Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-11-16


E,.a.Hed that.
Well / suppose that the postmaster
thought The firm reliable he replied, ana
did not hesitate 70 give them the pref=r-
ence when Re- found an opportunity to get
a client for some OF his friends in the legal
profession
0. 'Rut what has always puzzled me-
said, lis now Blank "a ned possession e
the court seal. for that certainly T-as bona
lid. ! submitted the fapeFs 10 5eVeT9l
competent lawyers and they pronounced It
genuine
. J am certain the judge affirmed, that
Tr. RucI1er. the clerk Of the court Of Te-
cuuseh. would have uy-n-1g 10 DO win
matter Of that kind. He il as honest as
the cay Is long. He is an old man. now
ever and would be easily impDsaG upon.
= member 0f the bar could be in ;Ae
clerks Office for The 0steusiDla purpose Of
Io-ALrg over Cnckets Jr papers, and when
the old geHfI=man's back was turned
quickly slip tho pap@- under the seal, and
tho work would be done
The longer I talked with the judge the
palmer Il became 70 me tnat Bank vas
guilty oF more crimes Than the one Of fcrS-
ing his HaUs- ard upon mg mentioning
this conviction 10 him ne agreed, saying:
81 Yes. II We are TO compute the ofenses
they would quickly multiply. To enumer-
ate and define the different offerE5s Of
Blank ard his accompitces. If ne had any.
would take some time and space. can
gen Al once rhdT tnG LDfRlDE Of the clEEk $
name and ny own would be two, and the
use Of the mail for fraudulent purposes
would be three. any one Of which would
send him to the peuitentiary If he were
prosecuted -
One of -. Blanks" Letters.
Every letter in the extended correspond
ence between mrs. Sheridan" and the
lawyers who secured the decree appear in
fuil in the Herald. as do the formal pub
Iication notices.
The last letter from "a. Blank" Junior
member of the legal firm of Smith &
Blank" under which the Herald writer
conceals the real names of the Oklahoma
lawyers who procured the forged divorce.
10 his client, Mrs. Sheridan was as
follows:
oklahoma City, o. T, Jan. 2. 1sss.-Dear
Mrs. Sheridan:-Your decree granted to-
day. Please send me all my letters that 1
have written you, and the draft for slJ0
and I will in return mall you by regis
tered mail your decree and all your let
ters addressed to me, and this will end
matter that has been OF no little trouble
TO me. l hope It will serve you for the
purpose You desire.
Now, Mrs. Sheridan. I hope this will
not end our communications, for / now
want TO ask you 10 send me your photo
graph. ! should be very much pleased to
receive It. We are having very delightful
weather here. 1t has been somewhat cool
for our climate.
81 wish you long and happy life with
your intended husband. And as II is just
New Year. wish you happy New Year.
Awaiting your reply, am. very truly,
"a. BLANK"
Judge scott's Comment.
Judge scott's article which appears in the
Herald, following the expose Of the forgery
in the Mrs. Sheridan" case is a strong
plea for a reform in our divorce laws.
The abuses that nave grown up and
that will continue TO thrive so long
as We have in force in the various
states Of the Union lax and often imperfect
and conflicting laws on one hand and strln-
gent and almost prchibitive laws on the
other" he says, may well excite the deep
est concern and awaken all the great
forces Of moral reform that exist in this
country.
IF all the frauds practiced in obtaining
divorces in the United States and the con-
sequent misery and suffering of innocent
and helpless victims should be published
II would shock the moral sensibilities of
all Chrlstendom-
Il may supplement the example Of fraud
and forgery practiced in Oklahoma Terri
tory In the case you mention with a review
of the divorce legislation and judicial de-
the imperfcction and laxness of the laws
upon the subject of divorce. This instance
is full Of interest and furnishes much food
for reflection.
The Interpretation of the various legis-
lative enactments CT oklahoma Territory
by the courts and the ultimate legal stat
Us given by the supreme court to all the
DEGREES granted there form about as potent
an illustration as one would wish.
Just how many Of the divorces granted
in that territory are legal and how many
Illegal ] would not undertake to say 1t is
sufficient to say that the number granted
will run up into the thousands and that
the large majority Of them are absolutely
void or at least placed in question by the
decisions OF the supreme court. This feat
ure of the question, If fully compreEeRded,
would be as startling a revelation to the
country as the gross frauds practIced in
many cases in obtaining dissolution of
the marriage contract
Mrs. SherIdan's' Case.
Concerning the particular case covered
by the Herald's expose. Judge Scott says:
THE fraudulent decree in this case was
first brought TO my attention by a Herald
reporter detailed for that purpose along
the llrSt part OF last March, while was
yet on The bench in the territory of Okla
Eoma.
"Af's- full examination into the matter
y
fully recognize. the work OF the fOrEer.
At the same time I asked your re} 3rter -
have the original papers in the case
brought on from New York ard turned
over TO the prosecuting officers for Judicial
Investigation and appropriate action. This
request Was not compiled with. and there
was no power within my reach or the reach
Of the prosecuting officers TO 90 anything
whatever in the premises.
AT that time also I had completed ar
rauEcrncnts 10 resign my position on the
bench 10 accept law partnership 81 Nv
York city with eE-Juis5c George NJ Curtis
OF IS Nassau street which / did few
months later. This is the last ! heard q
the matter Until few DAYS ago, when your
representative called gain on me n my
Office in this city. when / reafirueI ali
that had previously stated upon the sub
tcc'. m" facts Of which I have aetatlet! n
some length In an interview for he Her
a11
''I have examined with much care ard
patience all The papers pertaining 30 the
case. cSpe- laiE the spHTdeNCa Of the
parties. Including tho original documents.
photograph copies Of letters. drafts sig
natures. etc. and there cen be no goubt
whatever that you have "A conclusive case
OF fraud ana forgery TO pres, NJ 10 tNe pab-
lie "NemVityiug the aUlae.y and cr.;ui-
=li'y often adopted IN divorce proeeel-
.nEs 10y counsel or ltiEautz. especially in
countries whore tho lasity Of the laws
- 50 great that elarng frauds may be
fostcret and perprtratc! in The shadow.