayo. She was reared as "Minnie" Meyer, and regarded as a very attractive girl. She was known, it is said, as Mr. Stengel's niece, Stengel, a survivor of the Titanic disaster, has since died. His family, who live at 109 Lincoln Avenue, refused to discuss the subject of Mrs. Mayo yesterday. The only admission came from a young man who said he was Mrs. Stengel's son. He admitted Mrs. Mayo was a relative, but would say nothing else. At the Stengel & Rothschild factory, Ralph Stengel, another son, said:

"Go to New Haven for first hand information."

Couple Met in Jail.

Those in the neighborhood of the old Meyer home, at Ferry and Magazine Streets, said Minnie Meyer met Mayo in a curious fashion. According to the story, about eleven or twelve years ago she was being courted by one Alfred Peterson, a Dane. About this time she fell heir to $40,000 through her grandmother's death. Peterson, it is said, induced her to lend him $2,000 "for a business enterprise."

Later she found not only that Peterson was fooling her about his business proposition, but had a wife and three children in Norway, so she had him arrested on a charge of fraud. In some way, while she was visiting the jail where Peterson was languishing, she met Mayo. Their friendship developed rapidly, and after a little time they were married "in a Mormon tabernacle" in Brooklyn, so the story goes. It is said Minnie Meyer turned over to Mayo her $5,000 or $40,000, and that it was on this financial basis that he built his business.

As usual, Mayo refused to see any newspaper men in New Haven yesterday. It was said he came to New York for a few hours. Inquiries at his factory and his home about himself and his wife met with the answer, "I don't know." Nobody knew anything if the statements could be believed.

Mayo Laughs at Plight.

The manufacturer is said to have laughed merrily at some of the newspaper stories about him. One of his friends said:

"He's not afraid of prosecution. He has nothing to fear. He said only last night that this game of women claiming him as their husband was only an effort to put something over on him. It has worked on others before, but he doesn't propose to worry about it.

"The claim of the Scranton woman is more or less bosh. Mayo's not afraid to be interviewed, but he has been so persistently misquoted he believes he cannot place any reliance on any one in talking over the various allegations about him. The whole trouble is simply that Mayo is about the kindest hearted man that ever lived. He is altogether too good, and these women are trying to take advantage of him."

The opinion that the women are "trying to put something over on" Mayo is not shared by many others in New Haven, for the people there say generally they believe in the claims of Mrs. Virginius Mayo, of Scranton, and Susie Wahlers, of New Haven.

Benjamin Slade, Mayo's attorney, had nothing to say for his client. Mr. Slade was handed a list of questions. They required definite answers to queries about Mrs. Mayo's status in the Mayo household and the particulars of her marriage, if there was one; particulars about possible prosecutions for bigamy and suits for divorce. Slade looked them over.

"They are very ingenious and very pertinent, but I am not going to answer any of them," he said.

"Nothing New," Says Prosecutor.

Prosecutor F. Raymond Rochford, of the Township of Hamden, said:

"Matters are just where they were twenty-four hours ago. I want it understood that we are not shielding Mayo or any one else, for I would no more hesitate to arrest him than I would the most obscure person. But I must have evidence before I can proceed, and so far none has been presented."

He said he would not act unless complaint was made, and added if the constables wished to make investigations they would have to take their chances on being paid, as he had no funds with which to reimburse them.

Joseph Knecht, president of the Utah Orthodoxy of the Latter Day Saints, said last night at 156 Oakland Place, Brooklyn, that he knew nothing of Mayo's marriage in a Mormon church. F. A. M. Squires, an elder, living at 220 Schenectady Avenue, said he had looked through the records and had not found the name of either Mayo or Meyer.