Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-22
HOW TO GET MARRIED
The New Law That Goes Into Effect
Next Month.
A Report That Some Ministers Will
Make q Contest-The Form OF Ap-
ai.lz
plicntion for n License.

President the 18th instant relating to mar
riages in the District of Columbia Is. as
has been heretofore pointed out In The
Star a radical departure from the old law
The act provides that 1t shall take effect
from and after thirty days from its ap-
prevail. The new law will not, therefore,
be in force until the 18th Of next month.
The trouble with the old law has been
that while it commanded those performing
ms rriages to make return Of them to the
clerk of the District Supreme Court, It
provided no penalty for failure to so do.
Hence not half the officiating ministers OBJ
served this requirement of the law, their
failure to do so often working great hard
ship and entailing considerable trouble and
annoyance when the married parties sough:
to obtain evidence from the clerk OF the
performance of the marriage.
Others Than Ministers.
Heretofore. too. only ministers regular
ly ordained or appointed have been au-
thorized to perform marriages here. but
the new law gives like authority to judges
of any court of record and justices of the
peace. provided, however. that when any
minister or other person. appointed or Or
dained according TO the rites and cere-
monies of his church, shall before the Su-
prcme Court of the District of Columbia,
produce proof that he is duly appointed or
ordained as such. and that he Is in regu-
lar communion with the religious society of
which he Is member. such court may
make an order authorizing him to cele-
brate the rites of marriage In the District
of Columbia" Also that marriages be-
tween persons belonging to any religious
society which has no ordained minister
may be soIemnized by the person appoint
ed and in the manner prescribed by and
pi actiCed In any such society,".
The Fec to BE Paid.
After providing that only such above
mentioned persons shall hereafter celebrate
the rites of marriage here. the new law
says there shall be paid by the husband
fee of at least one dollar In each case"
Then. to enforce the proper return of the
marriage to the clerk Of the District Su-
preme Court by the persons performing 1t
within ten days thereafter, the new law
further provides that upon a failure to
make return the officiating person shall be
fined for each and every offense not less
than $50 nor more than $50, in the dis
erection of the court.
While the new law makes no restriction
as to the ages of persons desiring to marry
here, it does provide that if any male per
son intending to marry in the District of
Columbia be under twenty-one years Of
age, and if a female under eighteen years
of age, and has not been previously mar
ried the consent of the father or guardian,
or if there be none. of the mother of such
person, shall be given either personally to
the clerk of the Supreme Court OF the Dis
trict of Columbia or his deputy. or in writ
ing. subscribed by a witness, who shall
make oath before the clerk of said court
that said writing was signed or acknowi-
edged in the presence of said witness, by
such father, guardian, or mother. as the
case may be"
1t also provides that no license for any
marriage shall hereafter be issued to which
any citizen of a foreign country shall be
party until a minister or consul represent
ing such foreign country in the United
shall conditions
the validity of the marriage of the laws of
such country shall have been complied
with.
The Form of Application.
In view Of the requirements Of the new
law respecting the qualifications of the per-
sons desiring license to wed. the District
Supreme Court has directed that the form
OF the application shall be as follows:
Application for License.
District of Colombia. So.
l. applicant for the issuance
of marriage License to the persons NAM
ed herein. do sclemnly swear (affirm) that
the answers to the following interroga-
tons are true and also that all the re-
quirements Of the Laws regulating mar
riages in -, the country Of which -
- is a citizen. lave been complied with.
to the best of my knowledge ard belief. SO
help me God:
Male. Female.
Names .''..........'.. 49,; w.: w.: 49,
Color -................ ......-.. ..........
Relationship ........... .......... ..........
Former maria geS.... .......... ..........
Citizen of............. .......... ..........
NltneSS: NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..
Subscribed aid sworn to before me this
- day of --, 1S9-.
By Observation-Disclosures. Assistant Clerk.
The returns to marriages shall be made