The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1912-03-25
LAWS NEED CHANGE
Abusescommtted In Border Towns
of the State

ages III OpDOSlllOn 10 the parents VI
one or the other of the parties, Yer
mont should enact similar legisla-
ton the coming session of the gener-
al assembly. Brattleboro, by reason
of its geographical location, easily be-
comes a Gretna Green for Massachu-
sets and New Hampshire and as
there is no law here requiring brides
and bridegrooms to announce their
intentions five days in advance it is
easy to come to this town, secure a
license, be married and leave within
three hours Town Clerk Carl s..
Hopkins said this week that probably
one-ffth of the marriage licenses is
sued by him were for parties living
without the state.
The legislature of 1908 slightly
amended the marriage laws in re-
gard to securing a license. 1t must
be issued by the clerk of the town
where the groom resides If the groom
is resident Of the state; otherwise
the license must be issued In the town
where the bride resides. II both
parties are non-resldents the license
must be secured from the town clerk
of the town in which the marriage is
to be solemnized. At first thought
this law may seem meaningless, but
in some instances ii has been the
means of preventing ha5ty marriages
Of non-residents. Knowing that a
couple is headed for particular town
in Vermont it is easy for New Hamp-
shire or Massachusetts, authorities to
head of clippers as the ceremony
must be performed in the same town
in which the license Is issued. The
prospective bride and bridegroom can
not stop off at Brattleboro and secure
a license emitting them to marry else
where in Vermont.
Some of the penalties for non-com-
pliance with the marriage laws in this
state are ridiculous. There is a law
which makes 1t necessary for any cit
iZen Of Vermont who may enter into
a marriage contract outside OF the
state to furnish the data upon which
he secured license for such marri-
age to the clerk of the Vermont town
in which one or the other OF the par
ties have legal residence. This re-
turn must be made within so days
and II it is not there is a penalty of
$40. AS an example of the difference
in penalties for performing a MARI
age ceremony without authority: in
Vermont person committing this Of
tense may be fined $500, but there is
no sliding scale In Maine: the penal
ty is $1,000. Elopers need not so to
Maine hoping that the fact OF their
marriage will remain q secret until
they see III to make IL known. The
clerk issuing the license will see
that the clerk of the town in which
the groom has legal residence is mott.
fed.
The need OF law requiring the an.
nouncement of marriage intentions is
brought to mind at this time by an
escapade of two Brockton, Mass
young people, both under 81 years OF
age, who came to Brattleboro last
= month and were united in marriage
Had there been a law in this state as
there is in Massachusetts and New
Hampshire these clippers would have
. failed to carry out their plans.
Though there is no means OF know
: ing how many of the Massachusetts
and New Hampshire couples who
, come here to be married are clippers
il is a fact that many ask, when Sc
curing their license, and when the
. ceremony is performed. that the new:
papers be kept in ignorance of the
affair This may be merely a desire
. to avoid publicity. but people who
have watched the actions OF non-res
J. ldent couples seeking a marriage II
cense in Brattleboro say that in many
cases they act like clippers. While
the law OF the state permits non.res
idents to rush into Vermont and gel
married and rush out again with little
formality town clerks living in Dor
der towns will add a few shekels e
: their bank accounts in the shape oil
fees, as II Is conceded that non.resl
dents are inclined 70 n generous fee.
Since the law requiring announce
ment of ones marriage intentions fv,
. days In advance OF the ceremony wen
, into effect In Massachusetts,, January
/, there has been an increase in the
,, number OF marriages performed In tn,
, border towns in southern Vermont
and Brattleboro has received a shar,
OF the Increased business.
! There is ample provision for IN,
. protection OF our own citizens as re
CARDS age limit and unless a woman
is is years Of age and man 20 tn,
contracting parties have TO secure tn
consent OF their parents or guardian
: before a license will be issued.
= II is amusing to overhear the con
, versauon OF people securing licens
at the town clerks office. Unles
they have been coached probably 4
per cent are unable to furnish In
data concerning their antecedents
| When they have secured the covete
document most people inform IN
town clerk that he is to keep the mat
ter strictly secret. The official ca
only look wise and say nothing 70
the records are always open to IN
public and the clerk would be llabl
to penalty II he suppressed the fac
that license had been issued Man
times friends OF prospective bride
ana .bridegrooms are thrown of IN
scent by the groom taking out n
cense a number OF weeks in advane
OF the time he intends to be ma
i rieu. II Is fact that clergymen al
Inclined to help a couple wishing the
marriage kept secret The law r
hquires that return be made TO q
town clerk within ten days OF the nc
tormanoe Of the ceremony-Brsttl
> boro Reformer