Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-22
CAUSES FOR DIVORCE
The Great Diversity Between the
Laws of the Various States.
POINTERS FOR THOSE NOT MATED.
A Summary Of the Queer Allegations Made
by the Plaintiffs
OF BOTH SEXES IN ACTUAL CASES


lating to marriages. All the States and
Territories, except Georgia, Louisiana and
Delaware, specify the necessary length OF
time during which the plaintiff must have
lived in the State in order to be able to
bring an action for divorce. This period
varies from 90 days for Dakota to five years
for Massachusetts. Time in these days
often means great deal of money, and
that is why Dakota divorces occupy so much
attention at present, and it is solely for this
reason that she has the advantage over .
number of other States and Territories.
A six months residence will entitle the
plaintiff to sue for divorce in Arizona,
California, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, New
Mexico, Texas and Wyoming. A large
number of States fix the term at one year.
Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Rhode
Island, Washington and Wisconsin. Many
of these States make the threat the decree
shall be invalid If the plaintiff removes
there simply for the purpose of getting q
divorce, but the State pays no further at
tention to him after the decree unless there
is ayituperstive defendant to follow him up.
Reasons Deemed Sufficient for Divorce.
In Dakota the following reasons are
deemed sufficient ground for divorce: Mar
ital infdelity-which will secure absolute
divorce in every State and Territory ex-
cept South Carolina, where divorce is not
allowed for any reason-excessive cruelty,
willful desertion and neglect for one year
and habitual intemperance. The glorious
climate of California is excellent alike for
the body and for divorce. Absolute separ-
alton is granted there for one years will
full desertion, neglect and for habitual in
temperance Extreme cruelty is also
cause. The courts of Arizona grant di-
yorce for six months intentional abandon
ment, for cruel treatment, habitual intem-
perance and neglect on the part of the hus-
band to provide the necessaries of life for
his wife. In Idaho plaintiff may secure
divorce for extreme cruelty, deser-
tion, NEGLECT and intemperance, con-
tinuing for one year. In Nebraska
the sufficient causes for judicial separation
are desertion for two years, habitual drunk
enness, extreme cruelty and failure to pro-
vide for wife. Nevada sewers the marriage
tie for one years desertiOn, for gross drunk
enness, if contracted since marriage, for
extreme cruelty, and for years neglect on
the part of the husband to provide for his
wife, New Mexico dissolves the marriage
partnership for cruel treatment, aban-
donment, habitual drunkenness and
husbands failure to provide.
Some Sensible State Laws.
OF these, Washington has been regarded
as the banner State for the sensible view
her courts take of divorce. Sufficient causes
are cruel treatment, personal iniquities,
habitual drunkenness, refusal to provide,
one years abandonment, and any other
cause seeming sufficient to the court, and
when the court is satisfied the parties can
no longer live together.
Colorado and Montana both grant di-
vorces for one years drunkenness or deser-
tion and extreme cruelty. The causes in
Oregon are cruel and inhuman treatment,
personal indignities rendering life bur-
den, and gross drunkenness contracted since
marriage. In Illinois it is necessary for the
plaintiff to show the existence of extreme
and repeated cruelty, two years desertion-
or habftuaI drunkenness for like period of
time The laws of Kansas give q
divorce for habitual drunkenness one
years abandonment, extreme cruelty,
fraud in the marriage contract and
gross neglect of duty. Missouri will grant
separation for indignities rendering the life
of the other intoleraDle and for a years de-
sertion or drunkenness Wisconsin has ex-
cellent laws, for they dissolve the bands of
matrimony not only for years desertion or
drunkenness and cruel and inhuman treat
ment, but also when the husband and wife
have lived apart voluntarily for the space of
five years The statutes of Rhode Island
call for five years desertion, unless the
court decides that a shorter time will
answer. Habitual drunkenness, extreme
cruelty and refusal to provide will also
annul The marriage contract in the courts.
The Government has recently made out
some statistics which show that Connecticut
has about II marriages to one divorce;
Massachusetts, 80; Ohio, 20; Rhode Island,
IL; Vermont, 16; New Hampshire, 10;
Maryland, 62; Kansas, II; Wisconsin, q.
How Women Have Won Their Suits.
The Government "Report on Marriage
and Divorce" gives many curious causes as
having been held valid. The following
cases where divorce has been granted the
wife are quoted verbatim:
Defendant does not speak to plaintiff for
months ut time, thereby making lie
Defendant got drunk day after the mar
riage, causing this plaintiff to conceive
violent disgust for him. Divorce proceed-
inCs begun on day after marriage.
Plaintiff says that when she was sick in
bed the defendant, for the sole purpose OF
harrassing her, said he meant TO suicide,
and did then and there drink a bottle OF
pareooric which said action of defendant
soreiy grieved plaintiff in body and mind.
Plaintiff says she is subject to SICK head
aches that grow worse when she smells
tobacco. Defendant uses tobacco and a9gra-
Yates her headaches.
Plaintiff says immediately after marriage
defendant began importunfng her to deed
him her property, which said importantly
caused plaintiff mental anguish
Defendant threatened to knock plaintiff
"cold as q wedge" whereupon he did clutch
her by the throat and pound her head
against the wall.
Defendant quotes verse from the New
Testament about wives Obey1ng their nus
bands. He has even threatened TO mash
plaintiff and drew back his hand to do
it. In the decree granting this divorce ap-
pear the following: Il find that when plain
tiff was sick and unable to work, defendant
told her the Lord commanded her to work;
that he was also in the habit of frequently
quoting scriptural passages in order to show
her she was to be obedient to her husband"
Defendant cut off my bangs by force.
Defendant was cruel in this: He caused q
letter to be written saying he was dead.
Plaintiff ordered a mourning garb and
grieved long time, but at last learned the
letter was q fraud and that the defendant
was not dead.
Causes Of Masculine Rejoicing.
In these cases the husband secured his
divorce:
Defendant violently upbraided plaintiff
and said to him: "You are no man ut all,
thus causing him mental suffering and an
guish.
nv clothing in repair; she refused to cook
and never sewed on my buttons" A wit
ness testified that he had seen the plaintiff
with only one button on his vest. Plaintiff
further alleged that his wife would not let
him go to see fires at night; that If he went
she would keep him awake till o'clock
quarreling.
Defendant pulled plaintiff out of bed by
his W hiskerS.