The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-12-15
MARIE ROYPEN,
DOUBLE WIFE
An Unwilling. Bride of Two Men
In Five Minutes.
WHICH ONE is HER HUSBAND2
REVIVED JEWISH CEREMONY
CAUSES COMPLICATIONS.
. abb REYNOLDS win shortly be

N called upon to assist in the decid-
ing Of a question of religious
ethical significance affecting the
validity al this time of an ancient Jew
ish marriage law. He viii act in con-
junction with about four score other
orthodox rabbis all over the United
States, to whom the question will be
submitted.
Their decision will be two-fold in it's
result. It VIII determine whether an
ancient Jewish marriage custom is still
in vogue in this country and whether
Marie Roypen of Baltimore, Md, is the
wife Of Samuel Oren or Jacob Goldberg.
IL the almost prehistoric rite is sus
tanned, then the woman is Mrs. Gold
berg. II the marital laws of modern
times supersede those of centuries ago,
then the former Miss Roypen is Mrs.
Oren.
The entire Polish-Russian community
or Baltimore is awaiting. with feYer1Sh
interest, the decision of the rabbis.
Jews in other parts of the United
States, including those of this city, are
likewise interested in the solution Of
the marital problem. The question
arose in the following NOSE peculiar
manner:
Ancient Ceremony Revived.
In the Moses Montefiore synagogue,
at Baltimore, on the night of Oct. H.
Marie, arrayed in bridal robes, was
marching up the aisle of the synagogue
with Samuel Oren, when Jacob Gold
berg rushed to the brides side, and,
slipping silver half dollar into the
brides hand, pronounced a formula de-
claring her his wife.
instantly there was confusion in the
synagogue. Goldberg's friends declared
that Marie was now a married woman
nd ~ 80
proceed further. Marie herself dashed
her wreath TO the ground and dramat-
ically exclaimed: Samuel, / cannot
marry you now. for 1 am Jacob Gold
berg's wife according to the law of our
faith -
Oren's friends. on the other hand.
declared that Goldberg had not prop
erly pronounced the formula and that
there had been no marriage. The
brides father took sides with Oren,
and insisted that the marriage cere-
mony be continued. Rabbi Goodman
agreed to conduct the services, and
Marie. on the verge of collapse from
the excitement, was led to the "Huppa'
an unwilling sacrifice, and duly mar
rled to Samuel Oren. Then there was
the delayed feast, unattended by Gold
berg and his friends, which lasted I'M
III the first rays of the morning sun.
The bride and bridegroom took an
Samuel to go to her cousins home for
her clothes The obliging Samuel con-
scented, and then and there lost his
bride. for Marie hurried off to Gold
berg, and the pair eloped to Boston and
quincy, where, according to stories told
upon their return, they spent q delight
full honeymoon.
1t was finally decided by both sides
10 submit the matter for final decision
10 commission. consisting of Rabbi
a. .Levinson, Rabbi Hirsch Berman and
Rabbi Wolf Samuelson, Marie agreeing
meanwhile TO live apart from Jacob
The rabbinical committee, after con-
sidering the matter for several weeks.
have finally declared that the nut is
too hard for them to crack and decided
TO submit all the evidence they have
taken to the eighty orthodox rabbits
in the United States and abide by the
decision of the majority. according to
the vote by mail. for which they are
now waiting.
Will Be Abrogated.
Rabbi Reynolds said yesterday that
the ceremony which Goldberg per-
formed dates back TO the time when
the Jews had their own political laws,
before they lost their autonomy. When
they disbanded and lost their autono-
my, many of the Jews gave up the
custom and adapted themselves to the
laws or the country in which they lived.
The orthodox Jews have, and still cling
TO, the marriage custom of their an
cestors, and have practiced it down
through the ages.
AS near as Rabbi Reynolds can re
call. this is the first time in the his
tory of the United States that the an
rient and the modern mode of mar
Wage have come in such direct con-
iict, and ii has been found necessary
20 render decision which win stand as
a precedent.
I am not in a position to speak au-
1noritauveIy on the question at this
time" continued the rabbi, but |
would venture the assertion that the
decision will be that Miss Roypen is
the lawful wife of Mr. Oren. When the
old custom was in vogue, a woman did
not have to live with the man who
married her in that way, although she
was really his wife. If she did not
love the man, and did not want to live
with him, she continued her life as
before, but before she could marry a
man Of her choice, she was compelled
to secure a divorce. The orthodox
Jews viii consider Miss Roypen the
wife of Mr.. Goldberg. but, inasmuch
as the Jews have no political laws of
their own in this country, should say
they Will be compelled TO abide by
the laws of the United States. In that
event she is the wife of Mr.. Oren.''