The evening times., 1899-04-11
RUSHING TO DAKOTA
TO GET DIVORCES
Closing Days of the Period for
Quick Separations.
The Law Now Requires a Years
Residence in the State.
Fargo People Lament LOsses Falling
of Temporary Population
VIII Cause.

is just being run down on the old divorce
regime of North Dakota. Hundreds Of d.
vorces are safely behind it. Some have
made their entrance within the State by so
narrow margin that their legs still pro-
trude from beneath the curtain. and scores
have been shut out.
The closing days OF the divorce regime
have been characterized by rush Of di
vorce emigrees across the country to be in
under the ninety days provisions Of the old
law. and the divorce colonies at Fargo.
Grand Forks. Bismarck and jamestown
have received hurried additions from East
and West.
The old law became practically void on
April l. and the flood tide of the emigration
passed. Emigrees still come. but theirs is
bootiess chase. By July the last suits
for divorce under the old law. which Dako-
Ia ecclesiastics call stencil in the nos
trils of the people," will have to be filed.
man from New Jersey tarrfed in
Moofehead at the eleventh hour and waxed
conviviaI in the saloons Of what is known
as jug Annex" Of Fargo. The tolling OF
the bell at midnight brought him to a rec
objection OF his purposes in North Dakota
courts and in a wild sprint across the
bridge he left Minnesota soil and landed in
Dakota as the law went into effect.
The colony at Fargo numbers about $50.
DEGREES are being issued at the rate OF
three day. The colony at Mandan. across
the river from Bismarck. is nearly as large.
Divorces also have flocked to Grand Forks
and jamestown.
The LamOure amendment, which became
operative on April 1, revokes the ninety-
day provision Of the old law and establish
ing One-year provision.
One-half OF the business interests of
Fargo regret the new order Of things with
the deep regret Of men whose pocketbOoks
are materially affected
THE attorneys may talk about divorce
cases being only incidents to their prac-
iice.' said l.. Guthrie, Of Grand Forks.
known as the founder of Guthrie, okla.
and as enc OF the most successful divorce
attorneys in North Dakota, but it was a
where the incidents were a deal more
than their other practice. The fees were
eyorbtant and the time required practi-
cally nothing.
1T was Fargo's fault. If they had not
advertised the thing SO thoroughly down
there and had not worked up the people
10 think that the fair name Of the State
WAS being dragged in the mud they might
still be making easy money"
The three months sojourner in the State
WAS generally an individual of plenty OF
money. with an inherited or acquired habit
of spending il freely, and hotels, trades
people and last. but not least, saloon
keepers across the river, lament the pass
ing OF the trade which Fargo had come 10
regard as its particular monopoly.
Fargo is the most metropolitan city i'll
the State" said Major A. w. Edwards.
editor of the Fargo Forum" land it has
been the divorce business that has made II
So The divorces have brought the new
est fashions from the East. and they have
given the city metropolitan aspect.
Personally, l believe in divorces. l be-
lieve that when two people cannot live to-
ge,her without quarreling they should be
permitted to separate for the sake OF their
children il for nothing else"
Fargo" does not take all the blame to
itself. II points West to Bismarck and
says that something rotten in that section
was accountable for the amendment.
You could get a divorce in that dis
trict" said Editor Edwards, without re-
siding in the State more than day or
two. The attorney registered your name
on some hotel register ninety days before
suit was filed. You could take flying
triD to Bismarck. Then. If there was no
opposition. get your divorce in one day.
The Roman Catholic element, led by
Bishop John Stanley, and the women Of
the State. marshaled by the W. c. T. T.,
destroyed the divorce business. Bishop
Stanley entered the fight for the amend
ment two years ago. when it passed the
touse and was defeated in the senate b.
cne vote. He had the French Canadians
and Roman Catholic people behind him.
The condition Of things was outrage
GUS" said Bishop Stanley. 'One could
hear little children discussing it. They
would say: There goes divorcee: isn't
she dressed beautifully. She wants di-
vorce because her husband ran away with
another woman: wish l was divorce
and could dress like that condition OF
affairs like that is not very moral, to say
the least.
Attorneys could almost guarantee free
dom from publicity said Attorney Calvin |
l. Bradley of Fargo. Upon request the |
Judge would give a chamber hearing and |
the suit was not entered until everything |
was ready to move. |
Attorney Guthrie predicts a return to |
the old law and that within the next two |
years.