The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-04-29
INDIANA'S GRETNA GREEN
Perjury ~ SECURING MtRRr,,,
LICENSES AT JEFFERSONyIIir
Runners TAKE Charge Of EiopinS Coun,..
swear TO Anything. Hid Them T,mn.
rarily and Share the PEGS With Ju,,,,.
judge Marsh Trying TO stop All rhi,

s'Vth
swear to Anything. Hide Them r.m,s
rarily and share the PEGS With ,Ju,,,,.
Judge Marsh Trying TO stop All This.
INDIANAPOLIS. April ?s-The denuncio,lor =,
perjury In connection with the issuing Of nm.
rage licenses at Jenersonvilln, the Grain.
Green Of the United States, by judge N,r.s
Of the Circuit Court, and his determination -
put an end to Il. have caused the method. a..
ployed BY the alleged perjurcrs 10 bc inyos,,.
gated. The immediate cause Of Judge Noysh.
denunciatlon and his appeal to the Grand Ju,,
TO investigate the acts OF professional rurne,,
who secure licenses for clipping partle. wash.
marriage Of twenty couples in a sIn1lc DIV La,
week and the subsequent discovery Tint IN.
bridegroom In one case had been nm inmate .,
n Kentucky poorhouse for several year, vhl.
the bride was the ffteen-year-old daughter a,
a respectable farmer and stock raiser
The investigation has shown that yhlo IN.
average number Of marriages annually occur.
ring in counties of the size Of Clark Il, loss ,b,,
zoo, tho total in Clark county last year Va,
3Ss, or nearly | 200 above the average. ana
these were all clipping couples and the rres,
majority OF them incapacitated for one cans.
or another from marriage at home. II has been
shown further that any one, no matter wha,
may be the law In this State or the States from
which the couples come. can secure a liceps
at Jacksonville. The business has been A
systematzed that professional runners arr
employed by the Justices and these either maxi
the necessary afldavits themselves or emplov
some one to do II for them. and II goes vitbon
saying that not one Of the atlantis knows ,nr.
thing about the alleged facts 10 which he make,
oath. There have been cases in which children
Of thirteen. fourteen or fifteen wears havs
married under licenses issued in the reculs,
way. the afndayits declaring them TO 10 Of legal
age. White men have been married 10 perro
women and white women 10 negro ren in facs
Of the fact that such marriages are prohibited
by the indiana statutes, These marriages
have been going for several years, but there
has never been n conviction for perjury because
aggrieved parents reside as a rule in other States
and prosecutions would be attended by cres,
expense and loss OF time.
The three Justices Of the Peace at jefferson.
vile have seven or eight men regularly In their
employ whose duty ii Is TO watch the ferry
boats and railroad trains and steer the elopins
couples TO the offices Of the men who employ
them. The runners cross over to Louisville
early each morning and make trips backward
and forward between the two cities. Every
strange couple on the boats or trains Is ap-
preached and questioned. and the runner Ia
this way learns II they are an clipping couple.
II 80. he offers his services In securing the mar.
rage license and in conducting them to a Justice
Of the Peace. If the couple have reason TO
believe hat they are being followed by irats
parents. the runner is prepare 10 place them
in a place Of safety ill the license can be So
cured aud the nuptla knot tied. Such favors
are received gratefully by a majority OF the
clipping couples and ii Is quite frequently tho
case that the runner IL Handsomely rewarded
He IL not dependent upon such liberality, how
ever, for he receives a part of the marriage lee.
and works on a certain percentage OF the earn.
ing OF the marriage factory.
should IL appear that one. OF the parties y
clearly under the marriaceable age or should
both be under eighteen, as frequently. Is the
case, the runner drives a bargain for a license.
That ia. he will secure IL regardless of the adj
verse conditions for a certain sum his price al
ways depending upon his preconcived idea
of the brldegroom's ability 10 pay. That this
involves perjury, which is magnified as n risky
business. does not deter him in the least, but
IL openly used as a reason why he should he
well compensated. The clerk Of the county
is not supposed 10 know any thing about the
nRes OF parties who apply tor licenses, and he
law il complied with when the AFFIDAVIT $ mads
that the applicants are OF manageable age.
IL i a rule with the runners never Ia let IA couple
20 away because of the want Of money, and
their kindly Offices are eXer,ed frQuentlr
without. any, compensation whatever. The!
argue that the notortajy Of Jeferronvilie no
"A marriage centre is increased with every mar.
rage and. though one fails 10 pay. IL will bring
others ont OF which money can be made. The
Magistrates rarely fix u fee tor performing tho
remo but depend always upon the gencr-
osity Of the bridegroom. Experience proves
that men are liberal under such circumstances
and the fee IL frequently more than they would
have charged had they sci the price themselves
Among The passengers on the Q O'Clock ferry
from Louisville to Jenersonville on Tuesday
last wac 4 couple from a small town IN heI.
lucky. The runner found The couple very
! uneasy and at once offered his services. The
man unbosomed himself freely and said that
his c~o,nnanion's father had business friends
in Louisville and he war afraid that the de-
~iectives had already been notified TO stop him
and his lride-eiect The runner knew the Dc;
tectiyes Of 4ouisyille and before the boat reached
the Jefiersnnville wharf he saw one OF then,
evidently waiting for some one TO land. The
woman WAS very much excited and begged
the runner 10 invent some means for her escaI".
lie led the couple to the wheclh0,se 81 ths
bont and with the captains consent stored
them inside. but not I'LL the woman's clothing
had been ,drenched by the spray from the ray.
idly revolving wheel. The runner landed NJ
jefersouville and talked with the detective
and then. made ths. return trip 10 Louisville.
The oouple remained concealed while The boat
made three trips. On the fourth the d0tect =
had disappeared and a hack was called ard
the license secured, and the man and woman
were married with their clothing dripping
with water.
Judge Marsh has determined 10 place a nan
NJ the clerks office where licenses are issued
and when an affidavit il made and the cirrum;
stances indicate perjury, all the PARTIES VII
be summoned at once before the Grand Jury.
The Judge argues that. though many OF the
clippers may not refuse Ia benefit by the perjury
Of others. they would rot perJurs them-olyrs
and he hopes in this way 10 bring the runners
10 Justice and stop the practices that have h"-
ONE so notorious az 10 be n continuous scandal.
If the Grand Jury IL not in session. he intends
70 have nlorm0tions fled wi'h the prosecutor
and The ~el0rers will be arrested and compelled
10 give bond for their appearance a. witnesses.
There is much chagrin among the runners
and, among the Magistrates, over tie acton
clipping couples will hereafter find II harder 10
get married in JeTersonville han 1t has been
Ia the past.
q THOMPSON. SOCIAL DEMOCRAT.