The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-05-11
GIRLS SEEKING DIVORCE.
THIRTY OF THEM BEFORE A CAPE COD
SUPREME COURT JUDGE
Examples In Cape Cod OF the Practical Work.
ings or Massachusetts, Law Permitting Di-
vorce Amer Three Years OF Abandon N ent.

BARNsTABLE Mass, May IA bevy OF
girls. mono Of them seemingly more than twenty
years old. fled up the hill that leads to the
County Court House this morning. and passed
into the old gray stone building. Almost all OF
them were accompanied by elderly women. al
though one or two were with sprucely dressed
young men. The venerable Judge Otis Lord OF
Salem took bis seat upon the bench and called
the first case on the docket for the term OF the
Supreme Court. There stepped forward blue
eyed girl whose light brown hair fell upon her
back in heavy braid the ends OF which were
concealed in a blue love-knot An elderly
woman stood one side OF her and q young man
with q flowing beard on the other. Then the
girl told her story. She wanted a divorce from
her husband. Judge Lord looked at her criti-
cally for an instant as though astonished. not 30
much that pretty girl. who dressed and looked
as though che had run into court from school.
should want a divorce as that she should have
already been married. But she said she had
been married four Years. and that her husband
had left her after living with her few weeks
She admitted that the husband was living in
tho county. but urged with a pretty tremulous-
ness. that he would not live with her Her
mother and the young man with the beard cor
FCborated her story and che went out OF court
smiling and congratulated by several OF the
OAith klAlp huh b1 lWo OE AlItt 1ouuk mtu
Another case was called. There stepped to
the stand a slender. eray-eyed girl. She seemed
10 be less than is years old. Her feeble totter-
ing mother was with her. Yet she had been
married. she said, five years. and her husband
would Would notsuggpp9rt after the fret three months
man, stood up In court and admitted IL Judge
Lord frow9eaa. and nestled in his seat. But he
A plump. rosy checked woman, with literary
appearance that may have been caused BY the
husband was a sea captain. who had promised
10 take her 10 sea. but when he got as far as Bos
ton with her he len her at hotel;
Well. why did he leave your" suppose
he loved another woman better" This sea cap
tain had lived with the girl few months, and
since he left her yet he had refused to have
anything TO &c -.i,h her =. ,:ae wears. Tbs
yvyuE woman got the decree she desired and
clerical-looking man escorted her from court
Next came q pale-faced girl whose features
were regular. but whose complexion was sallow
and after q week Of honeymoon her husband left
her with the remark that lie wanted nothing
moro o. do with her.
nid you 60 to himr
Why not"
" Because .; his mother was always picking at
Then Judge Lord. who had been visiby
growing indignant. arose. " II Is shocking to
Commonwealth that Is here to be observed.
Has 1t come 10 thisf ] am. here to administer
ton Tor three years IS cause for divorce. But /
see clearly how II operates. young man and
woman agree 70 get married. They feel that
iually pleasant and agreeable 50 to DO. and then
by sort Of tacit understanding they can live
separate. and then one or the other at the end
OF three years. brings in a libel for divorce for
desertion. The other party makes no opposi-
ton; The decree is granted. and then they are
at liberty TO go on and do the same thing over
and over again. / say II IL terrible 10 contem-
plate such state OF morals In this Common
A dark-eyed brunette stepped to the stand.
and wanted divorce because she had been
6eseq 6ers 10 leave y, ner huswSaPd a. he had used
an aunt ana a iino-iookinS young man man from from
made garment. and over her wedding ei2P Rksy
another. In the setting Of which a diamond
f.lste1ned Her iauniy hat was draped with a
ingly Al the venera Bile Judge from beneath her
long. shadoww ,eyelashes. But after listening
10 her story Judge Lord again arose.
must say that IL is terrible TO contemplate
turned to the lawyers who were in the bar
why. out 81 all the large number Of divorce
cases before me recently. there were only two OF
persons married before ls70l Does not this
solemn contract with the most trivial IDEAS Of
Us Importance, and with the feeling that they
can DO freed from the bonds whenever they
Ike am not responsible for the laws as they
stand. can only administer them. But will
say that. SO iar as ! can prevent It; they shall
not be used 70 facilitate the development Of
such a state Of morals"
The Supreme Court was in session ten days
In that time there were heard two civil causes.
and one OF these was the simple proving Of a
will. Tho entire time Of the Court with the ex-
ception OF that part OF il devoted TO these two
cases. was taken up in the hearing OF divorce
suits. There were thirty OF these in ALL Two
Of them were based upon clearly proved adul:
terry the others were those OF this bevy OF
young girls who filed up 10 the court house. and
sat In rows. Ike school girls. upon the wit
There probably is no part Of the United States
IN which there are fewer foreigners than on
% the r TsS hTe Te @EH
full OF traditions. and the orthodox church has |
always bad strong foothod here. Yet there
the Cape than H. any similarly populated area |
in the country. Young men and young women
are TO be found in every town who have been |
The Clerk Of the supreme Court says that the |
girls on Gape S Coz b are married yyery young and
all AZ this term there were three libes. AS |
divorce cases are termed here on the docket |
was all In the family-the father and his wife. |
and the son OF these two against he wife. The |
The father who Is peddler. very honorable
avocation on the Cape managed his own case
In court. He cross s-eIami1ed his wife his son.
and daughter and shouted so loud in doing II |
that the keeper Of the Jail who Was out in the |
fields with two convicts at work, went under the |
window OF the court room 10 hear what was
going on. whereupon one Of the conyicts.
ZachRus Pocknet descendant OF the Indians |
whom the Pilgrims found on the Cape. ceased |
his hoeing and smoked a stealthy pipe. PSrci-
val gave his own testimony on the witness
stand. saying that his wiie's faith er drove him |
out Of the house with a currycomb. and then, |
going inside OF the bar asked Judge Lord |
whether he should address the Court or the
audience in his plea. You may do rs you |
choose. | don't think the audience will have |
much voice in making decision. In deter |
mining 10 manage your own case you have |
done yourself injustice. and In managing II |
every step you have taken has been bad one. |
Bupyou had the right. Go on"
Well, then. Judge, Perciva shouted let her |
have the divorce. and I'm ready 10 support |
them"
The sons wiie's father testified that young
Percval married. her 10 prevent an action for |
bastardy, and as soon AS the ceremony was over |
left her and has refused to live with her ever
And yet you ask for divorce. shall grant
none. II young man and woman marry. not |
matter II the girl Is in disgrace. and either ot |
them says before the ceremony 10 tho other, / |
shan't live with you, and still the ceremony Is
| shant construe the refusal 10 live |
together aiterward ~ desertion. II a Young
woman is willing 10 bind herself 10 man for |
life to save herself from disgrace whom he an
nounces that he will never live with her, she |
must abide by the consequences"
Since the law making desertion for three |
years good cause FOR divorce has been passed |
applications for DEGREES have more than |
doubled in sOm0 parts OF Massachusetts. es-
pecially in the rural districts.