Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-12-06
SEVERAL FRAUDS HAVE
tti:EN PI:KPf:rRtTi:D RECENTLY

lthln me past lew months thcrc
have been half Il dozen cases in which
the fraud complained Of has been
practiccd upon the lluStinGs Court.
In the most recent instance IL yuunE
couple applied for q marriage license
Ia Mr.. Christian and were denied he
cause the girl Was not of legal age.
The girls father. he WAS Informed. WAS
dead. but the mother. il was stated.
Was living and would he brought to
Civ" the necessary consent.
The two appeared the next day with
Il woman who claimed to bc the mothc,.
of the girl. VIII" gave her consent to
the marriage. The liccns" WAS issued
and the two young people were mar
ric;i.
Within day or two. the father OF
the girl. much inccnscd at his dauch
tcr's marriage. took the Hastings
Court sharply to task for issuing the
license 1t developed that the woman
WI" claimed to be the girls mother.
was only hcr aunt possessing M more
authority over tho girl than an utter
stranger.
FALSE IMPORTATION ONLY
PUNISHABLE WITH FINr:
Under the present law. the woma n
cen only be prosecuted for giving false.
intormation---an ofrcnSc that is nun
iShahle only by fine. The damage
*h" has done is irrepara,,lc, since the
y more migrant ease Of fratd was
practiced recently when II young man.
SHOWING that the father of the would
he bride would not consent Ia the mar.
iiarc OF his daughtcr. who was under.
age. picked M II total stranger on the
streets and, after buying him a Decent
drink. induced him TO come into court
and make tho statement that the vounp
woman. TO his certain knowledge was
more than twcnty-onc wears old. and
therefore qualified to- enter into the
marriage contract without parental
permission.
Instead Of decreasing. thes. abuses
have been multiplyiny." said Mr.. Chris
tian. last night 1T is impossible for
US TO prevent these frauds since we
nave no means Of determining whether
q person testifying to the age OF an
applicant for marriage license is
responsive. or whether person claim
ing to he the parent of one of the
applicants is or is not an impostcr.
WILL. ASK STATE LEGISi.ATInE
no MAKE OEFENSE A FELONY
Sometimes "A signed stotcmcn, &c
produced to show that applicants arc
OF certain age. or that permission
10 marry is granted by a person in
authority. If such a statement is
forged. then the person who perpc- :
tra'ed the forgery is subject 10 prose :
ten
Years Imprisonment in the pcni,eu-
tiHrv
The case Of 4 person who merely
Elves false information as to the are
"l an applicant for license to marry.
* i:'r different. The statement is not
mac" umdcr oath and he cannot he
hrid Tor perjury. The maximum mem
atty for this offcnse is II fine OF from
$50 to Sl00
MUSES. of this kind have been in
rrchSinr at such Il rate. that think
Inc time has come in this State IN
amend The law so as to provide a iail
sentence as the punishment for giving
'"isc information in the license bu
ican After several persons have bccn
converted ana sentenced to Jail terms.
perhaps his form of fraud Will he in
measure abatcd | think that the
Other courts of the State will welcome
an announcement of this kind, and it is
~! Intention to get one Of the Rich
mona members to Introduce a hin nrn.
H'"lns l'r the amendment at The nov,
session Of tn" General Assembly"