The Sunday globe., 1901-06-09
DIVORCES ARE EASY
How They are Obtained in Our
District Courts.
SAMPLE CASES OF PERJURY.
An Old Lawyer Let's The Globe in on the Ground
Floor into the Secret OF How 10 Obtain
0lroUe-Ths Judges, Despite Their Watch
funess and Moral Convictions Compelled 10
Grant Divorces where they Should be Refused


IF The Globe would look up the
records Of the divorce cases, brought
in the District courts, mighty interest
ing reading could be furnished its rea-
ders," said well-known attorney to
a Globe man, on the avenue last even
ing.
In what particular line would you
suggest the investigation should be
conducted?"
We'll, ! will give you my experience
as a practitioner at the District bar
for over twenty years, and in which
time | have not taken half a dozen
criminal cases all told"
Then you practice runs to the d.
vorce business, does it?'
Not exactly, although | have had
my share in that particular branch OF
civil practice
please give The Globe readers a
sample case, illustrative, as it were,
Of the evils you have observed"
"I was attorney in a noted case In
which the husband sued for divorce
on the grounds of adultery He
brought into court an array Of wit
nesses which fairly established his
case. provided they testified to the
truth, One man in the bunch
was particularly hard on my client
He was by occupation guide,
showing people the sights Of the
city. He testified positively to the
act of adultery with my client, and
that he repeated the offense numbers
of times, in various places Of assigna'
ton. | crosseXamined but could not
break him down, so I spared for time,
and kept him in the witness chair
until the session closed Now, how do
YOU suppose I established this fellows
periury"
"The Globe gives it up; how did you
do it?"
"Well, sir, got my client to join a
party of pretended eXcursionists, and
this fellow was hired as the guide.
know he had never seen my client
and fixed up a job on him, by In.
structing her to sit next him in the
carriage. and stick to him all day. She
played her part to perfection, and In
duced or coaXed the guide to show
her many courtesies not down on the
regular menu of a guide. When the
case next came up in court I put the
fellow in the witness chair, and asked
him if he had seen my client recent
ly
"No. your client has soured on me
for testifying against her.
"Have you visited any assignation
house with her since this trial com
mencedg"
"No-not since gave testimony
against her.
"WelI, have you been in her com
pany at alp 49,.
"No. sir; I tell you no-and that
ends it,
But haven't you been riding with
her and showing her the sights OF
Washington since the adjournment
Of the case?"
"I have not, and you can't make me
perjure myself"
aof course you have known my
client a long timer"
yes | have known her since she
was a little girl, and was crimlnally
intimate with her before and after
her marriage"
"How many tines"
ooh. couldn't count them.
when was the latest?'
"Just before the trial started
$50 Won deny positively that on last
Wednesday Won we're seen in her COM
pany riding about the city, ana snow
ing her the places or INTEREST,"
"I dots a lie"
"Tbat will do; step down
when he left the stand, resumed
the attorney,T put the make,belleVe
excursionists had hired, one atter an
other on the stand, and, Of course the
nermrv of the fellow was established
IA matter of fact he never knew my
client but was a member OF gang
which exists here to furnish VIII
nesses for money The records OF
the courts. despite all the carefulness
of the Judges, are full of cases of sim
liar character. where separation was
sought on grounds sworn to by per
iured Witnesses
"How about the women? DO they
play at this game, too?'
"Yes, they are as proficient as inc
mon had the case of man sued
for divorce on the grounds or haplI'
nal drunkenness, for three years, last
mast as the statutes provide MY ell
emf had been a hard drinker, but a
year nreviously no had taken the liq'
nor cure. Thus, for a year ne was d
sober. temperate man. She prouen
witnesses to swear he had Deen drum
for the statutory three years l woulu
have lost the case If the RECORDS ol
the institution were not produced, and
the corroborative testimony OF ms
emnlovers. in whose service he had
been for a year, that he was total
abstainer.'
"But do not these perjured wit
nesses become known to the court and
bar by the frequency of their appear
ance"
"A few. yes. but not all. Every new
case has its own gang OF perJurers'
OF course you mustn't understand me
as saving that all suits for divorce are
founded on perjured testimony. such
q statement would be absurd. But
there are numbers OF cases Of the
character 7 have mentioned, and col
lusion between couples wanting al.
vorce is Of frequent occurrence. All
these things the presiding Judge must
watch and prevent, IL possible, his
court being misused Instead, there
fore. of The Globe criticising well
known Judge, as it did last Sunday
for his extra watchfulness in these
matters, It ought to commend him.
"You refer to Judge Bradley"
"Well--yes, since you mention him
yourself. do. He has granted d.
vorces, like other judges, when he was
morally certain perjury and collusion
existed. but he could not legally estab.
| lish his moral convictions, and was
forced under the statutes TO grant the
DEGREES. But I'm every case Of this
character he, as well as other upright
and honest indRes cannot be too par.