The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-20
MARRIAGE POSTPONED.
Young Couple Suffer From the Eff
fects of a Bad Law in the Dis
trict of Columbia.

New York, March ia Sun special
from Washington says: There is on
the statute books of the District of
Columbia a law relating to the mar
riage of foreign people, which causes
much trouble The bill was intro
duced into congress by Senator Faux
ner, of West Virginia. 1t provides that
when persons who are citizens OF a
foreign country wish to get married
in the District of Columbia, they must
produce a certificate from the minister
or consul of their native country to the
effect that all the laws of that country
have been complied with, before a
marriage certificate can be supplied
This law was enacted in the belief that
it would serve to some extent to pro-
tect American girls, especially heir
esses, from being married by titled for
eigners who would return to their own
country and repudiate the marriage as
soon as they had obtained the dowry.
So far as known, there has been no
good accomplished by this statute, but
many persons have been caused con-
siderable annoyance.
An instance of this kind occurred in
the office of the city clerk yesterday,
when George N. Hensey, the son of
Thomas G.. Hensey, a well known real
estate dealer. attempted to obtain a
license for his marriage to Miss Mar
guerite A. Quionio, of New York. Mr..
Hensey was accompanied by his fan
Gee to the city hall. Miss Quionio is
about 10. The couple were referred to
Assistant Clerk Smith, who made out
the license in the usual form. Just
before issuing it, however he asked
them if they were both citizens of the
United States. Miss Quionio replied
that she had been brought to this
country from England when she was
five years of age, and that she had
lived here for IA 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 become naturalized which made
it necessary for her to secure a, certifi-
cate from the British ambassador, Sir
Julian Pauncefote, to the effect that
she was eligible to marriage, according
to the laws of England.
Miss Quionio and Mr.. Hensey went
to the English embassy to get the nee
essary papers, but were told by the
ambassador that he could not issue the
certificate without first being notified
that the girls mother was willing that
the marriage should take place, Miss
Quionio being under age, according to
English law. AS her mother is in Cali
The PERMISSION cOulQ not De Cd
tanned and they returned to the city
hall to notify the clerk that the am
bassador had refused the certificate 1t
was then suggested that Miss Quionio
take out her first papers for natural
iZation, which would except her from
the rule. This she was unable to do,
as she would have to produce a wit
ness who could swear to her having
been in this country for a certain term
of years, which she was unable to do,
her relatives and friends being in New
York The matter was finally given
up, and the couple will be compelled
to go to Baltimore or Alexandria or
somewhere else outside the distric. be-
fore the ceremony can be performed.
The most peculiar circumstances of the
case is that the moment Miss Quionio
becomes Mrs. Hensey she will be an
American citizen, and it makes no diff
ference whether she is under age in
England or not.