Telegram-herald., 1889-11-18
A WEDDING RING.

WEDDING RING.
n is worth noting that a very large
proportion OF the eases that come up in
the criminal courts OF New York City
are suits brought By young girls whose
lives have been blighted. Unlike the
regular erin nal cases, in which an
arrest has been made and publicity in
Cured az every step Of the proceedings.
the public know nothin. OF these suits
until they come up for trial. This fact
keeps them we'll IN the background,
and 50 people are ignorant or their
number and Of the extraordinary preva-
lence OF this form Of crime. Now, there
Is partial explanation OF this abnor-
NAL phase OF metropolitan morals. New
York Is a cosmopolitan city. Its doors are
opened 20 all sections of the globe
There Is here a certain freedom from
restraint in domestic affairs and in the
relations OF parents and children which
is not found elsewhere-and certainly
not in either London or Paris. There
the daughters OF the family grow up
under the strictest guardianship, and
are never allowed TO enter society until
they are beyond their teens. A young
Parisienne Is not permitted to 90 out
doors without the accompanying father,
mother or chaperone and in London,
among the wealthy and even with the
middle classes, ii is almost the same.
Here, on the contrary, there Is so much
latitude and Independence in the rela-
tions between parents and daughters
and especially between mother and
daughter-that more freedom is per-
mitted and the young girl Is largely
her own mistress. She has the priv
ilege OF accepting = thousand attentions
from the other sex which would not be
-
very young. she IS not deferred by any
notion Of parental authority from ac-
ceDting the escort of gentlemen TO
theaters and other places OF amusement.
Her whole notion Of the proprieties is
very hazy and indefinite. and II is not
surprising that this condition of things
affords an opportunity Cor license and
privileges that would never be contem-
plated under different auspices. 1t is
not that the American girl is less moral
than her European cousin, but thas she
is less securely hedged about by the
safeguards that belong by right to her
youth and inexperience.
OF course. very large proportion OF
such cases "a | rave indicated, never
see the light Of publicity and are set
tied without even going into court
Where the defendant has reputable con-
nections, he is generally glad to have
the matter quietly adjusted rather than
have his conduct known and his friends
I sCandalized. [ nder our criminal laws
I late amendment to the Penal Code
makes IL a states prison offence 20
F blight the life Of young girl. This
/ consideration has no little weight In
effecting = settlement in many cases.
F An happy TO say that have been an
humble factor in bringing 20 an agree
4 able conclusion many cases OF this kind
and in Witnessing the marriage Of the
principals Many Of these unions turn
ont very happily indeed.
One OF the peculiarities of suits OF
this character is that they are almost
all brought by girls under twenty-one.
Indeed cannot now remember a single
case in which tho plaintiff was not under
twenty-one, and the majority were
under eighteen.
In divorce cssss-a field in which
have probably had larger experience
than most members OF my profession.
and certainly 4 varied one-the vast
majority Of the litigants are women.
BY this mean 20 be understood as say
ing that there are nineteen actions
brought against husbands TO ono against
wife. The proportion OF i've In one
hundred is really on the safe side. II
is certainly pleasant fact 20 be able 70
say that, in twenty-five years expert
ence az the criminal bar. I have met
only az rare intervals with conclusive
evidence OF the fagrant violation Of
marriage vows By tho woman.
On The other hand. marriage, as
viewed IN tho light ~ the Flack case.
seems always more Of a burden % the man
than 20 the woman. especially after he
has made his way bit in life and been
fairly successful in business. When
the world begins 20 prosper with bin
the marriage bond too often grows irk-
some. aal he longs 80 throw il OF
Cases oa&tbis description are almos,
countless. II such a man has the
sIenderest reed % stand OF. he will
take bis position Bnhssitatir gly. and
VIII enter the divorce court 20 seek re-
lief ftis an Old -nd trite saying that
wherever there IS trouble there = sure
- 10 woman a. the bottom of H. Well.
would iust reverse ft. In ny expeFi-
ence and observation. wherever the
marriage vow has been violated I have
found. rs frorch writer cvn oaIly re-
ua-Fci There is a nan a. the bot
tom 1f 10. instead of a woman
Fr- tre sake - American women.
and woman xind IN Tene-al. t am happy
e. ho ia 20 state thrse truths No
merit ~ any statement I might make
car give them any greater force u sig
ni cerre than thev derive from the
faces thewse vas. which are In the
hfrhee- degree cred tsble 20 woman
Very few divorce SUITS. based on he
ground ~ unhappy marriages or incom-
uatacissT - temper ard cruel treat
men. arc tried in this state for TIE
reason that there car be but one ground
f1r absolute separation. and thst =
lnedeitT A rlle. where the-e sra
children sac parents usually come to-
Ee-har and sett.a their il 3culties for
FL bard "a areak 90 the Fam 81 even
tc crafty personal passion or resent e
n-ent Besides. it - I1cult 1sa Ter
for the rls1nrT fo establish crua tr.
Most women ara tender ~ hesrt and
Cran - persuasion. ard have srova
r-snT Instances where married lad IS
Aava been "a ssissd AGAINST rerzls q aS