Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-05-16
A UNIQUE DOCUMENT
Anthem, Ia, Couple File Ante
Nuptial Contract Respect
ing Their Property
MARRIAGE NOT TO AFFECT 1T
Both are Wealthy and Want Legal
Provision Made That Each Shall
Own and Manage His or Her Own
Property Observation-Disclosures of
Each Provided For.

|
which consolidate the property and
business interests of the man and
woman, do not appeal to the ideas OF
John Wruck and Mrs Anna A Latham
prominent and wealthy residents of An
thon, Ia. These two wise persons have
filed in the office of County Recorder
Becker an 'ante-nuptial contract, y
which recites the forthcoming marriage
of the two parties to the contract and
ton of the ownership. control and
management of their respective proper
| ty interests.
| Mr.. Wruck is worth about $4,000.
He is about 60 years of age and is a
widower He is the owner of farm
of 240 acres near Climbing Hill, which
! is one OF the largest and finest farms
| in Woodbury. county.
The farm is managed by a son, H.
+. Wruck, who is single Mrs. Latham
is a grass widow and is about so years
Of age. She occupies handsome resi-
dence which she owns in Anthem. and
also owns {, splendid farm of eighty
acres situated in West Fork township.
Mrs. Latham has been married three
times before and has several children.
AT the January term Of the Wood
bury district court Mrs. Latham pro-
cured decree OF divorce from her last
husband, and she is now about to en-
ter upon her fourth matrimonial ven-
turc.
The date of the wedding is not stated
in the 'ante-nuptial contract but the
event is to occur in the near future.
The contract begins: Whereas
marriage has been agreed upon between
the party of the first part and the party
of the second part and intended soon
to be solemnized for better or for
worse" etc, and then states that each
of the two parties to the contract shall
own and manage his or her own prop
erty of which they are now possessed
or shall become possessed just the same
as if no marriage relation existed be-
tween them.
The vital paragraph in the lengthy
legal document reads as follows:
And for the same consideration the
said parties have mutually agreed this
day to become husband and wife ac-
cordinS to law, and upon said marriage
to assume the duties and responsible
ties Incident to said relation, and it is
hereby agreed by the parties that each
of them is to have the untrammeled
full and sole control OF his or her own
property, real and personal, both before
and after said marriage and during the
whole time that said marriage relation
shall be a suSsisting one, as fully as
tho no such marriage had taken place;
and 1t is further mutually agreed by
said parties that neither is to be held
or made liable for the debts or con-
tracts OF the other, and that each of
them may sue and be sued, and conduct
his or her own business as tho such
marriage had never taken place."
This unique legal document is not
brought to conclusion without giving
some attention to the social side of the
married life of the parties interested,
for in brief paragraph the prospec-
tive husband promises to provide at
least decent" domestic surroundings
for his better half. This paragraph
reads:
And it is further agreed by the party
of the first part that he is ia main
tain the second party In a decent and
becoming manner suitable to their stu
alton and condition of life"
The contract provides that after the
death OF either party the party still liv-
ing shall have no interest whatsoever in
the property which the deceased party
left In the event of Mr.. Wruck's death
before the death OF his wife she shall
claim no dover right or interest in his
estate or shall inherit nothing which
he has left. except as specifically pro-
vided.
Provision is made in the contract that
at the end of one year after his death,
should he die first, the widow shall be
paid the sum of $500 In cash out of his
estate. with interest at the rate of 5
per cent from the date of his death.
Provision is also made with reference
to the property rights of the children of
the parties. The interests of the chill
dren now living in the property of their
parents shall extend only to their re-
spective parents possessions. Should
any children be born as the result of
the union they shall be entitled to
only one sixth of the amounts to which
the present children of the respective
parties are entitled, unless provided for
differently in will.
The contract was filed by III. B. Wall
Inc. oft OF Anf