The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-05
n|S YOUNG MAN MARRIED OR NOT?" Procured His Marriage License
 in Wrong County WOULD STOP POOL SELLING Ministers Call on the Governor of Georgia to Urge That Law Be
 Enforced at the Coming
 Fair.
WOULD STOP POOL SELLING

Atlanta, October 4.-(Specal)-'I want to know whether or not I married man." is the burden of a letter which reached Attorney General John c. Hart today from young South Georgian.
 The writer of the letter, whose name Judge Hart declined to give, stated he resided in one county, while the young woman who consented to become his wife lived in another. He procured a marriage license in his own county instead of that in which the young lady lived, as is re- qured by law, the ceremony was duly performed and the certificate signed by the minister.
 Now the ordinary of the county in which the young lady lived has questioned the validity of the marriage and declares they were not legally married because the license was not purchased in that county. This question as to the validity of their marriage has naturally disturbed the young couple no little, and the groom hastened to write the attorney general and ascertain the status of his case.
 Minds Set at Rest.
 The minds of both bride and groom will be set at peace by Judge Harts reply. While 1t is true the law requires that the marriage license shall be secured in the county in which the lady lives, the fact that license Is procured in another county in nowise invalidates the marriage, the attorney general says Marriage is civil contract between two parties, and can be established just as any other con tract, so that they would be legally mar ried even If there had been no license at all. For the purpose of keeping proper records and other legal reasons the law very wisely requires, Judge Hart says, that marriage license shall be procured. and makes it a misdemeanor for any one to solemnize a marriage in the absence of such license.
 Would Prevent Pool Selling.
 The Rev. Dr. Thomas E. White of the Second Baptist church. of which Governor Terrell aud his wife are members, today called on the governor to confer with him as q representative of the Evangeli- cal Ministers association of Atlanta, upon the subject of preventing pool-selling on horse races and other forms of gambling at the state fair which will open here next Monday.
 Botf' the Baptist ministers and the evan gecal ministers association have passed resolutions on this subject and have ap- pointed committees with a view to seeing that no gambling or pool-selling is al lowed f'he action of the ministers is aimed rrinc'pally at the selling of pools on the horse races. The supreme court of Georgia, has decided that any party keeping a place set up for the purpose Of. selling pools, is guilty of maintaining a saming house under the statute. There is also city ordinance in Atlanta against this form of gaming, but it has been the custom to suspend it during state fairs. The ministers are not only protesting against the suspension of this ordinance, but are asserting that they will prosecute in the state courts any parties who at tempt to sell pools or make books on the races.
 What can the governor do In the mat ter' Dr. White was asked.
 why he can lend his influence toward preventing gambling at the fair,' said Dr. White. 'Ie can demand that the laws be enforced. I don't know of any thing else he can do unless he does like Joe Folk did out in Missouri and in- struct the officers of the law to do their full duty.
 "The governor has requested Judge Pen dleton Of the superior court to have the grand jury in session during the two weeks of the fair, ready to deal with any matters which may be brought before 1t, and Judge Pendleton informed us today that he had arranged to do this
 Whatever the city may do in the mat ter you may rest assured that any viola presented to the grand jury. We pro- presetned to the grand jury. We pro- pose to see that there are no violations of the laws against gaming if 1t is pos sible to do so"
 Governor Is Undecided.
 When asked as to what he would do in the matter Governor Terrell replied that know a hau given all encouragement and assistance to the ministers in this connection, and it is not unlikely that he will demand a strict enforcement of the law
 In the meantime the directors of the Fair association are trying to reach some sort of compromise. There are already two carloads of racing stock here and others are on the way. They fear very much if the matter is pushed to the full extent, as seems to be indicated now. 1t will deal deoth blow to the racing feature of the coming fair which in other respects promises to be the big gest and finest over given In the state,
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