The Washington times., 1926-01-26
Married By Trust
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to explain the fact that Elkton, pas
tors have SO many marriages to
perform 49,
The Reasons.
Well" he declared, its pri.
marily due to social. geographical
and economic conditions
Social, because in other States
It is some times hard to get mar
ried; geographically, because we are
at the crossroads, so to speak, of
25,00O,0O people. all within 125-
mile radius of us, and economically
because the cost is not SO much"
We'll, how does it happen, doctor,
that you personally marry so many
people, as evidenced by these mar
riage certificates on your desk?"
we asked.
The question brought what we
thought was a look of rebuke from
the Reverend Mr.. Weaver, and he
modestly Admitted that he did not
know, but that it might have been
because he was the best known
in EIkton.
He showed disposition to termi-
nate the line Of discussion, and we
did not press him.
An Unbidden Guest
While we were standing in the
study talking to the minister and
Mrs. Dale. who incidentally lis fur
nished the marrying parson, = to
act as his executive clerk and to
be 'sales-lad for the literature,
by the Jitney Trust, the door was
sunanarily showed open by an irate
father who demanded to know IL
the minister had married his
daughter.
AT this juncture we left. but we
madeaa subsequent investigation of
/ the mans case.
Before discussing his case. how
ever, We should like to finish our
own story. We left the Rev. Mr..
Weaver's house, returned to a
downtown hotel. opposite tie
clerks office, and paid off the
jitney driver.
He Informed Us that his rate was
$3.50 a hour. The whole wedding
cost, therefore, was: For one hour
service of the jitney driver, $3.50;
marriage fee. SO; certificates pur-
chased from the Rev. Mr.. Weaver,
$3.50, and gift to DIR. Weaver of
$3.50, with marriage permit OF 81,
cost us total of $3.50, of which
the Jitney Trust got $22.
Multiply this by an average OF
eleven marriages a day, the actual
number performed by he Jitney
Trust pastor. according to the
country records, and VOC get the
tidy sum of $247.50 day, or a
total OF $7722O for the year-to the
Jitney Trust alone.
The cost, however. Ol what the
Jitney Trust makes each year. is
perhaps incidental compared with
the grief that is caused through
the marriage mart's operations.
Mr.. SchOen's Story
Take the case or the man who
came to DIR. Weaver's home while
our ceremony was being performed.
His name was S. r. Schoen resid-
ing at 512S North Fairhill ST.,
Philadelphia. PA, Mr.. Schoen tells
his story in simple language
My i6-year@old daughter, Caro-
line, became infatuated with
Joseph Wiz, 25 years old. who
lives at 5122 North Fairhill ST.. just
three doors from my house We
refused to permit their marriage. as
he's a cripple. of different faith.
and in our Viewpoint not suitable
Caroline tried two other places
at previous times to marry him. but
was unsuccessful On January 16.
Wiz brought her here. No ques-
tons were asked. Anybody could
have told that she was not of age.
The Weaver man married them.
Her life, my life and my wife's life
are ruined!
God, he exclaimed. how hate
them, the whole d-nable bunch. The
place should be wiped off the face
of the map"
That's MIR. Schoens story
Another Father
When we went into the clerks Of.
flee. another irate father was de-
mandtng to see the records. His
daughter, he declared, had run
away, the certificate had been
issued and she had been married
in Elkton. Vigorous language
greeted our ears as he expressed
himself in no uncertain terms.
We sat Tor 45 minutes across
from the clerks office, from $40
until 1915 and saw four couples
obtain licenses all Of them carried
to the clerks office by drivers of
the Jftney Trust
After the marriage an attempt to
secure data from local officials as
to conditions there were met with
rebuffs. When our identify was
known we We're ordered out of
town
A Washington Times camera man
was threatened by T.. l.. OFT, deputy
sheriff
OFT came out of the Jitney Trust
headquarters and declared that il
was a violation of the law to AXE
pictures. After he had warned Mr..
Nicholson and his camera-man not
to take pictures OF the Jitney Trust
headquarters. my cameraman and
Joined Mr.. Nicholson and his rho.
tographer. and we went around to
the headquarters and took the pic.
lures, one of which showed DEPUTY
Sheriff OFT leaving the building to
protest
Told to Get Out
In the clerks office the deputy