Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-01-07
DIVORCE,
Few Statistics fr0m ChieaSo-Searly
Five Hundred Applications During
She Year.

DIVORCE.
A Few Statistics from ChieaSo-NearIy
Five Hundred Applications During
She Year.
From the Chicago Times. December 25
During the present year of grace
two hundred and eighty-four wives
and one hundred and seventy-six
husbands have filed petitions for di-
vorce in the various courts in the
city. These lachrymose persons tell
ing the sins of the defendants upon
their finger ends and praying nightly
for relief, throng the courts and
press their suits with overwhelming
Importantly. They have been troop
ing up during ali the months and
weeks of the year, pouring a con
tinuous plant into the ears of pa
tent justice, and making the high
places of chancery ring again with
the sometime touching but now
rather wearisome tale of misplaced
affection and broken vows This
imposing procession, graced by so
large number of Yirtuous danes
and honorable men, has already con-
sumed many years in passing giving
point, and there are no signs of the
beginning of the end. Fortunately, |
the present purpose has only par
ticularly to do with that portion of
the train upon whose banners is in
scribed-as the year of hope or of |
deliverance-" 1868" And there |
are four hundred and sixty men and |
women, all told.
1t will be observed by all candid |
persons that, in point of magnitude,
the above is very respectable mum
Der. 1t might have been greater,
perhaps, without producing any gen
eral catastrophe it might have been
somewhat less without endangering
the reputation of the city as the
great divorce center. But as it
stands, it must be regarded as very
creditable exhibit of the industry of
those societies who make the bust
ness a specially, and as substantial
monument to the reverence for the
nuptial obligations which obtains in
the households of CHICAGO. In some
manner, too, the divorce achieve.
ment of 1868 will get to be heralded
as another of the manifold wonders
in which the enterprise of our peo-
pie finds expression. twill, doubt
less, be assigned place among the
many irresistible statistics which are
put forth from time to time by
benevolent citizens for orr glory
among posterity. The fact that the
annual divorce record is ignored in
the reports by the Board of Trad
by no means involves the conclusion
that the value of these figures is not
appreciated by that erudite and sag
acious body. Considerations of q
purely personal character, which
would render its publication distaste-
full to a considerable proportion of
its membership, may have been the
sole reason for its omission.
This work of family dismember
ment which is progressing in Chi
cago, will probably suggest fore
bodings to those eminently we'll
persons, of a dyspeptic
turn, who are predestinated to NOR
bid things. And it is to be admit
ted that all the facilities for accomp
fishing this purpose which any
being could ask for, are af-
forded here with the same iberality
which, in so many other respects,
this great metropolis.
The details of the years struggle
in this branch Of litigation show
that out of ago suits, the whole
brought during the year, 264
were commenced by wives, and only
us by husbands, leaving a balance
of 176 in favor of the superior en-
terprise of the dear creatures. In
the matter, too, of obtaining de
crees, the wives lead the husbands
by 113 cases. They are also ahead
in another respect. Forty-one wives
we're found to have committed adul-
terry, while the number of husbands
upon the same score was only thirty
nine In regard tie cruelty and
drunkenness, the husbands are, OF
course, greatly in the majority,
though it appears, nevertheless, that
the gentler sex has not wholly aban-
doned the broomstick, and that an
degree of inebriety
has been INDUCED in by some few
of that highly esteemed
The progress of the
divorce epidemic during the year
nav also be noted with profit Its
greatest ravages occurred in June.
Both sexes were on the rampage
about that time. Prudent persons
will mark the month as very danger
Gus. There were also many VIC
Tins in March and October. In the
case Of March, the prevalence of
east winds probably contributed
greatly as predisposing cause. In
the case of October, the excess is
mainly due to the fact that about
that time many persons are making
their domestic arrangements for the
winter. But these reasons do not
hold good as to the month of June.
The unusual liability to become
victim to a divorce suit during that
month must be left unaccounted for.
During the year there has been an
increase in the number of divorce
suits commenced of 1872 over the
brought in 1867, and an .
increase in the number of DEGREES
granted of 1872. II