The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-03-20

Fiye Minutes and Fiffy Cents
Required in View York
Ardsrnsn SD rhsfr Hasgers-on M
1hrfvisg BssBssss n City
HALL Corridors SD oMees-


city Of yiofs. fires and Anarchists. s.
and three days viii secure q divorce,
but here in Neg York you can be pro-
nouneess husband and wife in I've min
usrs and for 50 csnts, What yea wans
to do II 70 ran across . heeiers one 81
those satellites who revolve about the
political planets, whose Light they re-
Esert, using the city hall as their zodiac.
These matrimonial sYumEHers. While
not employed By the city government,
thrive ir the favor Of the city fathers.
and manage 20 make : good living rs
their strange but not irregular bust
ness. They have the marriages eertiti-
Gates printed al their c@n expense. ac-
eept whatever fee + offered, aud in
reality run cfvil-serviee marriage ba-
rean. Their plan In TO patrol the city
hall In search OF struggling couples
who took with lovers eyes and
after ascertaining the one wish 81 both
hearts. conduct them 20 private
Office. fill out The certificate and call in
the alderman they represent 20 per-
form the ceremony. II the would-be
se,Ided people have any religious
preferences, II Is zn easy matter TO
procure the services OF the desired
party. for the fathers Of the pubic are
. most accommodating lot, and Meth
odist. Baptist. EonaanIst, Episcopal
ian and Agnostic work together when
hearts a. well a. doodle are trumps.
To test the notorious facts I'm the
case, which people who reverence the
solemn rites of marriage are reluctant
to believe. World reporter and a
young woman. also member of the
Worlds staff, agreed to a sham we'd
ding. Friday morning they tripped
up 10 the city hall as gayiy as two real
lovers. and wandering up and down
the silent hall in searcn OF 'sheeier. |"
Ii was ~ by the tower clock. and while
few of the city officials had reached
their Offices the usual number OF poiiti-
cal huxters aud busters were grouped
in knots Of three of four at odd turn
ings ia the silent Railways. The re
porter pretended bride was extremely
paradoxicai In attire and perefptihly
annoyed NJ the attention bestowed BY
the impudent, insoienf and untidy
specimens who struggled past. Over =
dress as green as summer landscape
she wore a mid-winter wrap, neither
long enough 10 conceal pair OF cork
soied shoes stout enough 10 bridge
Minnesota freshet. She wore black
straw hat. which. with her head and
face, was tied up in a white 5rida. veil
and pair OF white gloves.
The nominated groom had arrayed
himself in q turquoise-blue tie. a cape
coat. trousers the color of stewed
beefstcak. a deeollete vest. saffron
gloves and stout walking-stick For
80 minutes or 50 they amused them
selves peering into open doors and
reading the Tin sigssS there in the
hotel, seeing or being seen ~ one OF
the lieutenants OF the bureau But
none appeared. Then butten popped
OF of the brides glove and she spent
another MALT hour trying to substitute
an abbreviated safety-pin. when a
beeier OF the most pronounced type
tall. broad-shouidered. bleary-eyed
and unshayen, in O rum-soaked mus
taehe and weather-Saded clothes-ap-
peared with an interfegative express
sion.
I'VE want 10 get married. Can you
tell us where to got" the reporter
asked.
Just stay right where you are and
III send a man TO you.
Not the mayor
.No."
In Just the time II took for q round
trip 10 the first office Mt the right of
the park entrance Politician Richard
Fitzpatrick was on hand and politely
inquired II they were the couple that
wanted Ia get married. He then re-
quested the couple Ga follow him, and,
unlocking the Office referred 10, ush-
cred them In and reiocked the door.
There we're two couples already there
-stolid creatures, presumably from
Sweden, miserably poor and quite lu-
guhrious in face and expression, as
though contemplating their own fun
eral.
Mr.. Fitzpatrick left for few mo-
ments. and during his absence third
bridal party was let in-four slrapping
young Bavarians and buxom damsei
with very red hands and very white,
tight cuffs. When Mr.. Fitzgerald re-
turned he told the reporter a. step 10
the table.
''Oh. we're not in any hurry. Just
rs soon wait, the reporter said
Please come this way aud sign
your name here The groom signed
two documents and the sham bride
also affixed her name She seated
herself in the gloomiest corner OF the
big cahinet-l.ned reom. aud in reply TO
his questions stated her name. place
of birth and residence, age, occupa-
ton. names Of parents and expert
enees matrimonially.
Now, would Won like private
room. Mr.. shaw P'' asked the agent Of
Hymen.
sSeS. | think | would and the
couple We're conducted Ia a smaller of
fee looking over Park Row. where AL
derman Redmond j. Barry. of the
twenty second district, sat in consul
tation with a number of politicians.
At ssah1 of the bridal Ts..i .hS gang
made biz escape The alderman
left a presumably to get prayer.
book and during hts absence the re-
porter crossed the palm Of Clerk fitx.
. gerald with silver dollar. and in
qulred the fec.
"oh. about 81. said Fitzgerald. six.
ing up the reporters cape coat.
well. but the lady wants IN have
the ceremony pertermed by catho-
hc alderman
'uh. She can have any alderman
she wants, bat there's only enc ser.
vice, and 1t doesn't matter who al
ministers it,, Fitzgerald replied.
iiut II does matter, the bride ~.
marked, = prefer Roman Catholic
alderman"
well. madam. this gentleman Is a
Roman taiho.ie | think, and then
Alderman RaFFY entered with the
printed card containing the ciyil ser.
vice.
oh, well, observed the business.
like alderman. its all the same. Cathe,
he of Protestant Here's the ceremu.
ny. iuss Ike all the foTnis. bat Vou
can have church service IL yea wish. =
show snE some inpatienGe
No, think this viii do, The re
noFteT said.
but don want Il - 30 unless shs
Is satisfied, Nou bad better 40 ane
consult priests That's the thing u
sio. said Alderman barry. preparlas
10 rus sway the marriage card.
AZ The bali positive assertion from
the now nervous bride the card wa,
repsaced on naT=sr wad and the Off
csaitng alderman taok his hat ell ans
said
"Mell. thsak you 4 better 81, dowr
the street there 10 che church. ! don
believe ] want 90 10 this
The clerk glanced 1T the brides ags
oa the certificate and told hira 10 'sgS
sAfi she : 4 Masnar and knows ~ "a