Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-10-19
DIVORCE LAW OF INDIANA,
Strong Talk at Home about Things al
Home.


Strong Talk at Home about Things at
Home.
From the indianapolis Journal
Oct. 10:
The divorce laws of our State
and the manner in which they have
been administered by our Courts
have brought lasting disgrace upon
Indiana. 1t is useless for US to say
that we are imposed upon by unseru
fpulous parties from other States.
1t is a notorious fact that our laws
invite people of all nations to come
to Indiana and rid themselves of
irksome martial bonds. From Rus
sia, France, England, Germany the
Canadas, and from every State in
the Union, discontented husbands
and wives have focked to Indians
to procure divorces. AS the law
stood for some years, an applicant
for divorce could file petition the
day he came to the State and in a
few weeks have a decree releasing
him from his marriage VOWS. Di-
vorce seekers hunted in couples. 1t
frequently happened that a lady
would arrive in Indianapolis with a
male travelling companion, file her
petition for divorce from an absent
husband the same day, procure a
decree dissolving the marriage con-
tract, based upon the evidence OF
the gentleman friend, and marry her
witness before leaving town-all of
which was accomplished within a
period of five OF six weeks. A Gel
ebrated actress filed petition ask
ing a divorce from her husband on
the ground of alleged cruelty. The
charge was sustained by proof that
vile coming from San Francisco to
New York, on an ocean steamer, the
lady found her affinity in a gay and
festive young gentleman who was
in the habit of quoting Byron to
her on the deck while her husband
was in the lonely stateroem. A
sharp reprimand from her cruel hus-
band brought tears to the little wo-
mans eyes, and for this an Indiana
Jndge gave her a decree which re-
leased her from the insupportable
tyranny of liege lord. Another
case: A lady, travelling to Indiana
in company with her second choice,
in pursuit of divorce and second
marriage, had testified her faith in
the liberty of our laws, and in hon
or of her future husband, in very
unequivocal manner. The Judge in
whose Court her case was pending
had fit of stubbornness, and under
the depressing influence of an indi-
gestible dinner had denied the ap-
plication. The poor woman was in
dilemma, and the plan Of escape
by swallowing both horns" had
not yet been promulgated by the
Sentinel. She appealed to her attor-
ney, who informed her that Justice
and divorce could be dispensed by
the judicial fiat alone. She left her
attorney in tears. The next morn
ing his Honor came upon the bench,
before the reading of the minutes,
said he had disposed of an impor-
tant case the previous evening in a
hasty manner, and after considering
the case more fully he was satisfied
that the petitioner was entitled to a
divorce. 1t was decreed according
ly. The lady and her witness were
married in haste, and the happy
pair left the city with an exalted
opinion of Indiana justice. Nearly
every Court House in Indiana has
been the scene of such farces.
Our Legislature attempted to modi-
fy these evils by an enactment re-
quiring applicants for divorces to
be bona .fde residents of the State
one year befor petitioning for di-
1vorce. This has lessened, though
it has not fully met the evil. Our
laws allow divorces for too many
and too slight causes. The list OF
specified causes are: l, adultery; 2,
impotency; 8, abandonment; 4, cru,
city; 5, drunkenness; 6, failure OF
husband to make reasonable provi-
sion for his family; Z, the conviction
of either party after marriage of an
infamous crime; s, any other cause
for which the Court shall deem il
proper that a divorce should be
granted. This last. we take it, is
acoming it strong for even this
time of free love, free religion and
general social disenthrallment
Some legislation is needed to make
our State less attractive to divorce
hunters. Some one has suggested
an amendment to our laws which
would go far towardrhringing about
the desired change. tits this: Let
the law provide that no Indians
Court shall decree a divorce for any
cause that has originated beyond
the limits of our own State. We
are aware that such an enactment
would impose hardshlps in some
cases, but these would be greatly
overbalanced by the good results
which would flow from the change