Evening journal., 1911-03-15
NO CRETNA GREEN
UNDER THIS LAW
Representative GiIliS' Mar
riage Bill Was Passed by
the House Yesterday
MINORS MUST HAVE
CONSENT OF PARENTS

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
DOVER, Del, March 15.-Delaware'
reputation as a Gretna Green for elop-
ing swains from other States would
soon pass away II the Senate should
concur I'm Representative Gillis' bill to
regulate marriages in this Stale,
which passed the House with but one
dissenting vote yesterday afternoon,
Representative Hastings Of Laurel be-
ing the only member to dissent
The Gillis' bill is one Of the best
and most important before the pres
ent Legislature and was designed hy
committee OF the Wilmington Min
isterial Union to throw safeguards
about the issuance of marriage IL
censes, and the requiring Of answers
under oath by applicants for licenses
OF certain prescribed questions.
The Rev DR.. A. w Lightbourne.
chaplain Of the Senate and pastor of
the Peoples Church. was given the
privilege OF the floor and explained the
bill as a conservative and natural
measure. embodying the best features
OF laws Of several States. He said It
imposed no physical tests or strange
features, but put the responsibility for
asking questions and administering
oaths TO applicants upon the license
issuing authority. The license shall be
a privilege to the clergyman to marry
the couple presenting II and the
clergyman is not vested with the pow
er to administer oaths. DR.. Light
bourne said he considered II an ideal
bill for Delaware.
Representative Gormley spoke in
behalf of the bill.
Conditions in Wilmington are a
positive disgrace the way the sacrilege
Of marriage is being trampled under
foot" said Mr.. Gormley. Il may be
little narrow on this subject. but
do not think It goes far enough. II
had my way | would make it so that
no clergyman should be allowed to
marry anybody he didn't know all
about or who didn't have a legal and
moral right TO wed
What the Bill Provides.
The bill prohibits the marriage Of
near relations, ~ paupers, insane or
idiots. or OF whites with those Of
negro blood Not only are offenders
against this section TO be fined 800
or imprisoned for not more than 30
days. but similar penalties are provid-
cd for any person knowingly issuing
a marriage license or marrying such
persons.
Marriage may be solemnized only by
a regularly ordained minister or the
Mayor OF Wilmington and II other per
son performs the marriage ceremony
he will be in danger Of the 500 fine
and SO-day jail term Licenses shall
not be issued to men under 81 or 10
women under rs without the personal
consent Of parent or guardian. and the
fine and Jail term is provided for amy
Clerk OF the Peace who shall issue a
license without such consent. or to any
intoxicated or insane person.
The bill also provides that any Clerk
Of the Peace or Justice OF the Peace
shall ask an applicant for a license q
list OF questions, under oath. and shall
keep a record of the answers, for doing
which a Clerk OF the Peace shall col
lect S2.50 and "A Justice OF the Peace
SO. Clergymen who fail to report hav-
ing married couples within ten days
may he fined S25. and the final section
of the bill makes it unlawful for any
person to advertise in any way that he
performs or procures the performance
of the marriage ceremony.