The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-20
ABOUT HYMEN'S CHAINS.
how THEY MAY BE BROKEN IN
DIFFERENT STATES.


Dozen Lawful Wives in Many States
of the Union-Two Legal Husbands
for One Woman.
From the Netc York Advertiser.
The question Of uniform marriage and di-
vorce laws for all the states and territories
Is destined soon to be agitated again in con-
qresss. At present in this country the
marital relation is involved in many doubts
and perplexities, 1t may surprise people to
know, what is the fact. that polygamy is
really practicable under the legal regula-
lions governing this land. A man may
have q dozen lawful wives or a woman as
many husbands in different parts of the
union. A woman may even possess two
husbands legally or man two wives In the
same state.
If man marries second time on one
side Of river he may be bigamist and
liable 60 long imprisonment; but il he
crosses the ferry 10 have the ceremony per-
formed the marriage may be valid on both
sides Of the stream. Children may be legi-
innate on one side Of the river and illegiti-
mate on the opposite bank. Owing to the
facility of divorce, marriage amounts to a
mere experiment in many portions of the
United States, the parties to it being not
hound until death do part" but only until
they get tired OF che another.
To illustrate the possibilities OF lawful
polygamy in this country, a New York man
who is tired Of his wife may go to q state
like California, where divorce is easy, and
procure one. His wife may have the decree
set aside in the courts Of New \ ork, but it
remains valid In the state where it was
granted In this way, by changing his resi-
dence from time to time, he can marry
again aud again and be legally claimed as
husband by women in a dozen different
states, The instance was recorded not long
ago of a person who left four legitimate
widows and four sets Of legitimate children
in New York, Indiana, New Jersey
and California, respectively. II a hus-
band in New York disappears and
remains unheard Of for five years he
may be regarded as dead. and the
wife is permitted TO marry again. But, IL
thereupon husband No. returns, she cam
not apply for divorce from him, because
she is party in fault, having married dur
ing his life. He cannot procure a divorce.
for the reason that he is also ia fault hav-
ing deserted her. Husband No. can pro-
cure divorce; but, If he does not choose
to apply for it she remains actually the
lawful wife of two men. Many persons
are now living thus situated. Under the
laws as they now stand IL is difficult for an
individual to be sure whether or not he or
she is committing bigamy. Suppose, to
imagine an extraordinary case,P man
should marry his own sister without being
aware of the rela tionship Such instances
have occurred. In that event, il goes with
out saying that the contract Ia void In the
law. At the same time, it is not legally
void until it has been so declared by the
courts. Accordingly, IL he should marry
again without the permission Of
the court, he would be- guilty Of
blgamy and punishable for that
crime. Applications for divorces In GER
tain states are commonly handed over by
the courts to referees for preliminary in
vsstigation. Decisions are usually rendered
in accordance with the reports made by the
referees. But, until all fees are paid, in
Guiding those due to referees, the divorces
are not valid. Referees fees are high,
running from Sc for each hearing Of about
one hour TO 500 day, and It often hap
pens that the applicants for DEGREES fail to
pay IoF them. Decisions having been ren-
dered by the courts granting their petitions
Tor divorce. they marry again, suPposing
that they have right to do so. In fact,
they are committing bigRmy, and their
renarriages are no marriages at all. Thou
sands OF people, misled IN this way, are
living in condition Of illegitimacy to-day
in this country, being liable at the Same time
TO prosecution for weighty crime.
There are other very interesting and curl
q voyoa in the United States. Arizona is the
only place in the world where a man aud
woman can become husband and wife with
& out getting married at all. The territorial
legislature passed law in 1887 80 the effect
that persons who have lived together as
man and vile for one year are legally mar
ried. II either party TO the arrangement
dies before the expiration of the year, chill
dreu born TO them are Legitimate This
regulation was established because nearly
all the women living IN the territory at
that time were Mexicans. On the death Of
the man who lived with them IL was often
troublesome to find out whether their off,
spring should become q public charge as
4 paupers or should properly inherit the pos
sessions Of their fathers
Nothing prohibits a white man from mar
rylng mulatto in most states but having
q done so he can go to Alabama and have the
marriage declared void without so much as
naming grievance. In Maine, Maryland,
II North Carolina, Tennessee and Massachu-
sets the Legislatures have made regulations
aeclarlng that people cannot marry them
serves In those states, but must be united In
"edIock by third person. Accordingly a
man and woman from South Carolina visit
ing In any Of the states mentioned and mar
rymg themselves by contract according TO
tne south Carolina law would not be hus-
nand and wife. Maine Is the only state In
tne union where women are allowed to SOL
etnnEe marriages; but, in order that the
ceremonies they perform shall be legally
unalng, they must be specially appointed
end commissioned by the governor for the
purpose. Such commissions are only granted
OCCASIONALLY to females In New York a
special law has been made authorizing the
nead OF the Society for Ethical Culture,
VINO Is at present DR.. Felix Adler, to SOL
eIhize marriages The society is q semi
ssenglous body, and it was deemed proper,
tor that reason. that its chief should have
sae same prerogatives in this respect as be-
''3ged to the pastor Of a church.
when woman gets a divorce with all
I;ony her ex-husband must go on paying 10
".uF che has married again. That seems
queeF, but it has been held by the highest
oOurt OF New York that the purpose Of ALI
,uoay is not to provide support for the
SOmSn, but to punish the man. He has
S0ue her wrong and should be mulcted for
u me aAmony going as q sort Of bonus with
euo woman In case she is taken as wife by
oSSotner man. In Kentucky a woman can
SGo'ain divorce il a husband Joins a relig-
; tDus association which regards marriage as
Improper, like that of the ShakerJ. The mar
dase OF man to his stepmother or step
SS w. is void in Connecticut but lawful
Sew %New York. South Carolina Is the only