The herald., 1897-05-17
For Divorces to Remarry
Outside the State
ARE Deliberate BIGAMISTS
DECREE OF DIVORCE NOT ABso-
Lutte FOR ONE YEAR
A Recent Washington Decision That
Has Made Hundreds Of Divorces
Subject to Prosecution

Since the amendment to the marriage
law Of this state, forbidding the mar.
riage of divorced person within twelve
months from the date Of the decree
rendered in the divorce proceedings,
went into effect several illegal unions
have been made.
Two weeks ago The Herald warned
amorous divorces against marriages at
sea, on the strength of an opinion rem
dered some years ago by Judge McKin-
stry of San Francisco, and also indica-
ted the danger even of going into another
state for the purpose of evading the law
Of the state Of residence.
Notwithstanding, out OF the total num-
ber of marriage licenses refused by the
county clerk, in consonance with the
new law, large proportion of the
couples have contrlved at least to go
through the ceremonial Of marriage.
There have been three marriages at sea
and there has been reason to believe sew
eral couples went outside the boundaries
of the state to be united. while several
others after being refused a license in
Los Angeles obtained one elsewhere. AS
an illustration of the pertinacity with
which some folks will insist upon getting
married may be cited the case of Otto
Schnebel, alias Smith, youth of 90
years. and Nettie Lewis. young girl of
II. When a license was applied for by
them Cupid Kutz refused to issue one
on the ground that the girl being under
age, the consent of her parents was
bn
seemed quite a well-to-do young fellow
and the girl gave evidence also of hav-
ing been comfortably brought up, albeit
she was inclined to 'giggling" and, like
many girls of her age. not predisposed to
view the world through other than rose
ate spectaoles. They said they could get
the consent of the girls parents all
right, but before this was done a Mrs.
Smith entered her protest in the county
clerks office against license being is
sued under any circumstances, on the
ground that she was the common law
wife Of young Schnebel. This lady gave
her age as % and stated that she and the
young fellow had lived together as hus-
band and wife three and one-half years
ago. Acting on the advice Of the district
When only iS years old to the 25-year-old
Mrs. Smith, but the onus of disproying
1t was upon the man.
PERSEVERANCE IS REWARDED
Young Schnebel didn't attempt to do
this, put instead took trip with his in
amorata to San Bernardino, where an
other attempt was made to obtain
marriage license. But there, too. failure
attended his effort, on the ground of the
girls age, the consent of her parents |
not being shown. But the couple were
evidently not to be dissuaded, for they
went from San Bernardino to Santa Ana |
IN orange county, and there obtained the
license they craved. From the circum-
stances of the case it might safely be in
ferred that the girl either got married
without letting her parents know any
thing about it or in direct opposition to
their wishes. She probably does not re-
alize that If the statement of Mrs. Smith
Is correct then Schnebel ie no more her
husband today than he was before she
accompanied him in his wild chase Il