The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-12-16
THE CHEAP DIVORCE SHARP.

On more than one occasion TIL
HERALD has referred to the practice o
a Salt Lake attorney named Blandin
who makes a speciality Of procuring di
Vorces for nOn-resIdents. Not long ago
this paper told of the filing by him of {
numberref suits for divorce in the Pro
bate Court of this county, and later o.
the withdrawal of the actions, Judge
Smith requiring kind of proof thai
could not be given. and also making il
plain that he would not be a partner in
the business OF crookedly divorcmg
people Mr. Blandin is one of the
lawyers who advertises in the eastern
papers to procure divorces for the dis
con tented with little trouble to the
parties, and at small cost. It seems
from the following letter that the rebuff
which he encountered in the Salt Lake
County Prob ,te Court, caused him TO
look elsewhere for opportunity TO ply
his odious vocation The letter was ad-
dressed as stated. Perhaps other prob
ate judges have received similar com
mnnications. If so, We hope they have
had the wisdom to answer them, if at
all, as Judge WooIley has done:
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH,
December 9th, 1884
Hon. EdWin G.. Hoolley. Probate ,Judqe, !
Washington County:
Dear Sir advertise in pewsDaDers
TO procure divorces. Many persons who |
are now absent III different States tenn
porarlly on business. but who have re-
sided for more than one year last past
IN Washington County, Utah have de-
sired me to procure them divorces. The
complaints III their cases will show q
bona tide residence in Washington
County for more than one year last past
and one OF the statutory causes for
divorce, and VIII be sworn to by plain
tits. On account of their absence from
the Territory, l shall have their depOSi-
tlOns taken to be filed and read in
court In evidence on trial. Some will
show necessary residence in your
county, and one or more of the grounds
Tor divorce allowed by our statutes. IF
under these circumstances you will
grant me divorces, / shall have a great
many cases for YOU. Ex-Judge Elias
Smith Of the Probate Court, Salt LAKE
County, used 10 grant DEGREES. under
similar circumstances, bat the PRESENT.
Judge, Elias a. Smith, will not do so,
and rules that | must bring into court .
some resident of the county known TO
him in addition TO the plaintiffs deposi-
ton, to prove the fact te his satisfaction,
that the plaintiff is or has been q bona ]
Fde resident of Utah for one year. am ,
willing TO pay all fees in advance for
suits brought in your court. Please let
me know whether or not you viii grant
DEGREES in divorce in this class of cases, !
and En 1r1aa mt Of
Enclosed please lind stamped envelope
for reply.
Very respectfully. s
CHAS. 7. BLAxDIN.
AS a matter Of fact, there is probably f
not one such case as Mr.. Blandin here '
represents in Washington County: that i
is to say. we doubt if there is one person
absent temporarily on business, "but l
who has resided for more than one 7
year last past in Washington County, /
Utah" who has desired Mr.. BIandin to 6
procure divorce for him. Having /
been check-Inated in this County, where r
his business of procuring fraudulent
divorces is at an end. he sends to Judge :
Woolley, in the hope, through the t
promise of fees, to induce that official e
to accept a partnership in the nefarious :,
business Unfortunately for Blandin. $
but happily for the good name of WASH o
ingtOn County and of Utah, the E
attorney vas mistaken in his man. the !
bait not being snapped up. Judge h
WOelley's prompt reply was as follows: I
ST. GEORGE, December II, 1894. c
Charles z. BjGRdin. Salt Lake Ctr. v
Dear Sir-Your favor of the 9Th inst. .
received, and in answer will say that Il
am not prepared to state in advance e
what decree | may make in any case. ~
but in cases of divorce [ shall certainly =
require the proof OF residence as well as !,
to other matters contained in the COM i
plant TO be to nay full satisfaction. and u
as to residence there can lie no difficulty =
In bona fGe citizen making clear proof II
by resident witnesses. l understand u
that the class of business YOU refer TO is p
the same that has heretofore been II
practiced in some of the courts ofthis :
Territory, much to the disgrace of the .
judges, attorneys and others who were =
parties to such questionable proceed ~
ingS. respectfully, -
EDWIN G. WooLLEy, u
Probate Judge
BIandin's letter is of such an insult
ing nature that he deserves the keen 81
reprimand administered by Judge ss
Woolley, who rightly read the man and III
OWNED the character of his disreputable I'll
business. Other probate judges should er
be placed on their guard against being 70
imposed upon by this fellow Bona fde Pi
residents of Utah do not leave the Ter m
ritory and then send back here to tn
Charles F. Blandin for divorces; and if co
they did the DEGREES should not be TO
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