Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1900-1903, 1902-10-24
CURIOUS LAWS.
Where Marriage Is Crime and Kiss
ing Equally Illegal

| Where Marriage Is a Crime and kiss
ing Equally Illegal.
Last year an officer in royal regi-
ment was arrested for attempting to
get married, in spite of the fact that
he and the bride-elect were eligible for
the married state. AS it happened,
hoWever,his relatives were opposed to
the match. and had recourse to regl-
lation which, although still in vogue,
is seldom exercised. and which the SOW
ereign and war Office power to inter-
fere IN the matrimonial affairs of any
officer in royal regiment. 1t is, there
fore, a crime for an officer thus placed
to enter the bonds of matrimony
against the wishes of the powers that
be, and one punishable with dismissal
from the army and six months inn
prisonment; but whether the Individual
In question was faithful to his vows
or not the writer is unaware.
A few months ago young English
man was sentenced to fortnight's i'm
prisonment for kissing his fiance in
the streets of Odessa. 1t is strictly
illegal for lovers to osculate in public
in south Russia. and it was only after
considerable trouble on the part Of the
British consul that the too amorOus
youth was liberated at the expiration
OF three days captivity and even then
MS sentence was committed to a fine.
Ii you are given to political speaking
It would be as well to be careful where
you hold your meetings, for there is
one spot where such orations are con
sidered treason, however loyal yo,,
may be at heart. This is within the
mile radius of Westminster PaIacn
during parliamentary session, and
any one urging government petition
In the area named can be arrested and
thrown into prison. the reason being
that members of the house might ba
biased in their LEGISLATION thereby
II you take your family with Won on
holiday to France you should be very
careful how you feed the baby during
Your .sojourn. Our neighbors hive
made it a punishable offense for any
one to give solid food to any infant mn
der year old unless it has been nre-
scribed by "a medical man, and HIM
dreds Of people are prosecuted for
breaking this law every year: white II
is equally legal for nurses to feed their
charges from bottles having a rubber
tube attached
you must be very cautious .how Won
treat your neighbor in Jersey. for he
can nave you arrested on the slightest
pretext, and if he has a grudge against
you, can bring about such a calamity
by simply giving a fictionaI account If
your misconduct to the nearest LAWYER
The latter will demand a fine. and
should you decline to pay it he will
cause you to be thrown into prison to
await trial. Then, even if you are ac-
quilted on the ground that the charge
is unfOunded, you have absolutely no
claim against your prosecutor, though
you may have suffered a couple of
months imprisonment for nothing.
Similarly In Germany you must not in
suit your neiehbor through the teIe-
phone. or he will legally claim damages
for libel because your uncomplimentary
remarks may have reached other ears
to the detriment of his character
In a famous Scotch town you can be
fined Is, for throwing orange peel in
the streets, or if you happen to be in
Chester and omit to raise your hat
when a funeral is passing, and police
men who witnesses your disrespect can
arrest you fnasmuch as you are break
ing regulation of that ancient CITY,
But an even more peculiar law forbids
you to sell your body to a hospital for
dissection after DEATH Some people
do so, certainly but they could be pun
ished if discovered. because your BODY
legally belongs to your relatives, and
to sell it makes you guilty of raud.--
Tit Bits.