Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1913 — FEE AMUSES MAYOR GAYNOR [ARTICLE]

FEE AMUSES MAYOR GAYNOR

Executive of New York City Sympathizes With Young Man Married by Alderman. New York.—Mayor Gaynor sent this reply to a letter he had received from Kai Brodersea of 200 Fifth avenue, complaining that an aiderman who married him had charged S2O for the service: “I have received yjur letter complaining that an aiderman on marrying you the day before at his house demanded S2O of you as his fee, and that you paid him, for the reason that It would have mortified you too much to make a protest in the presence of your bride and other ladies who were present Of course the aiderman committed a great outrage and he no doubt knew that you would pay him sooner than dispute with him openly. He had no right to charge you anything. I receive many letters of a similar kind. My advice to you all is to go to clergymen U> be married, and then you will be treated properly. I do not mean to say that all of the aidermen would treat you as this aiderman did, but unfortunately some of them would. ’ You say It was all the money you bad with you, and that you expected to use it for Immediate expenses with your bride. I certainly sympathize with you. If some one had held you up on the street and taken It away from you it would not have been worse. You may sue the alherman to get your money back, but if you do he will no doubt say you made him a voluntary present of the S2O, and—who knows?—the judge may believe him.” It was said at the office of the mayor that the aiderman referred to was Aid. James J. Smith, who repre-

sents one of the downtown districts. When a copy of the mayor’s letter was shown to Mr. Smith, he said: “I don’t remember this man. Perhaps I married him and perhaps I didn’t. I marry thousands of persons every year and I can’t keep them all in mind. Anyway, I never asked any one for a S2O fee."