The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-18
Thirty Thousand Marriages
Have Occurred in St. Paul

~~N~~O~-~-~-o-~~-~-~~o-~4~
, in the house When the couple real
| lied that they had been living to-
gether almost a year and were not mar
ried, they lost no time in getting 4
| minister, and the real certificate was
| issued.
The marriage laws of Minnesota
| should be amended" continued The
| deputy, so that first cousins could not
| marry. Under the present statutes
| first cousins are permitted to marry
| IN this state, and there are not a few
| licenses issued to couples who are thus
related. Many. people believe, also,
| that the law should prevent intermar-
rlages between negroes and whites
Questions for Applicants.
In applying for a marriage license
| IN ST Paul, the applicant must give
| the age of both himself and the pros
| pectlVe bride, their residence, state
whether either Of them have ever be-
1ofe been married, and whether eithar
OF the applicants We're ever commit
ted for insanity.
1 ne law provides that woman liy-
ing IN Minnesota must be married in
| the county in which she lives. if mar
rled within the state, although a man
from one county can secure license
IN any other county in the state. pa
IMAM SIX months before they can secure
license for another marriage. Under
the provisions of the Minnesota statutes
incense can be issued to a girl mast
HLteen without the consent of her mar
entS, and to young man who is more
than eighteen. However. MANY IL
ceAses are refused on account of the
youth or the applicants which could lie
issued without violating the law.
Few persons have any idea of the
Irlckery that is resorted to when one
OF both parties desiring a license are
100 young, and have not the consent
or their parents. Sometimes a friend
IS brought along to impersonate The
tather OF the bride, if she is too young.
10 Always 90 the applicants know
that an oath must be taken A few
weeks ago couple entered the clerks
once, and the minute they stepped IN
to the marriage license window tha
deputy sized the girl up as being too
young.
You will have to- bring the young
ladys father or mother" said the dep
| uty.
Hacknan Was Papa.
"All right" said the young man at
left nm IN the hack, not. thinking it
would be necessary" 49,
The girl gave a peeufiarAlook when
the young man said this, and presently
the youthful lover returned with Tie
hack driver.
DO you want to swear that this girl
Is your daughter2. asked the deputy.
swear, said the hackman. DO /
have to sWea r?ss a7F
Thats what the law requires" the
| deputy told him, and as the mans lin
dropped and before he could answer,
the deputy told himsto get out of the
once. they all went away laughing.
1 have denied applications from ner-
sons who appeared to be too yolIng "
said the deputy. "and have some Of
their friends older than they come in
the next day, during a rush, and swear
that they were the persons applying,
ana take out license and the other,
young folks would be married under il. .
Hardly week passes that we do
not receive letters telling US not to
issue marriage licenses if they are
applied for. One came a short time
ago from woman living In Wisconsin.
1t read:
Il am Walter Henry's mother as he
is under 10 years and is not of age I
am widow woman and Walter Is all
the support have I am told he is try
ing to have a license to marry. don't
ishe him any License what to do
The records show that Walter Henry
did not secure a license, and if he mar
| REQ It was at some place other than
| St. Paul.
'One sees human nature a. its heat
! and at its worst at the marriage Ii
| cense office said the deputy. "Onre
| a woman and man, both more than
| forty, came in with a little girl NOT
more than fourteen, wearing short
| dresses and pigtail. The man and
| woman looked like drinkers. The little
| girl looked sad, and she had been cry
| | tO1d ho r1,,D
marry the man l was surprised The
| girls chin just came to the top of The
| desk. She had her bent forefnger in
| her mouth
Did Not Want to Wed.
| You don't want to marry this man.
do you?" asked the clerk
No. sir, she said, but he says ]
must"
well, you are not going to do so
Il will not issue license for any such
| marriage"
The three went out in the hall and
the woman cuffed the girl and she
went off sobbing, bat I guess that was
sooner nended than a. marriage with a
man old enough to be her father, and
a drunkard, would have been, particu-
| Iarly when. he was not her choice
"A negro came In on Friday. June
10, 1902. 800
" You amt superstitious I said.
i what yo: mean, .boSs@ he ans Wered
1 don jes' understan' dat word "su-
| perstitious.'
. I mean that you amt afraid to get
married on Friday, the 18th day Of The
! month
" Yes. I is he said, his eyes poppiua
out; yes, | is. 'Fo de Lord, done hat
no idea this was Friday. boss. Deer
didn't Excuse me. I'll be aroun
Saturday. No Friday in mine
AND yet showed him the mule
shoe up over the door
There is another thing about the IA y
tnat ought to be changed, that | hat
almost forgotten to mention" said The
deputy. That is the looSeness of tht
provision that permits a license to bt
used in any part of the state. In Hi.
nofs it can only be used in the county
in which it is issued That ought f.
be the law in Minnesota.
Il believe that the law that forbid,
the marriage CT first cousins in Min.
nesota should be extended to third
cousins And I also believe that The
family physicians certificate should be
required before a license is issued.
The public health demands this.
have seen consumptiVes, for instance
come in here. helped to seat and
helped to the desk. 1t was criminal tt
marry such person to a healthy girl
like the effect Of the habitua! criminal
act that keeps the criminal in prison
am a great believer in heredity. So
ciety has the right to and is criminaliy
Negligent it it does not protect Itself
against diseased heFedity. / don't know
| what fathers are thinking Of to l.t
| their sweet, healthy girls marry soIre
OF the wrecks of manhood l see com
ing IN here. 1t is pathetic and 1t is
criminal"