The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-04-19

Gretna C;seru, the old convenient spot
OF coaching days Ia Scotland. where
A.nglish couples could hait ans, have
"a Wedding ceremony performed without
fear Of deteetlun. has Aeer o0tJooa
by Jhe little old country village 81 IA
isota city jGst opposite Sioux City. and
on tAe Nebraska SIDE a. the Missouri
YiNer.
Neye,lnore can tle immortal novel,
list OF Abbotsford cIulin Scotland as the
only land OF Il true GrctusA Green,
where romance. like tVy. covers Tie aiS-
toric rulus With Il mantle Of projection,
careSses it With countless elinsia2 iius-
ers ana DendcrlY Noacea!5 the rtNASeS
of time allJ man.
Nebraska boasts OF u Gretna Green,
ana while the little haitA,s spot on the
Scottish border land. claimed only TO
be a place where runaway couples n1ly
eVade the English marriage act. Which
required the consent OF parents n
guardians, publication OF bans n
presence OF a pr{ast, Dakota city re-
CURES none of these. Thu only require
lncnt is the presence of judge j. j..
l%2iflers, n R~oeseyeltian young magis-
trute, who issues all thc licenses. col
leets all the fees, performs the cere-
rnony-and then-nost OF all, keeps still
about il.
Keeps Marriages Secret.
When Judge Eimers mounted The
bench OF Dakota county, several years
ago. ne decided on Il policy OF strict
secrecy of marriages, when the party
OF the first and of the second part, de-
sred that nothing be said about the
wedding and TO keep this information
from the public and make it more con-
venient for all concerned. he has prac-
tically removed the marriage license
bureau from the court house at Dakota
City to his cottage at South Sioux City.
There he has been prepared TO issue the
license and perform the CEREMONY for
many . couple needing sue speedy
service.
1t is to the home &C Judge Eimers at
South Sioux City-just one block from
The car line-lhat Sioux City young
couples SO to have weddings which are
easy and which are guarded by a judge
In keeping the weddings quiet. Judge
E,imers has been eminently successful.
Quiet for Six Weeks.
During his career as q criend of the
Joung people Judge Eimers is not With
out experiences. 1t has only been a
few weeks ago since he performed the
ceremony and issued the license to a
couple from Sioux City, who desired the
wedding kept absolutely on the %. t.
'ID>NHNs At'NiS W
this particular wedding. The young
couple ven TO Dakota City, the county
seat, where they learned that the coun-
ty judge was at his home in South
Sioux City. 1t was three miles away.
They telephoned the judge. Yes. he
was at home and would he there all
evening. He could arrange to get them
q license,
With this assurance the young PEG
pie drove to South SiouS city. Judge
Eimers produced a marriage license and
performed the ceremony. 1t was kept
sions the judge has been more success
full. Usually when .he judge says it
will be kept quiet, his customers may
depend OF it.
Groom Waits for Change.
And, for all his secrecy. judge
Eiiners has received some curious and
not over generous fees" The Ne
braska law allows him SO, but as that
is supposed to cover the license, with
out the ceremony, the judge generally
expects and is entitled to II ''~preacher's
tip over and above his fee.
1t was after issuing Il license and per
forming a ceremony for a wealthy
young man il blushing girl recently
that Judge Einlers promised secrecy,
and was HANDED a $40 bill. This looked
like 81 to the good. but to the surprise
of the county judge of Dakota county,
the young man demanded The change,
and waited for a So bill TO be returned
to MIN.
Bride Dug in Stocking.
More pathetic than anything which
has happened in the career of the
Timers is fondly called, was a recent
fee, which he received. About a year
ago a young couple applied to the judge
for a marriage license. He issued it in
regular form. The young man placed
50 before the judge. He Informed him
that 1T cost So to &c up against his
game. The bride produced another
dollar, after digging deep into a white
stocking. After the ceremony was per
formed, the judge was thanked cor
daily and the groom told him that as
soon as they got q start, they would
remember the judge.
Judge Einners supposed they would,
as the couple looked very happy.
Last week he received u small pack
age in the malls He tore it open ex-
pecting it to be a picture Of n baby, a
common fee for Judge Eimers. Brt If
was the picture Of an old log at Lake
Crystal on which the judge has found
- soft seat While fishing many a day.
In n Woman's hand beneath the picture
We're the words: The place where we
We're engaged"
Numerous other strange fees have
come into he possession of Judge
Eilners, as 4 result of the perfect Sc
crecy of his bureau. but row and then
he has seen trouble tor the parties who
desired a marriage kept secret. 1t was
three years ;agn when he had one of his
1lfst experiences. A couple drove up to
the court house in q carriage drawn nv
horses wet with sweat of a hot sum
meg morning. They desired q secret
MAJ ritge and We're willing to pay for
the same. They met all the rcuuire-
melits and We're given the goods, ia the
best form. ~ handsome fee was left
for the Judge to invest i'm poultry or
other things and everything looked
lovely, especially the groom.
Hut there Was grief next day when
n Sioux City newspaper uncovered an