The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02


The marriage market at Jacksonville has
becoming more scandalous every year. The
law of Indiana throws careful restrictions
about marriage and is intended for the pre-
vention of fraud and the protection of
youthful or ignorant candidates for matri-
mony who are unwittingly or unwillingly
the victims of designing rascals. The stat
ute specifies that before any persons, except
members of the Society of Friends. shall be
joined in marriage they shall procure a Ii
cense from the clerk of the Circuit Court
of the county in which the female re-
sides. 1t further provides that such
license shall not be issued without
the consent of the parent or guar
dian, if there be any, if the female be under
the age of eighteen or the male of twenty
one. When there is no parent or guardian
resident within the State, and the female
has resided within the county where license
is sought to be obtained for one month pre-
ceding such application, license may issue.
The most shameless evasion of this law is
practiced and permitted in Jeffersonville,
county officers, justices of the peace and
ministers of the gospel, well the per-
sons desiring marriage, being parties to the
fraud. Runaway couples from other parts
of this State but more especially from Ken
lucky, find Gretna Green in Jefferson
vile and hasten there, when guardians a
more strict observance of the law would
prevent the carrying out of their matri-
monial purposes at home. They go through
the form of securing a license. but depend
on any willing vagabond whom they may
pick up to vouch for them to the county
clerk as to age, residence, etc. So extensive
is the marriage traffic there that it is init
mated that certain scalawags make bust
ness of procuring these licenses, and for a
small fee cheerfully perjure themselves. The
county officers are not deceived by the affi-
davits offered and know perfectly well when
they are issuing the desired documents to
persons under age and to nonresidents on
true of the men who perform the marriage
ceremony. Each and all of the individuals
involved are willing to disregard the spirit
OF the law, to connive at possible wrong or
even crime and to bring scandal upon their
town and their State-all for mercenary mo-
tives and paltry fees. The latest transaction
of the kind involves members of prominent
families in Louisville and st. Louis, and has
created a commotion in both cities. The
young couple, married few days ago, are
anxious to free themselves from their now
unwecome bonds. and the groom claims that
he was led into the affair while under the
influence of intoxicants. The Jeffersonville
officials seek to clear themselves by declar-
ing that they saw no signs of such condition.
and so it stands Whoever is to blame in
this particular case it is certain that some
action should be taken to prevent such scan
dals in future. Since the officers of the law
cannot be depended on to obey its injunc-
tons the grand jury should look into the
matter. Neglect to do this should bring
about investigation by State authorities as
in White-cap cases, for the damage inflicted
upon Indiana's good name is hardly less in
one case than the other. 1t is time for re-
form.