Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 January 1907 — Hammond’s Gretna Green Business At An End. [ARTICLE]

Hammond’s Gretna Green Business At An End.

For some months past Hammond has been the recognized Gretna Green of the vicinity of Chicago, having practically supplanted Benton Harbor, Mich., as the resort of eloping hnd other cheap and easy marrying people from Chicago. The licenses were issued right there by a deputy county clerk while a justice of the peace, McMahon, had an office in the superior court house at Hammond and tied the knots as fast as the clerk made out the licenses. Me was getting rich from his marrying business and other justices made a holler about his having an office in the court house while they had their in their hats, on thesidwalks, or wherever else they could, and McMahon was shut out from the court house. But the row *<( tb

kept up and reached such a stag.that the county clerk at Crown Point revoked the appointment of his deputy clerk at Hammond and now if anyone is married in Lane County they have to go to Crown Point first to get their license. Clerk Wheeler at Crown Point says his action shutting out the issuing of licenses at Hammond is final and irrevocable.