The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-21
BOST0N'S DIVORCE RECORD.
4 GENtRfL STIRRING orr or XATRT-
MONTtL SHfCELES.
uiooming Youth and Gray-unired Age Auhe
Fetirioning for Freedom -Sevcuty-Hve Un-
happy Couples Divorced In u single Week.

Utoomtng Youth and Grax-Ifaircd Arc Aurto
petiuoning for Freedom -Sevcnty-aye Tn
happy Couples Divorced In u single Week.
Froni ne B,,oa He,oM
Greater crowds were seen around the SUI
piemc Court chambers last week than over be-
fore gathered for the same purposc-that OF OBJ
tanning divorce or assisting others in the effort.
Old men and matrous gray, young men and
blooming brides. jos,lcd each other and whis-
pored Ia witness and counsel while waiting their
turn TO be heard nj the shrine of divorce. In the
equity room. and IFS adjoining lobby i'm the main
court room. and in hall and on stairwnys. off,
ccrs. lawyers. Iurymcn. clients and Judges werg
crowded aside to make room for the crowd
which for three long days diminished not
soul. as it seemed.
The first day. Monday. was devoted TO calling
the docket and on that day no less than 258
were non-sutod and dismissed for want Of
prosecution. some twenty more were suisse
gnrntly disposed OF Ia the same manner. and
seventy other eases were "dismfssrd from tho
do 'kct' ln nisi cases whore notice had not been
proved, dismissed without prejudice or " on
motion 81 the librllant." :. ~ that in this way
d,pui 800 cts"s Wore swept from the docket. be-
s!do those in which the libcl- were dismissed.
Oh,unuSted carrs only were hoard ast week,
ana ~ ul"m large number of decre,s wcr6
lssucd. ScNenty-iiye couples were divorced.
Inc stories related reveal pictures of ubicct
Woe, IN both high and low ultcnr. and among
both cultured and ignorant. The cnses arc
most carefully examined 10y Chief Justice Gray.
I.tY
On tlt ground OF .ndultary, and the following
facts appeared: The man abandoned his wilo
~ England aud came to this country years ago
because, To ms mind, his wife was too eXtrava-
giant. She, went out to service. and. after she
lind earned enough money. she followed him.
He learned of her arrival mere. kept out of her
way tor several months. and then fled bnck 10
England. Her friends urged him 10 unite with
her iin. and, after learning by letter from A
friend That she was earning her own living. no
came hero to find her Shortly after this as he
sw9re' she conirssed To- him that she had had
ht lair
lhere was no evidence OF her identity but what
came from him, and upon this the court re-
fused a divorce, cspe tally as he wished further
70 consider what the rights Of II husband could
DE who iad thus treated his WITHDRAWING her
10 h'r own resources III u strange land. and,
perhaps, forcing her 10 prostitution by her
nccesS tiles.
An interesting story Of waiting and watching
came out in ono ease. in which il was shown
that couple lived together only few months
before the husband left 10 find a home for hja
bride in the West. He hasn't informed her ~
the nome yet, though she has been anxious
enough 20 go 10 one. having written to post
masters. advertised. anu used other means to
she learned. now and then. where he mad been
in California. Jtah. Colorado. and Nevada
nut when she put her hand on him he wasn't
4 petition for decrce Of nullity was heard
q day or two ago. which raised question for
the supreme Court the Chief Justice reserving
Il So that an AUTHORITATIVE opinion might fiX tho
law upon the point The petitioner was Il girl.
who came from Maine in response to the invita-
ton and PROPOSAL Of II Young man in Boston
from her native town. They went in Il carriage
10 Charlesow4. where the marriage ceremony
WIS performed. and they subsequently lived to-
gcther ~ husband and wife. Alter while she
learned that her marriage WIS spurious. as tho
pretended magistrate had no authority to
marry. The petition was dismiss Il. the Court
holding that the statute under which it was
me parties had supposed tue marriage valid.
anu II had been consumnat"d. He therefore
ruled NAY .iI tne marriage j. valid aud the case
sustained the party can sue for divorce.