SOME STRANGE WEDDINGS.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2361, 10 May 1901, Page 6

SOME STRANGE WEDDINGS.

The great variety, not to say extraordinary laxity, of the marriage laws of the United States frequently produces remarkable complications fwhich could occur nowhere else. Every State has it own laws, though, no before time, there is action being taken to frame a uniform code.

A Philadelphian went to Ohio and got a divorce from his wife, who remained resident in Philadelphia. On his return he married a Philadelphia!) widow. The first wife subsequently denied the legality of the decree of divorce on the ground that she had no noticej of the proceeding-,. The Ohio Courts, however, repelled her objection*, and the divorce was maintained. Then she appealed in the Pennsylvanian Courts for support from her "husband." The Court in Pennsylvania did not regard the Ohio divorce valid in Pennsylvania, and ordered the " husband to pay five dollars a week for the support of his wife." Thus the man found himself possessed of two legal wives whom he was bound to support. The s opinion was that he could not b" pmsecuted for bigamy in Pennsylvania, as the deed was not com luitted in that State, nor ir Ohio, as then? the marriage was legal, the divorce was granted there. Cense MU-i.tiy it would bv possible for a man to have divirced wives in. various States, which are only considere legal in those States, and yet not be liabl ■ for polygamy. In Holland marriage by proxy is allowed. This is the so-called " marriage by the glove," and is usually put in practice by a Dutchman who is sojourning abroad, and, wanting a wife, is too poor or too far off to return home for one. In such a case he writes home to a lawyer, who selects one conformable to the requirements of his client. If the gentleman approves, he next sends the lawyer a soiled left-hand glove and a power of attorney, which settles the business. A friend marries the woman by proxy, and she is thereafter promptly shipped off to her new home. An over-obliging German Mayor paid the penalty of four months' imprisanment for his complacency in performing a marriage ceremony without a bridegroom being present at all. The bridegroom signed the register next day, but this was not held to be compliance with the law, and the unfortunate Mayor was promptly brought to book. It does not appear whether this peculiarly celebrated marriage was legal or not. In Germany all marriages have to be contracted before a registrar previous to any religious ceremony, which is optional. Public notice must be given of the match, and this is generally exhibited in a box hung up at the Town Hal! or other municipal building. In a small German town the following official announcement recently appeared:—" From to-day there is fixed at the Town Hall the new box in which all those who intend to enter the married state will be hung." In Galashiels, in 1867, there was a marriage by what is called " confarreatio." The pair mixed handfuls of meal in a bowl, and swore on a 15ible never to part. This they believed, constituted a legal marriage. The " Church Times " recently recorded a strange wedding which took place, within the memory of men still living, at the parish church of Gedney. A widow, with four children, who was deeply in debt, was again married, covered with nothing but a sheet. It was the popular be lief, acted on in this case, that if a man took a woman to wife thus clad, he made it patent to the world that she brought with her no worldly goods, and he would not, therefore, be liable for any debts previously incurred by her. In this instance the sheet was sewn up like a bag,holes being left a' the sides for her bare arms, and in that condition, barefooted, she came to the church, and was duly married.