Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-09-02
MARRIAGE TROUBLE.

The pastor of one of our local churches
came from Asbury Park last week
to perform a marriage ceremony at the
home of one of his parisheners. Arriving
he learned that the lady was resident of
Philadelphia, and as the recent opinion Of
Attorney General Grey that license
must be procured where one or both the
contracting parties are non-residents OF
this State" was fresh in his mind, the pastor
instituted an investigation. Clerk Ridgway
informed the pastor that his instructions
forbade him issuing license where one of
parties resided it this State, and he had
recently refused to issue license in such
case. The pastor then saw his way clear,
and proceeded to the home where the
prospective bride and groom awaited
him. The subject was discussed, and
the groom volunteered the information
that he had made application to the Clerk
for license and been refused. The hour
for the wedding beirg many minutes dis
ia 1t, the pastor spent portion Of the time
in reading the marriage law, and this
paragraph meet his gaze =
I'll. 1t any minister, justice or other
person shall perform any marriage cere-
mony between parties one or both of whom
shall not then be actual and bona fide re-
sidents of this state, without the presenta-
ton to him of license therefor, obtained
in due time, five days before ceremony gin
accordance with the provisions of this act,
he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemea-
nor, and shall, upon conviction, be sem
fenced to imprisonment not exceeding six
months, or pay q fine not exceeding five
hundred dollars, or both, at the discretion
of the court"
Not being anxious to appear in the light
of yiolator of law or pay any of its
penalties, County Clerk Ridgeway was
again visited, and together Clerk and
pastor visited Lawyer Matlack, who en-
phatlcally ADVISED the minister not to
perform the ceremony, until five days after
a license had been procured. Ex-Judge
CIymer advised against proceeding in def
ance of the Attorney Generals opinion.
Acting on this advise the pastor informed
the expectant couple OF the legal compli-
cations, and the wedding was postponed
for one week; the groom proceeded to the
Clerks's Office to procured license, but
later on the same day, to the home Of
another pastor of this city, where he was
married and return made that both bride
and groom are residents of Woodbury..
Section Is of the marriage laws provides
that:
Nothing in this act contained shall be
deemed or taken to render any marriage,
otherwise lawful, invalid by reason of the
failure to take out a license as is herein
provided"
Hence tie contracting parties in this case
are in no wise affected by the complications
of the law, but these questions are sug-
gested -
Was this groom cognizant of the resi-
dence Of the lady he proposed to marry?
Did the second pastor ask him the ques-
tions which the law says he shall ask?
Does County Clerk Ridgway keep him.
self posted in the duties Of his Office
How will the return of the marrying pas
tor gee with the license obtained by the
groom?
Is it safe for the County Clerk to follow
the opinion of the Attorney General and
the advise of two able lawyers
What constitutes residence by lady
who wants to marry?
Isn't this marriage law another of the
botch enactments of the last legislature
And the growing evidence of its incom
petence?