The St. Louis Republic., 1901-07-21
FAILURE TO SUPPORT IS
NO GROUND FOR DIVORCE''
California Judge Declares 1t is the
Wife's Duty to Bear Some of
the Financial Respon.
sibilities.

u.
Los Angeles. Cal. July 2o.-Judse Waldo
M. York of Los Angeles is not the most
POPULAR man in Southern California just
now. He has brought down wrath upon his
head by declaring from the bench that
women should have some of the responsible
ity Of the support of the family, and that
the husbands failure to support the wife
was not necessarily valid grounds for di-
vorce. This is the Judges ruling:
A wife might easily earn enough to
support both herself and husband.
believe that women should bear some
of the. responsibility of the support of
the family np0n their own shoulders.
We ought all Of us to work and do
something to keep the world going.
The mere fact tl,nt this woman and
her daughter have had to help sup.
port the family In not in itself sufn-
cient grounds for divorce.
The decision, which is holding first place
with the weather and other topics of con-
versation. was in the divorce suit of Mrs.
Flora f. Stephens against Henry g. Ste
phens, which was decided In favor Of the
plaintiff. Mrs. Stephens brought action for
freedom from her husband on the ground OF
cruelty and nonsupport. ard told a pitlful
story. -
The wife left the husband, but the case is
ore which under. the law constitutes n de-
sert.on by him. as Stephens told his wife
she would have to go. They were living at
the time in East Los Angeles. and she took
her two children, who were living at home.
and left the man who had failed to support
her.
Wife's Hard StrugGle.
Before the Stephens family moved to Los
Angeles they resided at Pomona, where the
husbands neglect of and cruelty toward his
family aroused such indignation that the
citizens threatened to tar and feather him
IL he did not leave town. The man has no
trade. and, according to the woman's story,
bo ambition and no inclination to work.
Since leaving him Mrs. Stephens has been
compelled to take in washing In order to
support the family.
Although poor, the plucky little woman IS
ambitious for her children, ond is putting
one son through college at Healdsburg;
a hard worker, and he is paying part OF
his tuition by working before and after
school hours. The oldest son. Amos, has
situation in Riverside County, but does lit-
lie toward the support OF the family. The
Oldest daughter. Mrs. Myrtle Woolacott, ts
happily married and does much to assist
After these facts had been proved to the
Court Mrs Stephens's attorney, Charles
Lantz submitted the case, and Judge YORK
rendered his decision. After touching upon
the matter of nonsupport, the Judge said:
Judge York's View.
"A wife might easily earn enough to sup
port both herself and husband. believe
that women should bear some OF the re-
sponsibility Of the support. of the family
upon their own shoulders. We ought all OF
us to work and do something to keep the
world going. The mere fact that this woman
and her daughters have had to help support
the family Is not in itself sudncient grounds
TO: divorce.
tributed to the support. Of the family with.
out proof Of his ability to do so, or proof o.
his neglect to do SO by reason Of his Idle. Idle.
to Justify a divorce. Besides, the law does
not contemplate that a poor man, relying
solely llpo, his labor for support, should be
| the only laborer in the family. In this case
| tho wife and her daughter, by honest and
honorable employment, were able to earn
q living and had the courage to do so. Their
work was no harder than that ordinarily
| done BY iaboring people, and for aught that
appears the husband may not have been
able to fnd employment. and II able to hno
| employment, may not have been physically
4 able to tabor. All people, rich or poor
| should do their part, OF the work of the
world, and not be dronet, whose existence IL
sBut II does appear IN this case that the
/ husband. prior to the aepaFation, ,waS. ex.
| tremely cruel to his wife IN many ways, and
| that without cause he indicted upon nel
gr1evons mental suffering and phySice! IN,
juries. and upon that srourM saie is entities
II do not look upon this matter Of women
EheleinS to support the family a such an ex.
fraordinary state Of a1Alrs - 70 warrant
=