The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-22
GRETNA GREEN BILL
HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WILL
REPORT 1T FAvoRABLY.
JeffersonvilIe's Notoriety to He Wiped
Out-Caucus Action on Employees
House and Senate.

The first important step has been taken
In the Legislature towards releasing JEFF
fersonville of it's notoriety as a Gretna
Green. For years past loving couples from
Kentucky have taken a ferry boat at
Louisville and on elopment journey cost
ing two scent fares. have found haven
from irate parents. The justices of the
peace at Jacksonville have thrived on fees
from these clipping couples and hack drivers
and hotel runners have been paid regular
salaries by the magistrates for bringing
in the young people. Columns have been
written in the newspapers about Justice
Kegwin, who has a record of marrying
more than a thousand clipping couples But
it is all apt to be changed.
The Judiciary committee of the House
yesterday afternoon decided to recommend
the bill of Representative Stotsenberg of
Floyd county, requiring applications for
marriage licenses to be signed by at least
one resident freeholder. New Albany, the
sister city of the Gretna Green. has had a
share of the clippers, but the clerk of the
county, it is said. is not willing to sacrifice
peace of mind for the sake of the fees
that might come in through that source.
There has been a great deal of trouble
caused recently by parents of the clippers
and threats have been made against the
officials who have aided the marriages. In
many cases irresponsible persons for the
purpose of bringing fee to the magis-
trates and themselves, have signed me
applications for licenses, although they MA
not the parties before they arrived at
the magistrates office. In numerous cases
young girls, fifteen years of age, have been
welded at Jeffersonville. The bin of Mr..
EVILS attached to " the matrimonial
haven. By requiring the signature of a res
ident freeholder the matrimonial runners,
as they are called, will be more careful,
if they are not men of property, in vouch-
ing for people they know nothing about.
tween the runners for the different magis-
terial offices, and fights were frequent on
the steamboat landing, the runners Selling
couples and quarreling over the prey
The judiciary committee has also decided
to recommend that Mr.. Howe's resolution
calling for a constitutional convention be
Indefinitely postponed. Two of Mr.. Bobil-
vas bills relating to roads will meet a like
fate. The bill of Mr.. Nicholson, recon-
mending change in the jury system of
the State to make 1T conform with that
of the federal court the judge to fix the
punishment, will not bear the stamp of
the committees approval, nor VIII MI
Hamrick'S bill, regulating the prosecutions
in cases of bastardy Mr.. Hunt has a
highway bill which will receive favorable
report and so will one of Mr.. Stotsen-
burg's, concerning public offenses. One of
Mr.. Hamrick's insurance bills was ndef-
nitely postponed a similar bill has been
favorably reported.
While the sentiment of the committee
was in favor of Mr. Van ArsdePs bill, lin.
iting the number of justices of the peace
in Center township, Marion county, it was
thought best to postpone the bill in order
that legislation in the same line might be
secured to cover other cities of the State.