The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-02-13
CoAMRRc1AttzED MARRIAGE
MART.
Continued from first page

Continued from first page
East Main street, and Rev. w. Il.
Moon, who functions in a furnished
room in the house of "Old Man
Pierson, up little side street boast
ing the name of Stockton.
The famous Rev. DR.. John McEl-
moyle, Presbyterian divine, who is
said to have performed over 1000
ceremonies year and who was call
ed down by the Newcastle Presby-
terry, is behaving himself, if local
gossip is to be believed. His case is
pending still. The equally famous
Rev. Henry Carr, whose charge is
known as ''the Mormon Church of
the East" has given up the free-for-
all marrying game since the Davis
Kelly wedding got him in serious
trouble with the head of his church
in independence, Missouri.
The forced withdrawal of these
two reverend gentlemen left the
field in the hands of Messrs. Jones
and Moon exclusively, as the Prot
estant Episcopal clergyman and the,
Roman Catholic priest have never
considered undertaking the marry
ing of couples unknow to them.
Rev. Jones is pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Elkton, which,
apparently, does not object to him
making more than little extra
money on the side. Rev. Moon is a
Baptist.
Moon has been sort of storm
center since he arrived in Elkton.
The other marrying parsons" speak
of him as "squatter" ON their pre-
serves He is said to have come
from Norwood, Mo-, and is 63 years
of age. He bought farm nine
miles out of town and commutes
daily to his furnished room on
Stockton street, where he marries as
many couples as come that way.
There is no Baptist Church in Elk
ton, so matrimony is the only re-
ligious ceremony he is called upon
to perform.
Under the lenient laws of our ma
tive State, marriage license is
granted to man 81 years of age or
older or to girl of 16 or more. AS
worked at Elkton the law is so sim
pie that all person has to do is
swear lin bunch) that the groom
/ is 81 and the girl 16. On several
occasions couple has been known
\ to tell the truth and be refused Ii
cense Then the chauffeur would
suggest drive to Chestertown, 80
miles away, and by the time the
Kent county seat was reached the
couple would have arrived at the re-
quired age.
Most of the couples come from
Pennsylvania, although quite num-
Der show up from New York, New
Jersey and Delaware. Once married,
there is but little that can be done.
Irate parents whose sons or daugh-
tiers went through the marriage cere-
! mony while still minors have been
known to take look at the register
and realize that the minor has taken
a false oath. Rather than have the
State of Maryland issue a warrant
for perjury, the irate parents usually
hold their peace.
The average age of the bride, as
| given by the groom, is 10. In these
days of furs, wells and make-ups, it
is difficult to gauge a woman's age,
but most of the females look to be
very young.
This Elkton marriage mill has
been grinding increasingly, day after
day, since 1913. Since then the
town has bid frankly for the catch
as-catch-can marriage trade, al
| though several of the most promin-
ent citizens are bitterly and openly
opposed. But the average Elktonian
has grown hardened to the wretched
traffic; nothing can continue to
shock daily for seven lengthy years.
The man in the streets actively re-
sents any criticism or interference
with the towns $4,000 annual in
come.
The question on every Elkton
tongue is: ''Will the Legislature
intervene?" And all Maryland is