The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-02-15
CHILD BRIDES IN BOSTON.


An Astonishing Condition ora Great Stste's
Marriage Laws.
How many people know that It is Lawful,
in Massachusetts for little girl Of IL to be-
come bride2 Who could believe at first
thought that many little girls in short
dresses have been legally married here in
Boston, several during the past year, and
that the law, even in the hands Of thought.
full and responsible officials, was powerless
to prevent it? According to a decision,
which has never been reversed, "a marriage
between two infants above the age Of l2 in
females and II in males Is valid without
the consent of their parents or guardians,
twithstanding the statutes which pro
hibt magistrates or ministers, undera pen.
atty, from solemnizing the marriage Of a
female under the age Of IS or n male under
the eage of 81 without the consent of parents
or guardians" The theory OF protection
which makes the consent of parents or
guardians necessary is really very fimsy
protection for the Young and ignorant for.
eign girls who are frequently sold into
marriage at n tender age here in Boston by
parents who are not sufficiently responsible
Tor the state to permit them this privilege
Of disposiug Of their dau .hters before their
chusetts is Of age.
Italians, Hebrews, Poles, Syrians, Arabs
of the 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 the next generation Of our
American citizens During the past week
three men have come to the registrars of
flee for marriage licenses who have given ID
years or less AS the age OF the bride. In each
case they have been told to bring the girl
and in one of the cases the fact that the
girl was i6 and had heI guardians consen,
to her marriage was established through a
trusted interpreter. This often happens
when inquiry is instituted. More than d
score Of cases have been refused outright
but in the mass of business in the regis
trar's Office IL is not easy to keep up phi
| lanthropio investigating bureau and ais,
| fulhl the laws of Massachusetts, whicl
makes the marriage of children easy In tn
! extreme.
Talk about Gretna Green" says the cit
registrar, Mr.. William ii. Whitmore Il
was difficult 10 get married In Gretna Gree
compared with this city. Gretna Green Wa
| hedged about and hard in comparison wit
Boston. The laws as they stand now her
would do very well for country tow
where everybody knew everybody else, bu
for n city with foreign population lik
ours--well, thoughtful people simply hay
no idea Of what is going on in this mattc
Any girl Of IL or over and any boy Of /
may be married with consent, and the ma
riage Is legll without consent If any clergl
man OF justice of the peace can be prevaile
upon TO perform the ceremony, wheth,
they have IA license or not"
The records of this year show 81 ma
riages of girls of II or less; three Of the,
were Is aud one was child Of Il. ST
was in the grammar school aud wore sho
dresses. When her teacher sent to see WI
she did not come to school ii seemed to h'
impossible To believe that she was marre'
Her parents had consented The state
Massachusetts rs represented by its of
cials was helpless To look after the welfa
of its citizens OF course a change in Il
law raising the age when "A girl migl
marry to Is years would also raise the a.
of her possible husband to 81 years Bl
as matter of fact boys se.dom apply 4
the responsibilities Of the head Of a hous
hold before that age The bridegrooms
the little married girls of Massachusgt
: are usually men double that age. Bost'
women have spent q good deal of thoug
and time aud money for the child widow
Of India There Is room for good deal
, ! endeayor in behalf of the child brides
y Massachusetts,. Boston Transcript.