Was This Girl Married Without Knowing It?

1920

SAYS SHE THOUGHT HER CHUM WAS THE BRIDE

Court Is Puzzled By Strange Story Told in Connection With Annulment Suit

BOSTON, Mass. -- Gladys M. Browne seeks an annulment of her marriage to Grady M. Raper on the ground that she did not know she was being merely a witness to the marriage of another couple. She told Judge Thayer that after she left the office of the officiating officer in Lynn she learned she had been through a marriage ceremony, but she had nothing more to do with Raper.

She was 16 years old then. The ceremony was performed in December, 1917. Just after the ceremony, Raper left for France with the American forces. Judge Thayer said he was not sure that this 16-year-old girl went through a marriage ceremony without knowing what it meant, and in reply to the argument of counsel that minority was no ground of annulment.

The judged asked if the official who performed the ceremony asked questions, and she said he did ask questions of Raper, but not of her.

"Did he ask you if your name was Gladys Brown?" inquired the judge.

"Yes."

"He asked you if you were the bride, didn't he?"

"No, he didn't. I was thinking all the time it was the other girl."

The girl did not know where in Lynn she went. She said she thought her chum was to marry Raper, and the judge asked: "If she wanted to marry him, why did she substitute you?"

"Well, I was with this fellow and she was with another," she replied.

"Can you get a deposition from the other girl that you were a substitute?" the judge asked, but no reply was made.

The judge said to counsel: "I wish you would get the officiating person and let us see what he knows about it. Before I extend a helping hand to this girl I want to be sure that her story is true. The justice of her claim must be established before I extend a helping hand." The judge left the case open for further evidence.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 5.