The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
The CAUSE OF WOMAN.
DESERTED WIVES AND THEIR
SIRIUS BEFORE THE Law.
Nearly 2.Ot,O Cases Of Deser,ion IN Year
In Ch'caE0-The Teaching OF Patrlot-
ism In the Public SchOOls-Mr. G,Ii's
"schoOI (ity"-The Disfranchise-
mrnt OF woman and OF tho Negro.


mrnt OF Woman and Of tho Negro.
Tina, wife dc-erton is of lanentably
frequent occurrence, The daily court records
are indispulahle witness, but the recent
rcport Of the Chicago Bureau of Charities
plnccs the number beyond anything that
cculd have been imagined. 1t shows that
during the past year the charitable agencies
Of Chicago have had to aid ! 900 families,
destitute because Of the deserton of the
husband and father. If to these are added
those abandoned who make no appeal for
nubic assistance. it will lie seen that the
total represents not less than 10 per cent.
Of the ?O.oOO marriage licenses which we're
Issued during this period There is no
reason 10 think the statistics Of Chicago
differ materially from those of the other
great cities.
In about one-ifth of the States there is
NJ law requiring husband TO support his
family In many of them there Is no
punishment for failure to do so. In a few.
A. in Texas. for instance, If he have no
property, the wife. by complaint to the
court, NAV compel him to allow her enough
or of her own property to maintain her.
self and children. In Tennessee she only
can got this kind of maintenance by suing
for divorce, but the title to her property
continues TO remain in the husband.
In a number of States the law holds ne
wife equally liable for the support OF the
family although every dollar of the Joint
earnings belongs to the husband and her
property can he taken If necessary Until
arcccnt date assertion of wife and family
IN all the States was considered simply a
and tho huSha ND noa1 hnt
.lipover into an adjoining State, or neigh
boring city even. and he was safe from pun
I-hment The penalty is still almost uni
yersally fine or imprisorlment-.in the one
case depriving the family of what little
means might be available: in the other,
BOARDING and lodging the guilty party at
the expense of the taxpayers and leaving
the innocent hungry and shelterless unless
cared for by the same taxpayers.
Oela'e years, however some common sense
and Justice have crept into the laws on this
question. and in various States the court may
HOW award support out of the husbands
property, # he have any. IN Connecticut.
since 1895. the husband having no property
must il not incapacit ted give bond or he
sentenced TO hard labor, and the Selectmen
furnish support o the family to the extent Of
MS bbHu. III HdllSdS lItt WIG uoNS
alimony decreed the same as in divorce. In
Massachusetts, part or the whole OF the
fine may be paid, at the discretion of the
court to the town. society or person actually
maintaining the family.
In Minnesota failure to support has
been made a felony, but the wife is not
allowed to testify. In New York the hus-
band may he compelled to give security
L. 1 IL, TO-
indemnify the town or county against
their becoming a charge upon the public
for one year; failing in this. he NAV be sent
10 prison or pententiary for not less than
six months hard labor: but none of this
is made obligatory on the court. Ohio
in recent years has declared failure to
provide. by either the father or the mother.
when. able. for legitimate or illegitimate
child, to be felony which shall be pun
ished by Imprisonment at hard labor in
county jail or workhouse for from three
months to a year. or in the penitentiary
for from one to three years. Wisconsin
may punish from Imprisonment in the
county Jail ten days on bread and water
to year in the penitentiary. In Illinois,
the new law. which has just been passed,
provides for a fine of from SlOO to $500,
imprisonment from. one 10 Twelve months,
or both. and the fine by direction Of the
court may be paid in whole or in part to
the mother or guardian Of the children.
The man may he paroed on promise OF
weekly payments. Heretofore, the wife
has had to advance the money to bring
back the husband from another State
In all cases everywhere the obligation OF
the husband to support the wife ceases if
she refuses to let him select the place of
residence.
The superintendent of the Chicago Bu-.
reau of Charities, Mr.. Ernest P. Bicknell
who has spent ten years in this work. makes
one very significant statement as to a COM
mon cause for wife dcsertion!
Time and again We have marked the dis
appearance of certain men just before the
wife is to become a mother At such times
thew drop out Of sight, many OF them leaving
steady positions. don't know if it be known
Just where they go. or whether they get other
work for the time being, but they disappear.
There are several reasons for this. perhaps.
II may be taken for granted in Chicago that
VII" who Is to become a mother will not be
allowed to suffer from want of attention.
again. under ordinary circumstances, there
ere medical bills to pay: and. even above this.
there may be the desire OF the husband to
'S'hIe tLe NOTTI anu carer dltttluHt upon
al addition to the family.
Those who have made a study of this
subject do not need official testimony on
this point. 1t is a matter Of constant oc-
currence. Sometimes when the ordeal is
over. the expenses are paid and the wife
Is ready to 20 to work again. the husband
puts in an appearance. but very often,
after number OF such experiences, family
responsibilities become too heavy for him
end there comes a time when he fails to
eturn. The helpless mother and children
oen become public charge. It is the
ever-present dread OF this tragic end which
fills the mother with despair at the prospect
OF each newcomer and this lis in itself ample
reason why the output ought to he ex-
tremely limited. With a small brood she
can manage, il not TO hold the father, at
least to keep the children together and of
the list Of paupers. Family desertion is
no new thing. The love of his offspring
is not the strongest passion OF the avera ge
man AS the burden of making living
grows heavier and rapid transit renders it