The Dickinson press., 1888-01-14
WIVES IN THE CITY.
LITTLE REDRESS FOR WOMEN DE,
SERTED BY THEIR HUSBANDS.

Marital Troubles Brought to Light in tn.
Police Courts of New York lity-Ch"ice
Between Paupcrism and starvation.
Delinquent Husbands.
Men tired Of their wives occupy more than
a fair share OF the time md attention of the
police magistrates. The law gives VERY lit
tie redress to wome deserted by their HIS
bands. Before a magistrate can interfere ut
all i'll behalf of the woman Sht. is obliged to
apply to the commissioners of charities and
correction for Il requisition to the magistrate
i'll the district i'll which she resides. This
requlSition empowers. or rather orders, the
magistrate to issue Il warrant for the arrest
of the delinquent husband. Before obtaining
this order on the magistrate the applicant is
obliged I" swear that she is without means of
support, and that she will be obliged to call
on the city to support her if her husband is
not compelled to provide for her. Ii sho asks
for any of the Injuries of life she will not
get them. because. having secured the arrest
Of her husband, she merely occupies the posi-
ton of n witness in the police court. She has
sworn that She will have to he supported by
the city if the city does not compel her hus-
band to provide for her; therefore the city
$ANS" AKA ~ WI VIC unfortunate WOlnullS
affairs, and takes the husband into custody
merely to protect itself from having another
pauper to support.
FIVE DOLLARS PER WEEK..
This being the case, the wolnan is rarely
allowed more than S. per week by tho mag
istrate for the support of herself and PERHAPS
tw" or three children. If she has no chill
dren and can do work, Or has children who
are able to work, and who turn any of their
earnings over to her, these facts are taken
into consideration and the amount the hu,-
na'o rs ordered to pay her is correspondingly
| lessened.
The husband may have made ,b.. wif,.s
me 81 miserable that she cannot live with
him.. He boldly announces, however: ~
never refused tn live with her. She left me-.
am willing T." take her home with mo now
and support her"
"How Is this! Is he telling the truth"
the magistrate inquiries.
81 could not live with him. n. abused
me, called me all manner of vile names and
said he wished | would leay, him" tho
woman answers.
Although the magistrate. NAV believe
every word the woman says he is powerlcss
to do anything but tell her to 20 home
with the husband, and, if he abuses her. to
come back and have him arrested for ,lisor.
derly conduct or assault. If the woman re-.
fuses the justice has no alternative but to
ulsiiiiss the case and let tho woman starve or
pecome a pauI"r, supported by the city.
Many "f these applicants for support have
not been actually abandoned. but have been
DONG more than their share toward main.
tanning the household, while the delin,ucnt
husband has been turning Il more pittanre Of
his earnings into the house, drinking IN, thc
remainder and abusing his family every time
he got drunk.
IF You would only give him Il talking to
and make him promise to do better. Judge
the vito says. Don't lock him M. The
little money l get from him is better than
none, and if he is locked I'm he can't earn
anything"
L~EcTGR1SG THE DELINQUENT.
The magistrate thus appealed to delivers n
lecture tothe delinquent and .iismisses him
with the threat of prompt imprisonment if
he DOES not treat his family better. Tho ius-
tice, however. rarely believes that this will
have any lasting effect, and it very rarely
does. In most instances the man is more
firmly convinced than ever that his family
are Unable to get along withou, him. and he
feels sure that his abused wife will not dare
10 appeal again to the court through fear
that her little income will le srill further de-
: creased by his imprisonment. Accordingly,
he usually acts worse than before. If he
continues TO give some little support to his
family his wife hears his abuse ms best She
can.
Sometimes such Incl. become 50 reckless
mat they cease to lie of the slightest benefit
10 their families and are locked up. The law
is Ooyt tn ,lnu.or1nsS ,,.;%l $500. 49,.
will allow them to live apart from their wives.
II such men choose to contribute to the s,,p-
port Of their wives they may abandon them
at will and a police magistrate can do notl,-
ing to aid the deserted wife. Many wives
are unable to swear truthfully that they are
liable to become paupers. Many others will
not submit to the humiliation Of swearing 20
even if it is true.
Many refined, we'll educated ONE submit
to all the humiliating preliminaricS to s,c,,r-
ing the abandonment warrants. because of
their Just indignation at being abandoned for
w"men whose physical charms are superior
TO their own. Such applicants are surprised
to learn that the law is not framed to punish
such %offenses, but merely to prevent all i'll
crease OF the number of pauIers. The de
linquent is merely called upon to give bonds
to give his wife a certain amount each week,
Rare indeed do such men face their injured
wives, even once a week. Some place has to
be provided for the receipt and delivery of
the weekly stipend. This has led the sergeants
of the various police courts to assume n duty,
which has of late grown to such proportions
that it has become decidedly oneruus. Ser
gcants ct the police courts have more than
fifty men III their lists who ARE thus handing
i'll their weekly inStalllnents. These are passed
over to the deserted wives. and receipts taken.
In many of the buster courts this list will in.
clude from 100 to $50 names.-New Yo-k
Evening Sun.
A QUESTION.