The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1894-05-18
CHILD BRIDES IN BOSTON.
Tho Law Permits Girls to Marry st ia
and Hoy. at ~.

Tho Law Permits Girls to Marry at ia
and Boys ut ~.
How many pc eople know that IL 10
lawful In Massschusct for o littlo
girl OF ~ to become O bride? Who
would believe at first thought that
many little girls In short dresses
have been legally married In Boston.
several during the past year. and
that the law, even In tho hands Of
thoug tful and responsible officials,
was powerlcss to prevent itP Accord
Ing to decision, which has never
boen roversed, o marriage between
two infants above the age Of ~ In the
females and II In the males 10 valid
without the consent OF their parents
or guardians Notwithstanding the
statutes which prohibit magistrates
aud ministers. under penalty, OF
solemnizing the marriage Of Q female
under the age Of IL or a male under
the age OF 2l without the consent Of
parents or guardians. The theory Of
protection which makes the consent
Of parents or guardians necessary Is
really very limsy protection Tor the
young and ignorant foreign girls
who are frequently sold into mar
afage ~ q tender age ir Boston by
parents who are not sufficiently
responsible for the state to permit
them this privilege OF disposing OF
their daughters before their 18Th
birthday, when O girl OF Massachu-
sctts Is OF age
Italians. Hebrews. Poles. Syrians,
Arabs Of most ignorant classes, men
unable to sign their names In their
own language and not understanding
question asked Of them. appear In
the city registrars office seeking
licenses to marry girls who are to be
mothers OF tho next generation OF
American citizens. During ono week
recently three men came into the
registrars oiiice for marriage Ii
censes and gave 10 years or less as
the age OF the bride. In each case
they were told TO bring the girl, and
In one OF the cases the fact that the
girl was Is and had her guardians
conscn. to her marriage was estsb-
lishod through trusted interpreter.
This often happens when inquiry is
instituted.
Talk about Gretna Green," said
the city registrar to a writer for tho
Transcript at was difficult to get
married in Gretna Green compared
with this city. Gretna Green was
hedged about and hard In compari-
son to Boston. The laws as they
stand now here would do very well
for country town where everybody
knew everybody else. but for city
with foreign population like OURS
we'll. thoughtful people simply have
no idea Of what is going on in this
matter. Any girl OF l2 or over and
any boy OF Ii may be married with
consent and tho marriage Is legal
without consent II any Clergyman or
justice OF tho peace can be prevailed
upon to perform the ceremony.
whether they have q license or not"
n The records Of 1893 show flfty-
seven marriages Of girls OF " or less,
three OF those were Is and one q
child OF II. She was In the grammar
school aud wore short dresses
When her teacher sent to know why
she did not come to school IL seemed
to her impossible to believe she was
married. Her parents had consented! /!
The bridegrooms OF the little mar
ried girls OF Massachusetts are usual
iy men double that age. Boston wo-
men have spent good deal Of
thought and time and money for the
child widows OF India. There Is
room for n good deal Of endeavor In
behalf OF tho child brides Of Massa-