Evening star., 1923-12-06
TUCKER WEDDING
ROUSES OFFICIALS
Marriage of Boy of is to
Widow of 46 May Be Taken
to Grand Jury.

Special Dispa tch to the Star. .
NEW YORK, December 6.-Despite
many feminist claims to the con-
trary, woman has not yet come into
full equality with mere man. 1t Is
perfectly all right and in consonance
with the conventions of society for
man of fifty-five to marry girl OF
sixteen. 1t Is not an uncommon
thing. But let woman above the
fifty-year mark take unto herself n
boy husband of sixteen and an out
ragged society sets the wheels of the
law in motion to tear the happy pair
asunder.
Today Jersey Justice is hot on the
trail of Burton S. Tucker. Burton
tie more than two months. Mrs. Bur
ton Tucker was Mrs. Susan Q. Simp-
son, wealthy widow something
more than three times the age or the
lad who captured her heart and hand.
1t is claimed there was fraud In con-
nection with the issuance of the mar
riage license, and the case VIII be
presented to the grand jury in Jersey
City.
Gave Age ms Twenty-one.
The record book shows that Burton
gave his age as twenty-one. he
wanted to prove he had arrived at
mans estate. The blushing bride ad-
mittcd to forty-six summers. but the
authorities claim she was consider
ably more than that
1t has been a custom of the years
for women coyly to conceal a ieW
of their more mature years when ap-
plying for a. license to wed ana no
one has ever thought to prosecute
them. But when Mrs. Simpson mar
ried her sixteen-year- boy friend
the law decided it must be avenged
All this furore to take boy Burton
away from his wife is not a bit pop
ular with either side of the newly
mated couple. 1t is true that the
boy got bit fed up with marriage
| soon after the ceremony ana ned
| New York to the home of his par
ents. in South Essex, Mass. but the
| bride was not TO be SO easily
| thwarted.
| She opened her pocketbook and
sent private detectives in search of
the truant spouse. She entrusted one
| Of the operatives with S1.00Q In cash.
He had no difficulty in finding young
Tucker. He showed him the cash and
said his heartbroken wife wanted him
! to come home at once and all would
| be forgiven. Tucker had an amend
ment to offer to that proposition He
| suggested that he and the man with
the thousand go to Boston and nave
! one grand old time as long as the
| money lasted. Alas for the trusting
| bride. the man with the thousand
agreed.
Buys Him Auto.
| Then Mrs. Simpson-Tucker, with
1 unlimited means at her disposal. call
. ed in other help and tried other tao
| tics. She saw that cash would not
| accomplish much except give boy hus-
| band a grand old jamboree. So this
time she bought Burton $500 auto
4 Ii n Tt,ar
never had beeH such Santa Claus as
this in young fuckers life before
and naturally he succumbed.
Not only did he return to New York
in the automobile, but he also re-
| turned in a brand-new coonskin coat.
J the kind the college fellows wear at
the foot ball games. Burton had often
seen them and just as often had
wanted one.
Mrs. Simpson Tucker knew how to
please the lad of her choice. She got
him the most expensive coonskin she
could find. 1t cost 500.
Just at the present writing Burton
Tucker feels he is riding the crest of
the wave. No boy. he says, ever had
such a good time s he is having. His
loving wife of twoscore years and
ten. whom he has sworn to protect
and to endow with all his worldly
goods, is lavishing her own worldly
goods and affections upon him, and
he does not want the law TO step In
and play any trick upon him. Burton
might get away with his plea for non-
interference If he had been wed in
New York. but the couple romantical-
ly ran away to New Jersey, and
thereby they struck their first, If not
their last, martial snag.
Jersey Laws Strict.
New Jersey long ago made up its
mind that it would be no marrying
ground, no Gretna Green, for stray
couples from the big city across the
river. Jersey marriage laws are
quite strict, as marriage laws go.
For instance, forty eight hours must
elapse after an application is made
before a license can be issued. And,
after the license is issued. twenty
four hours must elapse before the
marriage ceremony may be per-
formed.
This allows a total Of seventy-two