Evening journal., 1922-01-31
MARYLAND MAY
BAR ELOPERS
Bill Would Make Non Resi-
dents Wait 48 Hours Be-
fore Marriage
STATE COUPLES
NOT AFFECTED

ANNAPOLIS. Nd. Jan. si.-In-
tended to make It more dimcult for
runaway couples to take advantage
OF Maryiand's now famed "Gresna
Green" at Elkton. bill was intro
duoed in the Senate by Senator Can't
well OF Cecil county amending the
marriage laws OF the State. Two
other bills aimed at the marrying
parsons" will be offered in the House
tomorrow.
Senator Cantwell's measure re-
quires that one OF the contracting
parties to whom a marriage license
is Issued must be a bona fde resident
OF the State. and provides that il
neither party lives In Maryland. the
court clerk cannot grant the license
until after as hours from the time
application is made.
/ Discussing the bin after It's intro
/ ducuon. Senator CantweI declared 1t
was his opinion that the measure
would eliminate the complaints
against the existing laws regulating
marriage licenses and at the same
time not work a hardship upon any
/ citizen OF the State.
He said II was directed particular
ly against elopers from Ponnsyiva-
MIA, Delaware. New Jersey. New
York and other nearby states and
had been framed with special care
20 work no hardship on residents OF
Maryland. whom. he declared.
should have the right to be married
wherever they desired.
Senator Cantwell said he had been
asked by the Wilmington Confer
enco OF the Methodist Episcopal
Church to Introduce anoti bin
prepared by the conference and
drasticaily amending the present
law, but after a consultation with
the Cecil county delegation he re-
garded that bill as impossible OF
passage and decided 10 substitute
The bin he introduced tonight.
The Wilmington Conference bin
provided that none but a "reeuiariy
ordained minister in recognized
religious denomination" should per-
form marriage ceremonies In the
state, and was further drafted TO
regulate conditions at Eixton that
have recently been he subject OF
great deal of criticism.
Senator Cantwcll said the bin he
has introduced would accomplish all
that was Intended to be accomplished
oy the Wilmington conference rieas-
ure.n
Delegate JOseph's bills. launched
today, would add two now sections
10 tho marriage law. One provision
IS that any minister. priest o. rabbi
who shall give or offer any reward
II or Zee 70 any porter chauffeur OF
any other person 10 bring him
II couple TO be married shall be niied
II not less than $40 nor more than $50
for each offense, and its operation
MI Joseph says, would break up FOR
an time the practice said TO exist In
Elkton, whereby both taxi drivers
and ministers share In the marriage
proceeds, the minister with the high
est developed business Instinct per-
forming the highest number of mar
r.ages az the market rate for each
performance.
The bills also provide that no male
under rs or female under "a NAV be
married In Maryland. and that The
tormer under 2l and the latter 'un-
der Is must have the consent OF
their parents or guardians. In addi-
ZION. girls under 10 must have per
mission OF the court before a mar
rage can be performed. Under the
present law a boy OF IA and a girl
OF u could, II they succeed In OBJ
taining a license be married.
Registration with the clerk OF Tho
court OF ministers. priests and rabbls
authorized TO perform marriages is
also provided for under the bills.
A return FOR every marriage per
formed must also. be made TO the
clerk OF the court within 80 days OF
It's contamination under penalty of a
heavy fine and suspension OF llcens,
for subsequent offcnse. In the case
OF marrii ses by he publication OF
hanns the return must be made
! Urff hin In..-