The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-02-16
CHARGES BRIDE.
DECEIVED HIM.
Keith N. GayIor, Suing for An
nuIment, Claims Girl Mis-
represented Fer Age.

The unusual situation OF a hus-
band suing his girl-wife to have his
marriage to her annulled on account
OF alleged false representations by
the wife as to her age before mar
riage, was presented to the circuit
court judges in equity term at
Rockville. Nd. with the filing OF
papers for Keith M. Gaylor, member
OF prominent family Of Middletown,
Md, against Harriet Ann Upper,
nfteen years old, of 633 Twelfth
street northeast, Washington.
RETURNS TO MOTHER.
The action was brought for the
husband by Attorneys Raymond Neu-
decker, of Washington, and Robert
Peter, tr,. OF Rockville, who declare
that Gaylor was deceived as to the
age OF his girl-bride, thinking tina:
she was at least nineteen years old
when he led her to the altar. Now
the husband, repenting OF his hasty
marriage. has asked the Montgomery
county court to annul the ceremony
and hold 1t to be OF no avail and void.
The wife has returned to her mother.
Mrs. Lillian NJ. Topper. ii was stated.
the marriage never having, in fact.
been consented to by either the boys
parents or the girls mother, who is
q Government employe.
william H. Gaylor, of Middletown.
Nd, father OF the eighteen-year-old
husband. took matters into his own
hands last week when he first learned
of the marriage. Keith had gone to
Washington fallen in love with his
girl-bride and married her without the
knowledge and consent OF his parents,
it was stated in the bill. Now the
youth has returned to the custody OF
his father and is willing to have the
court unite his domestic tangles for
him.
GIRL ONLY is YEARS OLD.
When the parties to the marriage
appeared before the clerk of the Dis
trict Supreme Court to procure
license on December last, Gaylor
gave his age as twenty-one and Miss
Topper said she had passed the
twenty-one mark, according to allega-
tions in the bill. Harriet was but
fifteen, 1t was alleged, but persuaded
the Rev. Howard +. Downs, of 308 \
street northeast, at whose residence
the ceremony was performd. that She
was of legal age. Gaylor's father,
who is complainant in the proceed
ings, with the son designated as the
son desires and requests this COM
plainant to Ale this petition on his
behalf because of the extreme youth
of Harriet Ann Upper, and further
because the said Harriet Ann Upper
falsely stated to him that she was
of the age of eighteen years when ha
first became acquainted with her, and
he, the equitable plaintiff. was in
duced to marry the said defendant
upon this false representation and
fraudulent statement"
QUOTES CODE OF LAWS.
The complaint quotes at length
from the code of laws for the District
of Columbia which prohibits the mar
rage of would-be husbands under
twenty-one and blushing brides under
eighteen, without the written consent
OF their parents or guardians. Tho
court was told by Attorneys Neu-
decker and Peter that sufficient proof
will be made at the hearing to sub
stantiate all the charges in the bill.
There have been countless petitions
in the local court for the annument
of marriages on the ground that the
husband misstated some material
fact to the wife. and her parents
stepped in to stop the marriage, but
this Is one of the few actions in
the complaint of husband who
wants to be free again because his
wife is too young. The alleged false
statement by Miss Topper as to her
age is set UP in the allegation os a
material fact upon which the youth
full husband depends to dissolve the
marital bonds.