Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-05-12

married another man, Tuesday started on
her wedding tour, and on Wednesday was
called back by telegram announcing that
the newspaper YVES mistaken, that no decree
had been granted and that none was likely
Usually five or six months are required to
get q divorce case through the Chicago
courts, though OF course they are often put
through in much less time. Some pass in
few weeks, and now and then one is ratified
through III twenty -four hours. There is q
divorce lawyer in this city who boasts Of
getting a decree in ten minutes after filing
his suit 1t is not necessary to say that the
professional divorce lawyer is a pestiferous
nuisance, ranking with that other social rep
tile, the private detective. Chicago divorce
lawyers used TO advertise all over the coun-
try and guarantee to get DEGREES for clients.
no matter how distant their residence or how
fimsy their evidence The legislature has
made il q penitentiary ofense to advertise
for divorce clients in this state, but the law
Is evsded by offering to mail a copy Of the
divorce laws for a postage stamp. Hundreds
Of letters are received in this city every day
from persons who want to know IL they can
get divorce without coming here in person,
and some ignoramuses even go SC fer as to
send along a history Of their case, with their
marriage certificates, asking that a decree
Of separation be sent them by return mail
Not infrequentiy postscript like this is
added: please attend TO this without delay,
for l am engaged to be married on the - day
of next month, and you can see that have
no time to lose"
A Chicago divorcescourt In operation is an
interesting study. There is usually great
crowd present In nine cases out Of ten the
complaining woman appears in court gayiy
dressed, no matter If her charge against her
spouse is failure to provide for her wants.
The unfortunates are often volubls, and
they are prone to unloose the vials of their
wrath They also like to bring their chill
dren into court, instinctively believing that
the presence of the little ones will gain them
sympathy. Sometimes the court room looks
like q foundIings' home. Most of the Chicago
judges arc literal in their queries and insist
upon literal answers They want a spade
called a spade. Contested cases are some
times fought with great bitterness, but a6
per cent of cases are not contested The
courts rattle of these default cases with sur
prising rapidity. On a e,cent Saturday
Judge Jameson tried three dozen at the rate
VI .eu al nun. h"e iee7 ele ~ W oeSin suit
ana u tor writing up evidence. All testi-
mony Is taken down IN shortnand, and that
IN oeiaais cases written out IN tuii IN
tne records 80 tnaI Ii the defenoant ever
comes around anu "ants 70 kno" on what
GROUNDS oecree WIS entereo against MN
his curiosity may be satisfied.
1t Is very difficult 70 make people under
stand that they cannot get divorce by
agreement The faintest sign Of collusion is
generally sufficient to throw case out Of
court The law does not recognize the right
OF persons TO practlce q sort OF legal free love
In tnas manner. Even when the defendant
eohiesses W ueseruon, Cruelty or adultery,
the court usually requires corroooratlng evI-
dence. feopie aiso hha II very ditncuit To
understand that mental torture Is not cruelty
under the law. man may 50 annoy and
torture woman tnat sne VIII want 70 go or
and die, out TINS Is not cruelty In law, unless
tne direct anu haturA tenoency On TINS men
tai suffering Is 70 in1ure ner pnssicai health,
or threaten 70 40 So ine Ia" assumes TO
proeoct tae physicai only.
Desertion Huss % Soiuntary' II nus
pano oriVes "ue OUT she uoes not desert
MIN; out Ii ns invites ner Dacx' ana seems
penioehe, ana PROMISES IN apparent good
taitn 70 tTea1 ner oe''er IN iuture, sne must
return 70 MN OF oe gulity IN law OF oeser-
.ion- 'ehio'ai W sue ieAs hoe1'e' VI e'en 10
the next tenement Is oesertion just as much
As tne reihoFai ~eie 70 ioreisn country
again, even .housn nusoano pays ior ms
~lIeS support he Run'y Oh uesertioh II ne
REFUSES 10 i've WIN ner' ou' Tue husband
mas tne aigh' 70 cnoose .ne nome, and "nere
ne goes Ms "ne must ioiio", no matter now
mucn against ner WILL OF oe guilty Oh deser-
tion. inese are general ln'hrprelatohs OF
tne iA"' appiicSoie u o1aer seaees as wen as
ihinoiS
There Is no hmt 70 tine nunoer or times
. man or woman may be divorced An at
tache OF tine district court IN TINS city reTnem-
bers woman VINO was IN her day divorced
six times, once as the piaintir and five times
as tbs defendant She was buxom, hand
some, artfui woman, whose greatest delight
1t seemed TO De 70 charm some poor man INTO
matrimony and then TO torture him into the
divorce court five times she succeeded In
this, but at last caught tartar, who declined
to appear to the law TO protect his good
name and honor, as his predecessors had
done, and instead took his satisfaction in
thrashings SO frequently and vigorously ad-
ministered that for once the fair prosecutor
was compelled to apply to the courts for re-
lief. Instances of the second or third divorce
are by no means rare
The records OF the Chicago divorce courts
of the suits are begun by wives Only one
half of the suits result in DEGREES. Desertion
is the most frequent charge, cruelty coming
,avt thap od,,ltary and finally