Attempt to Trick Register of Deeds into Issuing Marriage Certificate for Underage Girl Gets Draper Robbins 30 Days on the Roads, Nov. 17, 1923

Trick Proved a Boomerang

Salisbury, Nov. 16—Draper Robbins, a young man of Davidson county, several days ago played a neat little trick on Register of Deeds Max Barker, of this city. Accompanied by a male friend and a woman, the latter presumably his sweetheart, Robbins applied for a license to marry. Mr. Barker did not need to take a second look at the woman to determine that she was of lawful age, and so he had no hesitance in issuing the needed papers. It developed later, however, that the bride-to-bee was another and a younger woman, and that there was a parental objection to the match. The parental objection intervened and the wedding was prevented, the father of the girl having a warrant issued for Robbins and his male companion.

The woman in the case was not included in the prosecution and Robbins’ male companion was allowed to go on a suspended judgment. Robbins got this judgment in the county court: “Thirty days on the roads, capias to issue at any county in North Carolina in the event the defendant and prosecuting witness, Grace Helen Hayes, are married within two years from date without the written approval of her father.”

From page 2 of The Concord Daily Tribune, Nov. 17, 1923.