Evening journal., 1913-03-14
CITY MAY
PASS OUT AS
GRETNACREEN
GOrmIey Marriage Bill, Blow
to EIOperS, Goes to the
Governor
NON-RESIDENTS WAIT
Q6 HOURS FOR CEREMONY

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
STATE HOUSE. DOVER. Del. Mar
l4.-Should Governor Miller approve
Senator Gormleys bill which passeo
the House today. Wilmington will be
wiped of the map as a Gretna Green,
mecca for oloping young couples
from other states who have found CON
ditions for getting married on the
quiet" convenient and elastic. Blu
one vote-that OF Representative
Hammond cast against the
Gormley bill while Representatives
King. Hofecker. Stoeckel and Allen
didn't vote and q votes were cast for
the bill which some Of the members
declared would end "Dclaware's mar
riage scandal"
Governor Miller in his inaugural
address declared for a reform IN the
marriage laws that would put an end
20 conditions that had brought the
State into an unfavorablo position and
it is believed he win approve the
Gormley measure.
II provides that all marriage H.
censes shall be issued solely by the
Clerks OF the Peace in the three coun-
ties. Persons desiring 20 procure a n
cense to marry must travel TO VIII
mington, Dover or Georgetown to OBJ
tain the necessary document.
Nonresident applicants must apply
Ia person and cannot use the license
until 96 hours after Il Is issued.
In tho case of residents one OF the
contracting parties can obtain a H.
cense but IL cannot be used until "a
J .In f.I
licenses issued shall be open TO public
inspection at all times.
The Gormley bill. advocated by
many Wilmington clergymen, viii put
the Marrying parsons ont of bust
ness II approved by the Governor.
Senator Gormley I'm urging the
House to pass the measure said
This bill, will. ! believe. break al
the marriage traffic IN Wilmington
which has brought disgrace and ;
. scandal not only TO Wilmington bu
, to the state. There Is demand fo
a radical change Is the marriage law
OF this State whereby IL viii be hari
! for non residents 10 get married Il
this state
( Speaker Holcomb said
"No bin viii do so much 10 brinl
hack TO Delaware the good name sh
has lost by tho IN advised marriages
performed in Wilmington ! under
stand a paid lobby has been goin'
around saying this bill Is uncOnstitu
tionai n this bill should pass, thl
Governor has authority TO call on al
the judges for their opinion before h'
acts on IT,"
81 4 L.
lleved the bill would relieve th'
traffic going on In Wilmington II
marriages for many years
Representative Hammond said h'
believed the principle of the bill al
right but could not see why a measure
TO relieve a situation in Wilmington
should be made to apply to the re
mainder OF the State He said SUISSE,
County is forty miles wide IN places
"Why subject our people 10 20 Z,
the county seat to get a marriage
license when trains are not frequent
and some persons would have TO drive
twenty miles" said Dr. Hammond
He thought the bill should bl
amended so that Justices Of thl
peace i'm the lower counties could is
sue licenses.
Speaker Holcomb said II the bill
should apply only to Wilmington. thei
New Castle would become a "Gretn
Green" and If New Castle should b
included then the marriage scandal
would be transferred to Dover. and
Il should later be applied to Dove
then the elopers would 90 to George
town.
"If a man wanting to get marrie
won't go TO the county scat, he don
want TO get married very badly" sal
the Speaker
Representative Hoffecker suggested
that Justices of the peace should b
permitted to issue marriage license
to residents.
Senator Gormley said that had bee
considered in committee, which bod
thought as the clerks Of the peac
= issue all licenses no exception shoul
1 be made in marriage licenses.
Il thought there was a movemen
I on in many States TO prevent rae
! suicide" remarked Or. Hammond.
AS many of us get married bu
once and some Of us not at all. let u
E pass this" said Representativ
8 Arthurs.
9 The vote was then taken.
mn NN WN