The Portland daily press., 1898-11-23
DIVORCED INA DAY.
Husband Was in Denver on a stop-oyer
Ticket-Rap.d-Fire divorce M ethods in
the Early SOS.
(Frcm the Washington Post. }


They say that the Dakotas and Okla
hcma are the places for quick divorces,
said young lawyer recently returned
from the West, but ! know Of an IN
stance where Colosdo court granted
divorce to a man who was ID the state on
a stop-oyer ticket. This divorce ON q
stop-over ticket is an actually, anu on9
records of the Arapahoe county cour' ao
Denver will bear the story OUT
20 1t was back in the SOS, befors i'ehset
was hardened down to the conservative
nrineinles of doing business. II there was
anything to be done. it was done wieneu0
wasting an more words than were hsces-
sary. and the county judge VINO pfesiaeo
over This case acted more uEon the rules
of common sense than upon legal prece.
dents. But to my story.
nsey eral years prior to the time Of
which sneak there was couple living
in Brooklyn. of the class that would te
termed ordinary people. That is.to say,
tbe husband was man who worked as
best he might, here, there, and at any
thing he could find to do that paid him
we'll His wife was frugal and industri-
ous, and together they eked outa comfort
able existence. But the time came when
work was scarce, and the husband deter
mined that it was time to go into green
past ures to seek employment. He decld-
ed to go West-to Chicago, where SO many
III GU sands were flocking hoping to IND
81 Iiro1 with
money and where employment went peg
cling for the employe, He left his wills
lin their humble abode in broo1iyl,
pro missing to write her upon his arrlval,
the understanding being that as soon ~
| be found work and was able, she was 70
Ijoin him in the Windy City.
The work seeker journeyed to chicago,
and, >like thousands before him, discovers
| that the glittering promises OF WORK anu
lprosperity had been greatly magnlfled.
1t was two weeks before be had the
icourage to even write his better hall, ana
| in that time changes had come TO her aiso.
| The larder had gotten lower in those Two
week s, and hearing nothing OF ner nus
/ band she found it necessary 10 seeh on On
ployment for her own sustenance. sne
| moved to New York, and in the next rev
months worked from place to place, eacf
change making the possibility OF com
munication with her husband more re-
mote. ~,
/ .sHis letters did not reach her. and the
years rolled by, until she finally gave Mn
/ UT as dead. In the course OF Iime sn'
met q hardy German brewer, and tho op.
1 portupitysto change her name was no5 al
lowed TO pass. The couple removed e
denver, where the husband was employed
/ in one Of the large brewerles OF tna'
city.
that husband No. ]. who had long sine,
given his wife up for dead, was moyes
| again by that FESTIVE spirit which guloe
wealth-seekers in the path polntea ou1 y.
gether his belongings and started for tn
i promising West. Seattle. was the obJec
j tive point this time. and with mucn %
same visions that had accompanied hin
on his last western move, he settled dow
in the seat Of a Burlington smoker 10
Denver. From here he was to take IN
Denver and Rio Grande over the divide
and to the glorious Pacific.
ssFollowing every precedent, HUSBAND
No. engaged in conversation with an
her smoker in an adjoining seat, an
pretty soon the two were exchangln
courtesies like old friends. The strange
was from Denver, and when husband No
, | mentioned his name it brought to 10
, strangers mind faint thread Oh Tecol
I Ill. -
fore. but whereP All, one Of his o-work
ers in the Denver brewery had married
woman Of that name. les, she was fror
i the East. Indeed,n said husband No.
ssand had she previously been MARI d Z
i Quite sure of it was the stranger, for d
acquaintance with her and ..er hnsban
. was quite intimate and he had heard he
!. say that Ter first husband was dead.
ssThe occurrence set No. to thfnkln
: hard, and without revealing his purpos
| he secured the name and place OF employ
nent of the strangers friend, determine
| | to investigate. the matter when he reache
, | Donyer. Now it happens that trains froi
the East arrive in Denver in the mornin
and west-bound trains usually leave !
, the evening. The ticket held by husoan
No. | would permit him to stop owe
until 9. 40 that evening, just time enough
Upon reaching Denver he at ono
sought out the man who had married
woman fearing the same name as hlmsel
, He found him ct work in the breWerl
/ explained his business, and in about tfri
minutes was convinced that he had loca
ed his wife. He explained the situatio
TO husband No. 2, and they concluded
90 to his home and see the wife. The
did SO. Contrary to all established rul'
; Of feminine etiquet the wife refused
: | throw up her arms and faint at the sjgl
of her husbands, but calmly put her arm
, akimbo and asked her two HUSBAND
|, what they proposed to do about it.
g Il Thought you were dead, said she
No. l. And l thought you were, sal
he
q well, let us go to a lawyer. sa
. No 2, hoping that among the maze
legal intricacies could be found Pal
, leading ont of the dilemma. state Sc nj
tor Oscar Reuter-. a distinguished Denv'
lawyer, was at that time counsel far I'll
brewery which employed husband NO.
who guided his VITA and her other hu
band to the lawyers Office The matt'
was explained to Lawyer Reuter-, 81
2 to him the solution of the puzzle WI
I left.
r But who is to have tire wife?' aske
the lawyer Well, you can have her,
said hus band No. 2, addressing the nes
found husband. But l dom want her
. replied No. l. You have bad herf
. years,saad you ought to keep her.
Well, then proposedLfhe lawye
why not have husband Mop | obtain
divorce from his wsfei Theii she wi
t be legally bound TO. husband No g.
Q Both agreed to this, INT there was
hitch on the expense Who WIS to 10
r it? No. disclaimed all responsiihlit
: and No. 2 hardly thought it righs
; make him take the wfs and bear The g
l a Yah la ,