The herald., 1897-10-21
Turned Into a Nightmare
by Cruelty
A MANUFACTURED AFFIDAVIT
WILSON'S TRAMP TOUR PLANS
ALL BLOCKED
uLou" Turner Arraigned-Chapman's
Well Disappointment-Train-
jumping Artist-Court Notes

The case of Mary Majors VS.. Harry
Majors was tried in Judge Aliens court
yesterday. Young Majors and his sweet
heart, Mary Gray, in 1894, when they
were II and IA years old. respectively,
went to their parents with fairy story
OF having been married at sea off Santa
Monica. The Majors and Gray families
held hurried consultation and decided
to make the best of matters. Rev. A. C.
Smither Of the First Christian church,
was called in, after the securing of u
marriage license, and the two young
persons were made one. According to
the story of the child-wife, Majors had
never fullysupported her, and within a
few weeks after the marriage, began to
treat her cruelty and heap unusual in
suits upon her.
He began by insisting that there
should be no children as the fruit Of the
marriage. In spite Of this, however, the
young wife was compelled to inform him
that she would before long become a
mother. The defendant was so angered
by this that he kicked the plaintiff in the
back, saying, at the same time, Il guess
that will settle the matter"
After the birth of the first child, Ma
jors continued his violence to his wife,
and even went so far as 10 compel her
by intimidation, to take some private
medicines. The medicine not having the
desired effect, Majors attempted, with
out success, to compel her to visit and
eubmit to treatment by notorious male
Practitioner, on Spring street at that
time. The second child was born few
months later.
AS after the birth of this child, mat
ters had got to such pass that the wife
was in constant fear Of violence on her
husbands part, a suit for divorce was
instituted by Attorney Calvert Wilson
of Los Angeles Tanner & Taft of Santa
Monica answered as attorneys for Ma
jors, but did not deny the charges Of
cruelty. They sought only to avoid pay
ing costs and. attorneys fees in the suit.
On the suggestion of Mr. Tanner that his
client was not of age, the attorney was
appointed his guardian ad ltem.
1t developed from the testimony of
the wife's mother yesterday that the
affidavit upon which the license for Ma
jors and his sweetheart were married
stated their ages to be IS and Is years,
respectively, but that they were really
just under those ages, which made it
impossible for them legally to enter into
marriage. The mother said the affidavit
was made at the suggestion of Lawyer
Jordan who said NO one would ever
question its correctness. AS soon as the
license was secured, the mothers of the
young persons hunted up Rev. Smither,
who performed the ceremony without
question.
The two children born to Mrs. Majors
were in court, spectators Of the grief of
their mother at the cruelty of their
father. Mrs. Majors is a chlldishly
handsome young woman, and the chill
dren quite pretty and apparently we'll
cared for.
Judge Allen listened, with occasional
evidences of annoyance, to the scheme of
circumlocution by which the marriage of
the children was brought about, ard
concluded. the hearing with some COM
ments on the matter.
IF the court had the power" said
Judge Allen, ''it would make an order
against this man who undertook to mar
Ty children of that age, and these wom-
en- who seem to have brought it about
by some sort of female conspiracy
don't know what to say about this thing.
1t Is one of these outrages that seem to
be perpetrated under the guise of our
marriage laws, where a girl under the
age of consent and a boy under the age
of consent, who are lying around in a
1ascivlous manner together, and the
parents conclude to legalize that by hay-
in,g them go through the forms of mar
riage ceremony. To do that perjury is
committed and a certificate is issued
and then they find some minister with
very limited idea of the proprieties of
life who has united in the sacred bonds
Of matrimony these two children under
these circumstances. What is the re-
suit? Here are two innocent, inoffens-
i've children brought into existence by
virtue of this car.d alous procedure upon
the part of the parents and that preach
err And then this court is asked to make
some order tending to correct the evil
that has been done.
II guess probably the better solution
of the matter is simply this: This mar
riage ought never to have taken place
1t was an outrage and it is an outrage
that it exists, and guess no violence will
be cone to the public-for it is the public,
after all, that is largely concerned ir
these matters-to grant decree to these
children. The question about the sup
port Of these little children, the product
of this marriage, is difficult thing"
The court then ordered that the de-
fendant, who is now in Kern courty and
did not appear at the trial, should pay
his wife $40 or the 1st of each month as
alimony. She was granted the custody
Of the two children, till further order of
the court, but was not allowed to resume
her maiden name.