The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1903-02-04
DIVORCE COLONY.
CONSERVATION AMONG THEM
BY COURT DECISIONS IN
DAKOTA.
Fear That Divorce Granted and
Subsequent Marriages may be
Illegal-Two Boys that
Weigh More Than a
Quarter of Ton.

Quarter of Ton.
Sieux Falls, S. Oak. j Ian 3O.-The
"divo.ce colony" here is panic
stricken. Men and women who
have lived in this city for almost
half a year for the sole purpose oi
obtaining legal separation now
see their hopes dwindling.
What these people are saying a.
bout the recent decision of the Unit
ed States supreme court would not
make choice reading for Sunday
school class. The ruling that
| 'short term" divorces in South Da.
kota are void is looked upon as far
worse than hardship.
If it were not for the scores OF
cheerful lawyers in Sioux Falls the
mismated ones wouldn't find life
worth living. The attorneys are
telling every one that the supreme
Icoart's decision will not affect South
Dakota divorces in general.
Oh the day the opinion was an
nounced dozen persons who are
seeking divorces beseiged the Offices
of one Of the most prominent local
attorneys.
''What's going to becomeof us?''
they asked. "Have we got to 60 back
to our husbands and wives again?
Is this the kind of treatment we get
when we com out here with the as
surance that everything would
come off all right?" The lawyer
ran his fngers through his hair
and asked them to wait outside for
half an hour.
Then he Waded through mass
iof law books, and when the thirty
minutes had elapsed he summoned
his clients.
Things are not SO bad as they
seem," he said. "Now, this deci-
sion was given in the case of Chas.
is. Andrews, of Massachusetts,, be-
cause he had not really lived six
months in South Dakota. In other
words the divorce was fraudulently
obtained.
"AH of that is perfectly correct.
But the supreme courts decision
cannot possibly apply to divorce
applicants who have established
bona-fde residence by remaining
within the boundaries of the state
for the six months required by the
state law"
'.Then, if we serve our six months
will we get our divorces all right 2"
asked the unhappy ones.
'sYou certainly will" replied the
attorney. s'Just keep up courage,
serve out your time, and you will
get what you came for"
This assurance quieted the anx-
ious clients, and they returned to
the divorce colony" with the con-
soling news. Every lawyer in Sioux
Falls is now telling his clients that
the supreme courts ruling applies
only to persons who have tried to
evade the Dakota laws.
Two days after the decision was
announced here an aged man call.
ed at the Office of lawyer who
boasts that in the last five years
he has parted six hundred couples.
"You obtained a divorce for me
three years ago." said the visitor.
I"Since then I have married sec.
|oad time. The woman from whom
I was divorced has been bounding
me ever since the decree was grant.
ed, and now she has retained law
yer and is threatening to prosecute
me on the charge of bigamy."
According to my Interpretation
of the supreme courts decision I
don't believe she can do anything
to you," responded the lawyer.
I"You lived in South Dakota six
months, in accordance with the pro-
visions of the state law, and there
fore your separation was wholly le-
gall
"But the lawyer in my home
town in Iowa tells me that the SUI
preme courts ruling is liable to
cause me a whole lot Of trouble, and
for that reason have come here to
see you" pursued the old man.
aWell, let ber enter her suit, and
then we'll see whether she can put
yoa in jail or not" and with this
consolation the old man left.
Mrs. Molineaux came to Sioux
Falls last November. She has be-
come very popular.
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, Jan.
l31.-Two Americans, James Cooper