The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-02-09
A MARRIAGE LOTTERY.
London's Queer Mixture of Dowry, Matri-
mony and Hebrew Philanthropy.


mony and Hebrew Philanthropy.
"Michael Harris and Nancy Jacobs
having polled the highest number OF
votes were duly elected to receive a
dowry of e25 and marriage fees, and
vacancy was again declared for couple"
So ran paragraph in q Jewish paper
recently, and reporter was fired with
an ambition to learn more about these
folks who give couples dowries. and
more about the conditions under which
such dowries are won. The benevolence,
it appeared, emanated from the Society
for Allowing Marriage Fees and Por-
ton to Young Men and Virtuous Girls
of the Jewish Faith The president of
this society one would imagine would
be patriarchal sage with grandchil-
dren in scores about his knees. But Mr..
A. Swaab, who is the head OF the So
ciety, is ayoung man with slight black
mustache, a clean shaven chin and GER
tainly no grandchildren. When not
hymeneally occupied he is engaged in his
business as a diamond merchant in Hat
ton Garden.
'sThe society,"" he said, in reply to the
interviewer, "has been in existence near
ly 30 years, and has done no small
amount of good. It was started among
few friends in quite a small way, and
dowry of SO only was all that could be
afforded at first But e10, if not exactly
a drop in the ocean, was not quite sufi-
Gent to answer the purpose in view, and
as the fund grew the dowry was increased
to e25."
care the operations of the society con-
fined to London%'
'No. They extend all over England.
The funds are recruited by subscriptions
of all amounts, from penny week up
ward, and by donations.
SIT gives them prior claim on the
dowry perhaps?"
ssNo, it doesn't. I will make that clear
in moment. We assist about a dozen
couples every year, the dowries and mar
rage fees coming to over $500. The OBJ
ject in giving the dowry is to enable the
young couples to start little business
together. Before becoming candidates
for the dowry-toward which they need
not have subscribed a farthing-they
have to be possessed of all home neces-
saries and furniture, and the man has to
prove to the satisfaction of the commit
tee that he is in position to maintain
his wife"
ssOnly virtuous girls are to be befriend-
ed by the society, gather from its title.
Does it not become rather delicate mat
ter to adjudicate upon the qualifications
of young lady applicants?'
'sEvery case is investigated by two
members Of the committee, appointed
annually for that purpose. They make
their inquiries with proper tact and dis
cretion, and they also investigate the
character of the man. Let us go through
the entire procedure. Say a vacancy has
been declared, which means that we have
sufficient in hand to put another dowry
up for competition. We send out notices
to that effect and supply forms of appi-
cation. We get four, five, six, perhaps
a dozen couples contesting for the prize.
They all come before the committee in
couples, and are asked questions con-
corning the money they have saved, the
nature of the mans work, and so on.
Once, suppose, must have been press
ing the prospective bridegroom pretty
hard, for the young lady spoke up sor-
rowfully, We'll, sir. you got married
once, and we want to tool"
"Well, as soon as they have been adj
mitted as candidates, what follows?"
1--WE give them a book of members,
and tell them to 60 and canvass for votes,
the members possessing votes in proper
ton to the amount of their subscrip-
tons" M
"Have you yourself many votes?''
eyes, hold something like 80 votes"
"Then you are the target of plenty of
beseeching brown eyes and persuasive
glances?"
mo, nothing out of the way, because
as president take no part in choosing
the recipients of the dover"
"Can you give me specific instance
of the good the society has done?"
81 can, and striking one, think.
There are three members of the commit
tee of the society, now men of position
and well to do, who were embarked up
on life with dowries from the society,""
Pail Mall Gazette.