100 Years Ago Today 23 January 1912

According to The Washington Times, dated 23 January 1912, Last Edition, (Washington DC, 1902-1939), on the front page there was an interesting headline that read: Undaunted By Law Youthful Elopers Start Honeymoon. Subheadlines were: "Bridegroom Arrested for Misrepresenting Wife's Age, Out on Bail."

As the story reads, "Mr. and Mrs. Fred Henderson Byrne, youthful elopers, whose romance was interfered with at Rockville, when the bridegroom was accused of perjury, and arrested for misrepresenting the age of his bride, are in WAshington this afternoon happy at being reunited."

The couple came to Washington DC from Rockville at noon, after Byrne had been before a police magistrate and arranged bail. The young bride was a Loudoun county, Virginia maiden of fifteen years. Her father, Theodore J. Linton, returned home from Rockville somewhat disappointed, for he had expected to take his daughter back with him.

After henderson's bond had been arranged before Police Judge Edmonston during the morning, the girl ran over to her husband, caught his arm, and the two raced down the stairs of the Rockville court house together and boarded a Washington-bound interurban car, while Mr. Linton mournfully came to the city on a later car.

The fifteen year old bride proclaimed, "I shall stand by Fred to the finish," nodding her head with determination. "If he is in any trouble it is all my fault. Fred thought I was older than fifteen years, because I led him to think so. He wanted to marry me and I wanted to marry him and I decided that leap year gave a girl the privilege of making her fiancé think she is older than she really is . . . If she wants to. Generally they want to make 'em think they are younger."

If Bryne is committed at the hearing next Wednesday in Rockville he cannot be tried until the March term of court. View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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