The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-09-01
Objected To The Word ''Obey" In Wedding Ceremony
So Suffragist Bride is Married in Silence to Sympathizing
 SuitOr

New York, Sept Being a loyal supporter of the movement. for equa. suffrage, Miss F'reda Helen Keller, o1 534 West 153d street, objected to tha, clause in the marriage ceremony which requires that the bride promise to obey her husband Her strong views on this subject caused Donald c. Mac Lean, of 31 West, 129th street, an ar dent suitor for her hea1tt and hand, to seek and find a way to be married In tl1is city without obtaining Q, marriage license saa
 After consulting John BroomeLl, a lawyer, Mr. MacLean and Miss Keller, in the presence of two witnesses, as provided under the amended contract marriage license aaw of 1907, and inn mediately left the city on an extended honeymoon trip. They did not go through the formaIity of obtaining a marriage license. As required by la,w, the marriage contract was yesterday filed in the county clerks office.
 It was the first document of the office, and, before entry could be made of the noval ceremony, a special book had to be obtained for the purpose.
 In addition to avoiding publicity and saving the bride the necessity of giv- ing a pledge to obey her husband, MT. MacLean saved the fee of $1 which he would have paid for a marriage li- cense
 Witnesses to the marriage, in com pliarce with the new law, appeared before Judge Lynch, of the city court, to acknowledge the instrument tin a court sof record The law requires that the contract must be filed in the country clerks office and acknowl- edged in a court of record within six months after the ceremony or that the attempted marriage is void.
 Lawyers who discussed the contract between Mir. MacLean and Miss Keller, said last night, that the law had been complied with in every respect, and that the marriage is as binding as though license had been obtained and ceremony had been performed by a clergyman.
 Justdce Golf, in the Supreme Court. rendered a decision last December in which he held that a failure to comply strictly with the provisions of the con- tract marriage law made the attempt ed marriage void He held that the contract must be acknowledged in court and filed fin the office of the county clerk within six months after the ceremony to make the contract Ql11u1ng. w aFQO D. MHCL0dn dIH1 Ethel B. Close were the names signed as witnesses to the contract filed yes- terda.y.
 William Keller, brother of Mrs. MacLean, told reporter last night that his sister is a suffragist and that she objected to the usual marriage ceremony because she would be re- qrrired to give her promise that she wound obey her husband. He said that she has for several years been interested in the movement for wo- man suffrage, and believed that the clause in the marriage ceremony was unfair
 My sister and her husband are on a honeymoon trip at Owasco Lake" !" he said, "and I am uncertain as to when they are to return to New York. Before entering into the marriage con- tract they consulted John BroomeTl, of the law firm of W1nslow, Shelp & BroomeH, Of III Broadway. They were thoroughly convinced as to the legality of the marriage contract and have complied with all the provisions of the amended law
 At the home of Mr. Broomell. at 6 Riverview Terrace. it was said that he had gone to Lake George and would return early next week. At the home of Mr. MacLean it. was said that members of the family had left the city, s#r