New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-18
Marriage Chapel Declared
by Curran To Be Nothing
but Hell Hole"
MOVES ON TUESDAY
FOR ITS ABOLITION
Three Men There Drawing Fees
Illegally Scully May BE
Appointed "Msrryer.

so numerous nave been complaints
about condition. go the marriage
chapel" IN tho basement o. City Hal
that Tucsday a 70 solution viii be IN
iroduccd before tho BOARD Of Aldcrm' n
20 close 10 and remove ;nc attaches.
"U q, HcIl-hoIC and shoui' be
,,.pcd out" said Henry II. Curran, ma
ioriiv leader OF tho koagd OF N.aot-
mcu. yesterday.
Tho MAN reason why steps viii be
taken 90 remove t1is gloomy uP'l
hover" ont of City Hall y that pro
tests hay, been pouring IN Tor mon ~
to tho Mayor and Leonard NJ. Wal
stein. Commits ioncr Of Accounts lhd'
,.~-ors married there ny aldermen
&c hocn objected 10 demands for
money for or, ices performed by INC
mon Who have been permitted 70 9pcr-
ate ru the room.
Tor almost hail century the mar
.4go chanel" has been used o% alder
mon to unite couples who scemed 10
-Ilut thu, wedding In city Hall WAS
'Ic certain opening 20 happy marncu
,..rcrY. ON March 20. 1898, the Board
of Aldermen adopted a resolution set
ting ASIDE Room as marriage
chapel" and also empowering TIE clerk
,f tho hoard the City Clerk 70 ap-
..,luf 1.-TWO persons 80 he ~ charge
without salary and upon the under
Standing and direction that they nc
allowed 20 demand from tho contract
NC PARTIES no fec whatever, but 10
ate 10 them tina. any payment made
bv them for thcir marriage ccruhcate
Is wholly voluntary.
sullivan Man Slips In.
When Patrick :. Scully became city
Clerk more than twelve years ago he
appointed James Weldon and Patrick
Paul 20 tho positions. They still are
there Eleven years ago Little Tim
Sullivan. from whose strict Weldon
and Paul came, wanted = job for
"Villy" Long. who had been his mos
scnRcr bov. So. though there was no
legal provision for it-snd the validity
OF tho aldcrmauic resolution now
.pcrafIu, D.. questioned Sullivan slid
iir former messenger boy into the
chapel" While Long hss since been
favored hy success m promoting prize
nphte and iva theatrical ventures with
his intimate friend Alderman John y.
White. hc still j- active in the mar
racr bureau, ~. ~ H. officially styled.
Not only T., Longs lob without legal
justification. but there arc Two other
mon acting a- interpreters no the bu-
lcsu, making three persons VINO appa'
su.Iv have no right 20 be there. Tom
Scoiil. and Count" Jim Benedetto arc
rho ,rtcrprcters. The count had 4
bootblack stand for a time after he en-
listed ~ tho work OF enhghtening the
lockers after matrimonial bliss, but the
aldermen took his stand privilege from
him because thcv figured his marriage
lurcau work would take all his time.
v hon complaints reached Commis-
sioner Nallstein that men and women
married m the bureau were being asked
Tor money he began an investigation.
lie knew that the two men appointed
hy Scully were supposed 70 coniine
them elves 80 making out certificates
and filing record of marriages. FOR
which service they were privileged to
receive money u the bridegroom or
bride chose 90 volunteer li. The Com
missioner WAS handicapped M his in
,,stlcaiion hv tho fact that he had TO
rsc mon and women who were not
going 10 get married.
And tho bureau men seemed 10 tight
shy OF the people I sent down there
sid Wallstoin last night. Further
more. al OF the complaints ! received
came by mail and we're not signed.
Urged Its Abolition.
Finding that hc could not get to the
bottom OF the situation. Commissioner
Nallstein, September I last, sent p
report Of his investigation, with rec
concentrations that the bureau be pol
ished 10 George NcAncny, then Acting
Mayor. Mr.. NcAneny since that time
b. not seen Sc TO give the WallStcin
re 5ort publicity Il Was through c. IN
bcrlain Rrucrc that the matter became
puhli- yesterday.
An odd feature of City Hall mar
iiagcs is that tho pleasure Of per
forming them is enjoyed By but few
aldermen. who. like the attaches of
the bureau. arc or .iammany connec-
tiOns. For years, up TO January !, 1914,
Alderman Jimmy Smith, who OF that
day ceased retain his membership
in the board, dictated at practically
all Of the weddings IN the bureau,
Since then John J. Beardon, Alderman
from the Goth District, who is known
AZ Happy Jack has been forced TO
take up that unpleasant work.
Frank Bowling Tsmmany leader 81
the minority nm the board, denied yes
tcrday that the marrying alderman
was designated by any one. Mr.. Dow
ling also said he favored the retention
Of the bureau.
Majority Leader Currau said;
We have been working on this mat
ter Tor months That bureau is worS,