The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-11
INDIANA'S GRETNA GREEN
Good Business opening Waiting for a
Live Young Man in Jacksonville.
Experiences of Matrimonial Agent Who
Concluded to Seek Another Calling-What
1t Costs to Elope, and How 1t Is Done.
Louisville Timea.

Louisville Tfmea.
There is fine opening in Jacksonville
for some active, hustling young man with
plenty of ready wit and an unlimited sup
ply of what is commonly termed gall. MIR.
William Kratz, the well-known "matri-
monial AGENT has retired from the bust
ness, and any one is at liberty to drop in
and take charge.
In order that the many idle young men
who have spent so much time looking after
easy places may thoroughly understand it
before plunging rashly into the venture it
will be necessary to go into the actual de-
tails of the business. No capital, no ex-
perience, no character nor anything else In
any quantity except nickel-plated nerve is
required. To begin with, the
prospective matrimonial agent. must
ascertain the location of the
yeffersonville. 1t would also be well for
him to know where the residence OF the
clerk and his deputies are. Then he must
make himself on good terms with the mag
and also with few ministers. After this
is accomplished, it is necessary to find
''pap without the slightest vestige of a
conscience-a man who is perfectly willing
to swear TO any and everything for very
low price.
Having been provided with all these
requisites the agent is ready for bust
ness. StatiOning himself at the ferry dock
or at the top of the hill he waits patiently.
until young couple come saunterlng on
the boat with loyer-like air about them.
An agent with good Judgment knows them
at a glance and Is convinced they are
strangers IN search of matrimony. Mr..
kratZ'S fayOrite method of getting &C
quainted with them, and which by the
way, always proved to be very successful
one, was to politely approach, tipping his
hat to the lady and hand card with the
following inscription TO the young man:
civilian Kratz. matrimonial agent, is willing
10 furnish wedding parties with all information
and instruction at reasonable terms"
The young couple are strangers in the
city, and really know nothing about how
consequently Mr.. Kratz's services are en-
gagged: Ii the young. lady does not look to
be eighteen years old, which is the mar
riageable age prescribed by the Indiana
law, ne calls in his pal who makes the
he takes them before his favorite magis-
trate, who performs the ceremony and gets
the fee from the groom. This sum is di-
vided equally between the squire and the
agent, and the latter always gets an addl-
tional fee from the groom which he
pockets.
The expenses of an clipping couple, if they
20 to Jef1ersonville to be married, are about
rs follows: Ferriage twenty cents; license,
81, without elegant gilt certificate which is
$50 extra; magistrates fee, S.; agents fee,
So. Total, $500. This is real nice, meat,
but not gaudy" way of doing it. but the ex-
pense can be reduced even lower than this
If the young mans cash is short. The Ii
cense costs 81 in any event, but then the
'Squire's fee can be cut down to 81 with the
information that's all I've got" and the
agent can be promised something nice when
wa tn
the ferriage, Will make the sum total S4.20
1t can, and has been, done even cheaper
than this by cutting the 'Squire's fee down
to 81, making the total outlay $3.50. Even
less THAI this has been paid at times.
AS the agent becomes more familiar
with his business, he knows and avoids
these economical couples. 1t is they who
come in hacks he delights to see. He man
ages to see them before they drive off the
boat, and as a general thing he is invited
inside to ride with them. Not long since
Mr.. KratZ was conversing with the writer
concerning his business.
I've had some queer experiences" he
said, musingly. Il know a couple as soon
as see them. Howl OF hardly know;
something seems to tell me they are clippers.
They act loyerly and sorter kittenish.
You've seen them and you know how it is.
Yes; Pve made considerable money at the
business, but have decided to quit and en-
gage in something else. Let me tell you of
one of the discouragements that happened
colored couple came up to the bank. Itwas
in the middle of the summer, and the Their
mometer was doing its best to climb over
the one-hundred degree-mark. 1t was
pass off in some shady, cool place with
nothing to GO but fan off the flies Bust
ness had been very dull and when saw
thu pair sorter frightened up at the pros
have much. Both of them emphatically
denied they were candidates for matrimOny
and to tell the truth l don't think they
had thought much about it. They had
But it was necessary for me to get a fee,
and presented co them the beauties of mar
riage, what % nice looking couple they
would make + snd al that sort of thing and
the they wsy ap " to- tTs 'Ga%Rehh
got the license and tramped
back to the magistrates. With great
flouish the ceremony was performed, and
the groom had only started with e.25 in his
pockets OF this sum ten cents went for
ferriage, 50 for the license, and there was
only fifteen cents left. 1t would take ten
The groom didn't want to swindle us out
right, so he turned over the last five-cent
piece TO the Squire. The latter was so
thoroughly Disguised that he handed it
back with the advice that they 60 home
and rush the growler with it."
do you often make mistakes in sizing up
couples, Mr.. Kratzl"
Not often, but have sometimes done so.
No, they do not get offended; they just
laugh and seem to enjoy the joke, and when
apologize with graceful suavity every
thing is all right. 1t sets them to thinking,
and I'll bet some of my mistakes have ulti-
mately resulted In marriages that might
not otherwise have taken place. No man
IN my business could very well believe
marriage failure. / am in favor of it, and
the more clippers and fees the merrier."
Did you first conceive this idea of a
matrimonial agencyw asked the reporter.
"Oh, no. he replied. lots of other men
have made a living out of it for several
years past; but when engaged in it soon
got corner on the business and they were
compelled TO drop out.
was man who has since engaged in other
business and might not want his name
mentioned In this connection. The latter
possessed all the requirements to marked
degree he was an easy talker ALWAYS had
pleasant smile. and if he was ever timid
or shy the oldest inhabitant has for
gotten when 1T was. The young man
referred to once related to the writer
how he came to engage in the
business He was loafing about the street
corner, near the ferry dock. without cent
IN his pocket and no prospect of a situation,
when hack drove up. Ayoung man called
him TO the door and told him if he would
assist them in getting n MARI n oe lieepsa he