Evening star., 1938-10-23
By Marv Fisher.

lie OTOWSy uCIlc Town OF ElkCOn,
Nd, mecca for elopers, may soon be
forced to close down its famous mar
riage mill.
In November Marylanders will 60 to
the polls for their general elections.
Among the matters on which they vote
Is . bill providing 48-hour waiting
period between the issuance of
marriage license and performance of
the ceremony. If the bill is approved
1t will naturally put stop to Elk
toms celebrated "quickie" weddings.
The referendum has this rather
bizarre angle-many Marylanders be-
lieNe the mill already abolished. They
don't realize that they will be asked
TO vote on it. In the summer of 1887
they were informed-and rightly So
that the Free States Legislature had
passed the 48-hour measure and that
Gov. Nice had signed it. But what
isn't generally known today is that
group of Elktonites later secured
the names of 10000 registered voters
for a petition in protest, which, ac-
cording to Maryland law automati-
cally estopped the bills operation and
sent it back to the people for refer
eAAum. Some time ago the State
constitution was changed to allow the
public, by referendum, to pass on leg
islative activities.
So many Marylanders now do not
know about the coming vote.
Interested leaders have been forced
to conduct an "educational campaign"
acquainting them with the bills true
status. These authorities term the
whole situation amazing" They
charge that the petition was drawn
up purely to protect personal profits
Of the Elkton cab companies and
clergymen; that the 10000 voters
, signed it out of personal friendship
for these persons and not because of
any reasonable prejudice against the
48-hour wait.
1t is claimed that the referendum
doesn't involve matter of principle
or policy, as does the vote on lot
terry law, for instance, to be taken at
the same time.
Thus, public attention is again
drawn to the East Coasts most IA
mous-or infamous-Gretna Green.
Elkton has been in and out of the
news repeatedly since one of its
clergymen, the Rev. Edward Minor,
became known as "Maryland's mar
rying parson." 1t was he who led
small group of ministers in making
! matrimony an active, commercial,
competitive business.
Minor and his colleagues posted
large signs before their homes:
Marriage License.
- Minister.
Walk In.
They set up roadside altar, later
abolished by town ordinance. One
of their number. the Rev. James Scar
borough, who owned a turkey farm,
offered free turkey as premium to
every couple he married.
And there were other and more
strenuous attempts, of course, to pro-
mote Elkton's best-known industry,
bringing in about Sl25,0O0 a year.
Each of the ministers was repre-
sented by solicitors-men and boys
who lounged idly but alertly on the
streets, dashing up to incoming autos
and inquiring of their occupants if an
elopement was in process. Also, they
met incoming trains. Joining them
were the Elkton cab. drivers-one cab
company thus represented hired two
clergymen on salary basis.
When resultant publicity reached
Baltimore the incensed churchmen of
that city, up in arms, had the Rev.
Minor suspended as the first step in
cleanup Elkton" campaign. To their
aid came city and State leaders,
headed by the late Senator Harold
Coburn of Cecil County. Senator Co.
burn was recently killed in an auto
mobile accident.
THE Elkton situation" Coburn once
declared, lis a disgrace. You can't
drive through certain streets without
seeing the marrying parsons parading
up and down, waiting for their prey!"
Goburn got quick action, atlering
bill which the Legislature passed in
1887, instituting the 48:hour waiting
period. This spread through the East
the general belief that the notorious
marriage mill was finished over and
done with.
But
Few folk were familiar with Mary
land law, or knew what was going on
in Elkton. The marriage profiteers
had decided to fight. Their leader was
william Cam, Elkton big-shot cab
company owner whose drivers often
received fees of $40 and up from
elopers. Such profits couldn't be re-
linquished without battle.
Cam, therefore, dew. up petition
IN protest of the law This he filed
somewhat mechanically on May
81, 1937-just day before the new
law was to go into effect The petition,
Of course, automatically estopped its
operation until June 30.
Cam had until then to secure 10000
signed names for his petition. This
would cause the bill to be put on the
ballot in the November general elec-
tons, and allow the marriage mills
. operation until then. He achieved his
goal before the time limit was reached.
Now, it's up to the voters.
Still other changes. about that time,
were coming to pass in the little town.
Tie Elkton situation had become so
notorious that pressure was put on
authorities, who agreed to remedy the
evil in at least one respect. Heretofore,
Wedding licenses could be obtained in
ElkDn at any hour. Now, authorities
agreed not to issue any on Sunday or
on weekdays before am. and after
S pm.
Naturally this restriction put very
bulky obstacle in the path of Dan
Cupid. And it forced the cab drivers
into launching bootleg" wedding
business which functioned something
like this:
Couples coming to Elkton out of
hours were told they could get their
license In Bel Air, town just across
the. line in Hartford County. The driv-