The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-07
A MARRYING MAGISTRATE.
Squire Hause's Great Record for
Uniting Loving Hearts.
(FrOm the Chicago Record.)

| John Hause, the magistrate who has
married Elore couples than perhaps any
! man in tie world is again restored TO
| health, but the operation he has had to
| undergo at the hospital has left him a
| cripple for life. Four weeks ago he was
| taken to the hospital and the surgeons In
| formed him that his leg would have TO be
| amputated or he would not recover. The
| leg was taken off and though on crutches
| be is again at his desk and ready for BUSH
| ness.
For great many years Jeffersonville
| has been the Gretna Green for clipping cou-
! pies from across the Ohio River and from
many other places. The principal duty of
/ the justices of the peace there are to Of
| fciate at weddings. Squire Hause has had
| by far the widest reputation and has mar
ried couples from all parts of the world
During his life magistrate Squire
Heuse has united for better or for woGse
more than 5000 persons. These include
representatives of every scale of social life
from the humble mountaineer of Kentucky
10 the sons and daughters of millionaires.
Congressman, Senators, Governors, minis
tiers. and celebrities.
Many of these ceremonies have been
| performed under unusually romantic cir
eumstances. As an instance, couple re-
Gently visited him and requested that they
be married at midnight and under the
shadows OF the great bridge that spans
the Ohio from Jeffersonvivlle to Louis
vile; another couple wanted to be mar
ried in a carriage that was standing in
front of the magistrates door, and others
were married on the fersyDoat- The mag
istrate has always been accommodating
and has complied with the requests OF his
patrons, no matter how unusual or how
absurd they may have been.
There have been the usual amusing incl
dents in regard to the paymer. of the
wedding fee One that is told with much
enjoyment by Squire Hause concerns
couple from Kentucky. The usual prelimi-
naries were gone through and the cere-
mony performed. The bridegroom en-
braced his wife and then, turning 10 the
If agistrate, asked if he was through. The
Justice replied that nothing was lacking,
and the bridegroom asked II 1t were not
customary for the squire to kiss the bride.
Nothing loath this was complied with,
and the couple started out, the bride
groom failing to say anything about the
fee As the couple were leaving the door
Squire Hause politely called him and
asked him II he had not forgotten the fee.
With a surprised look on his face, the
happy man replied: Did you not Hiss ;he
bride?" Squire Hause admitted tha- he
had with pleasure. Well replied the
bridegroom 'it seems to me that THIS
should more than reeompense you. Ac-
cepting the situation as gracefully as po-
sibIe the magistrate made haste to
apologize. assuring the young man that the
fee was perfectly satisfactory. Since that
time Squire Hause has made it custom
TO always have the fee in his pocket before
he performs the ceremony.
An instance that shows to what extent
the fame of Squire Hause has spread oe-
CURED a few weeks ago. The morning mail
brought to him cfficial-looking docu-
uent from Berlin. 1t was from a titled
parsonage properly signed and endorsed by
high officials OF the court, and asked
whether he has knowledge of some Amer
lean gill. whose father was able and willing
to arrange a suitable settlement in order
TO see his daughter welded to title. and
be able to bask in the brilliancy of an I'M
posing international ceremony. The NE gis-
trate was assured that if he were able to
bring about one or more OF sucn matches
ne would be rewarded TO such an extent as
TO make him independent for life.
Another crippled marrying magistrate is
Squire James Prewitt, veteran OF the late
war, and the only Republican squire in
Jeffersonyille. He does quite large brsi-
ness in quiet way. and his picture adoins
the wall OF many mountain cabin in Ken
lucky Justice Nixon, who succeeded 10
the business of the late Justice Ephraim
keigWtn, originated the pldCilCe VI giving
away his photograph as a souvenir to all
the couples he married Attached with
ribbon to his photograph is q smaller pho
tograph of the interior of the marriage par
lor, which is handsomely furnished. Jus
tice Luther Warder. formerly mayor OF JEFF
fersonville, is another magistrate who Goes
an excellent business, though he is oorpar-
atively a new man IL this lire.
Attempt after attempt has been made to
I'll u Tefr
vile checked. but without SUCCESS. The
town has gained such reputation as
Gretna Green that seekers after c5nnubial
bliss continue to flock there. Many ordi-
nances have been passed which have ten
dency to check the matrimonial ''runne-s'
who i11est the place ard make life bur-
den to everyone they may suspect of hav-
ing an intention OF getting married. The
revenue in the county clerks office from
matrimonial business alone Is more than
enough to pay the salary of beth himself
and his clerk under the fee and salary law
now in effect in this State.