The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-17
WANT A DIVORCE QUICK 7
OKLA HONA LAWYERS our NUS
ILfNG ron BUSINESS.
DrummerS Bonrd IncominE Trnins In Search
OF C~lientr-Secrecy with Which DEGREES
May Bc Obtained Auer Ninety Days
RcsIdence-Ii In ,bs Divorcr toiony,

"Arkansaw City! Thirty minutes for re-.
froshments,' yelled the brakeman, ard all
the passengers scrambled out onto the station
platform. As they walked up aud. Gown to
stretch their lcgs two or three of the best
dressed ones. whom any experienced eye would
select as Ensterhcrs, are approached in turn
by a youns fellow whi says politely
Going through the Territory"
Arkansas City is the last stop before Okla.
iona Territory is reached and the question
usually brings out the travellers destination.
II It is Guthrie, Perry, or Oklahama City, the
polite young man may ask another well.1i.
rectcd but not too personal question such
as Travelling alonc;" Then he withdraws
after handing the passenger II card which
reads something like this;
oklahoma city Is the best place In tho United
states to &c, u divorce. You are guaranteed Nbso.
lutte scciusion nnd freedom from annoying questions,
AMI DEGREES IRE not Published.
This is usually the trni eller's first glimpse
OF the divorce business as 1t Is carried on In
Oklahoma. unless he has cone especially 10
obtain one OF Oklnho,na's celebrated easy
divorces for himself. In that case he will
probably hunt up the polite young man who
gave him tho card and will nsk for further
information. That the young man is quito
willing to give, for he is the drummer or agent
employed by n hustling firm of oklahoma
lawyers and the proprietor Of II big hotel to
secure trade. lie receives n salary and com.
mission ard says that his work has proved
to be profitable, rs he has diverted-to his en-
ploycrs between fifty and sixty persons who
were bound for other points in tho Territory.
There IRE agents also In Kansas City and at
other places through which travellers to Okla
homa pass in my numbers Tit securing OF
DEGREES of absolute divorce in the Oklahoma
courts is distinctly II business. There is no
sentiment about. It, and 1t has proved so profit
able that there is fierce competition among the
lawyers OF the Territory to secure clients.
Two or three firms employ agents who work
in the manner described, and one firm OF en-
terprising young lawyers in Perry has gone
all it's compe titors one better by establishing
n branch .ofice In New York, which city, by
the way, furnishes about n third Of the divorce
seekers in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has been organized as a Territory
only n little more than five years. In that
time the divorce business has grown and ex-
banded until Oklahoma claims to be a larae-
producer Of divorces than any other State in
the Union, not excepting the Dakotas. The
present divorce law of the Territory was
passed in 1901, at the first session.of the Legis-
lature. IL recognizes nine grounds for divorce.
The grounds most frequently given in applica.
tions are abandonment for one year or more.
unfaithfulncss, incompatibility Of tempera-
ment, cruelty, and neglect of duty. The
thing that makes divorce easier In Oklahoma
than in any other part of the Union Is the fact
that q stay OF ninety days is all that Is required
to establish Il legal residence In the Territory.
AS most of the applicants for divorce come
from outside the Territory. 1t is, of course, n
considerable advantage to be able to establish
II legal residence in only three months. instead
of six or twelve, as Is the case in most States.
The Oklahoma law permits the thing to DO
be served by publication. and that in one of
the local papers, which has a circulation or
complaint Is published n notice to file answer
is also published and must be met in twenty
days, otherwise the decree Will almost GER
tainly be granted. This practical secrecy is II
great advantage to persons vino desire divorces
without having good grounds on which to de;
that q husband or wife has Slipped away from
home here in the East on the ~pretence of visit
ing Western friends or relatives. and has re-
turned in the course OF four months with a de-
cree of divorce. without the former partner OF
his or her joys and sorrows having heard Il word
about It. The notorious laxness OF the Okla.
honla divorce law led the courts of New York
aud some, other states to refuse to recognize
DEGREES obtained in the Territory. A recent
decision OI the supreme Court declares. how.
ever. that q divorce obtained in one state shall
Oklahoma divorces are now valid in every part
OF the United States. Since this decision was
handed down there has been u rush to OklahO-
ina. and the attractions. of the Territory have
proved So great that the divorce colony ut Sioux
Falls has Gwindlcd TO almost nothing.
One iirE of lawyers claims to have organized
its business on a system which has never been
equailed, SO far as the convenience and comfort
whose matrimonial ills are to TO cured into its
charge as soon rs the case IL placed in its hands,
and cares for him until the decree Of divorce is
granted. 1t Is all done very quietly and one
can take the divorce as administered bythis
firm with as little publicity and annoyance as
Ian would fIn l1I rt rA fnr Iylin lnn t.aa
young nun, say, has contracted an indiscrcet
marriage. There are no grounds on which he
could obtain u divorce In this State, so he goes
TO the New York agency of an Oklahoma law
hrm. He is asked to give any evidence that can
Ss used against Saninn.s t. his Ks wife i,, Then he is lent to
10y the law firm, where he will lind some fifteen
or twenty OF its other, clients, all on The same
errand as his own. He can be as secluded AS
he pleases, or, If he prefers. i'll two weeks he can
be NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. with half the young
a MSn III in '2 Perry. ,0' At II the Il sf SSar I'd lsAk House nsHS Where
he lives he can have the use OF bicycle or pony,
for the consderate lawyers provide both for
their patrons. There Is some good hunting in
the vicinity, and in addition the social life OF the
divorce colony has a peculiar flavor OF it, own,
town In Oklahoma, but that is because IT is
AID Oklahoma City. AS IL matter Of fact, TO an
Fastener there Is plenty of spice in life mt
Perry. The town contains between 5000 and
1000 Inhabitants, has 90 saloons, a number OF
gambling houses, and is enlivened by occa-
iioIal shIOIinE affairs.
AT the end of ninety days the man has ac-
qulred n legal residence. He is a citizen OF
Oklahoma, and files an application for Il di'
vorce In tho District Court. The notice OF the
application is published, together with n notice
to file answer within twenty days. In the Perry
Enterprise or the Perry Democrat, both small
four.page papers with II circulation almost
wholly, Local. Unless the wife has been in
formed Of her husbands intention In some
other manner, the chances of her seeing the
notice published in these little Oklahoma pR-
pcrs are small. After waiting the regulation
twenty days, the plaintiff appears in court
again, presents his case, meets with no OppO-
sitlon, almost invariably obtains his decree,
and the next Gay leaves for New York again
with his decree OF divorce in his pocket. When
his wife learns tho truth, she is helpless. II
the published notice comes to the attention
Of the wife, 1t is often impossible for her 70 20
TO Oklahoma. That Is not necessary, how
ever, In theory, in order to have her side of the
cuso heard, She may make deposition before
the Commissioners for Oklahoma III the state
OF New York, VIII is appointed ~ the Toy.
ernur of Oklahoma for that purpose. This
seems AZ excellent provision; the only OBJ
ic 'tlOa TO II l., the fact that this Commits
siuucr Is u member of the law lirm which may
bu prosecuting her husbands Gaze,
Divorce cases are handled in Oklahoma
much az police court cases ara In New York, aud