The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-11-09
MARRYING HIS BUSINESS.
JUSTICE MURPHY, or CHICAGO
is GETTING RICH Ait.
He Daily wsyisys Blushine Couples at
the Marriage License Counter and Ties
Knots In a Convenient Side Room-
rh..oho Few That Escape.

He Daily Wsylsys Blushing Couples NJ
the Marriage License Counter, and Ties
Knots 10 "A Convenient Side Room
There be Few That Escape.
Justice Murphy's marriage shop, that re-
markable adjunct OF the county clerks
office. is doing a thriving business these
days. Whether II is the delightful weather
or Murphy 5 method that drives scores olhap-
by lovers into the little parlor that has been
set aside for Murphy's exclusive use is not
known, but it is fact that be is tying as
many marital knots as all the Justices OF
the peace in the grimmy surroundings ol
the office that would induce a bride ana
groom 10 Join hands forever there, so the
success. u the enterprise must be
put down 10 Murpby's ability as a bust-
Ter and his powers Of fascination.
As an office Waterman, drawing $50
a month from the county treasury, he has
carte blanche about the premises. lie can
stand at the marriage license window ana
discover whether an eXpectant groom Is
accompanied by an eXpectant bride, ana
when he has satisfied himself on this point
he can take possession OF the big door ana
bar the egress Of the happy couple as they
are tripping away. And nobody interieres
with his business. lie is an officer OF the
county and an employe Of the office, and 1t
is an accepted rule that he is simply per-
forming the duties for which he draws $50
a month.
Very few couples escape through Muir
phys clutches unless they have pTeaWauged
with some minister 10 perform the cere-
mony. and not infrequently Murphy cap
lures some a these by bidding SO low that
the bridegroom cannot resist His scale OF
prices is very elastic. lie will take any
sum from dollar up, and II Is claimed
that he has even taken plugged hali dol
lar rather than let his game get away.
Murphy has every convenience TO make tne
enterprise a success. lie has the good viii
of the county clerk. the co operation OF the
man who makes out the marriage licenses,
and "A little private room Of which, though
it occupies space that is sadly needed Tor
the regular requirements Of the olhce, he
holds the only kew. The room was arranged
solely with view 20 meet the eNigencles OF
Murphy's business Besides door that leads
from the main office through which all
lovers pass. there is another door leading %
the hall outside. This is the exit. Murphy.
i'm the kindness OF his heart, thought that a
blushing bride and groom wouldn't care 10
face curious crowds that always throng the
outer office. so he arranged Tor this exit
into the dark corridor where they could
escape without beng seen. IL was bit Oi
delicacy that many hundreds have appre-
ciated Some persons. however. have been
bold enough to say that it is only a scheme
of Murphy's TO thwart the peeping Toms
who undertake 10 keep a close watch ON
hi, business with view 10 estimating bis
earnings. If the latter theory Is correct the
scheme is undoubtedly "A good one.
Mfrrnhtf- ullfh0H. nuAn frTHVnnfIK
been exposed that he is pretty well known
10 the public. Efforts have been made time
and again 90 break up TIE scandalOus BUSH
ness. but always without success. The
county clerk viii listen 10 no proposition t0I
dispense with Murphy's services, nor Will
he explain Why room has been set apart
for the fellows use, and space thus given
him that rlghtmily belongs % the people.
one explanation offered Is that the enter
prise is immensely profitable. A good
many persons who have watched Murphy
90 not hesitate 10 say that his income
from the business is not less than $4,000
a year, while others are inclined to
name higher figure Both estimates are
particularly too high, although they would
have undoubtedly been approximately cor
rect when 10 was customary 10 suppress
marriage licenses for people who were
about tO contract marriages that they ia
not care 90 have published. Murphy vas
always u valuable friend 10 those couples.
b. the exercise Of some poteGt passes
which were not apparent 10 anybody bat
the county clerk, he could have license
buried SD deep in the book OF record that 10
would not be resugrected for weeks and
months. Murphy probably did not give
these triflng services out OF feeling OF
sympathy for the man who lid not want
the fact that he was 10 bee married published.
\ reporter of the Herald visited the
county clerks Office yesterday and watched
Murphy at work for nearly half an hour,
during which time he captured three cOu-
pies. He is always alert, and notwth-
standing that he carries a wooden leg hc is
so active that very few persons get away
from him. Oae moment he is at the license
clerks window scanning the faces of the
candidates for martial bliss aud the next
moment he is scraping and having before a
bushing maiden. Then he is at the door
impatIently waiting for couple that
has begun 10 move out. As they approach
him be smiles in "a scraphic way. lie re-
adjusts the little white ch0ker 50 common
TO ministers Of the Gospel, twirls his NOUS
tache once on twice. and advances tO meet
his prey. lie has become so hardened i'm
the business that he does not hesitate a mo-
ment 10 tell what he wants. lie whispers a
few words 10 the groom, smiles at the bride.
aud finally points to his Office, through the
ground glass OF which several incandesceut
lights are glowing brightly. The loving
pair glance at each other. giggle, and then
turn in the direction Of the room, which
they enter. Murphy follows them, the
door is closed, and five minutes later the
business is over. 10 is one Of Mr.
Murphy's boasts that he ties his knots
quietly but quickly. He SAYS be does 10 50
rs not to offend the tender sensiblites of
the bride. The ceremony, including the
subsequent cash transaction, rarely takes
over ten minutes, and when it is over the
newly-made man and wife are usherod into
the corridor and sent into the world. Muir
ply loses no time i'm stumping back into the
office for more prey. This is Murphy
routine from morning until night, and from
one end Of the year to the other. Ii be has
any regular duties as Waterman he makes
no pretence ~ attending 10 them. All bis
attention is centred at the license counter.
and his time is chiefly occupied in the little
room where he ties the knots.
Murphy came here from Evanston, and
he has been a justice of the pease for near
~ twelve years. He was elected originally
through the sympathy for the loss Of bis
leg in a railroad accident, and be has been
reelected twice. lie first went into the
business during the time Mike
Ryan was county clerk. The latter made
him Waterman i'm the Office, aud he has !
held that Office ever since. When Wuln !
succeeded Ryan he found Murphys bust |
ness so pro- porous that he did not feel equal |
to the task Of deprying him u il, and so lie |
has remained through the present regime /
without BEING mnlestod. Chicago Herald. |
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