The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-24
The PernieIou< -Fnrrfage License
Bill.

l-ETEX
Bill.
in the way of marriage had an innings
at Trenton yesterday, and they talked a
lot about the safeguards that ought to
be thrown about the marriage tie. This
is an amusing misapplicatien Of terms
There IS no difference of opinion about
safeguards of the marriage tie, but it is
new and strange to hear of safeguards
being set up against. people entering into
it.
There was IN entertaining case in
Washington last week. which shows the
futurity of this sort of legislation. There
is on the statute books of the District
of Columbia a law relating to marriages
which provides thai when persons who
are citizens of a foreign country wish TO
get married in the District they must
produce a certificate from the Minister
or Consul of their native country to the
effect that all the laws of that country
ave been complied with before a mar
rage certificate can be supplied here.
This law was enacted in the belief that
1t would serve to some extent to protect
American girls, especially heiresses, from
being married by titled foreigners. who.
would return to their own country and re-
pudiate the marriage here as soon as
they had obtained the dowry.
Last Thursday. George A. Hensey, the
son Of a prominent real estate dealer.
went to the Washington City Clerk to
obtain a license for his marriage to Miss
Marguerite A. Quionio, of New York. The
young lady accompanied him Miss Qui-
ONTO is a beautiful girl of about 10, with
melting brown eyes and a pretty figure,
a lady In looks. attire and manner The
couple were referred to Assistant Clerk
Smith, who made out the license in the
usual form. Just before issuing it, how
ever, he asked them if they were both
citizens Of the United States. Miss Quiz
ONTO replied that she had been brought
to this country from England when she
was five years. of age, and that she a
lived here for fourteen years. Her mother
lived in California, but she had been
adopted at an early age by an aunt in
New York and lived there. She could
not swear that her mother had ever be-
come n~aturalized. which made it neces-
60 I1- - -, :, oor+sF1,& ~
the British Ambassador, Sir Julian
Pauncefote, to the effect that she was
eligible to marry, according to the laws
Of England.
Miss Quionio and Mr.. Hensey went to
the 3 itish Embassy to procure the re-
quired certificate, hut were informed by
it without being first notified that the
girls mother was willing that the mar
rage should take place, Miss Quionio be-
ing under age, according to English law.
rs her mother is in California, the per-
mission could not be obtained and they
returned to the City Hall to notify the
Clerk that the Ambassador had refused
the certificate. 1t was then suggested
that Miss Quionio take out her first pa
pers for naturalization, which would ex-
cept her from the rule. This she was un-
able to do. as she would ave had to
produce a witness who could swear t.
her having been in this country for a
certain term OF years. which she was u
atle to do. her relatives and friends be-
ing in New York.
The matter was finally given up. and
the couple. were compelled to go to Baiti-
more or Alexandra or somewhere elss
outside of the District to "a the cere
mony performed.
The most peculiar circumstances Of the
case is that the moment Miss Quionic
became Mrs Hensey she became Al
American citizen, and 1t made no diff
ference whether she Is under age n Eng
lind or not
now, Of ~course; the Congressional
Mot who had the law passed thought hs