New-York tribune., 1903-03-01

Bridgeport Conn., Feb. Is (speciaD.-Concident
with the recent pointed words Of President Roose-
Welt on race suicide and the caUstic comment OF
Cardinal Gibbons on the curse Of divorce. the re-
port OF the divorce statistics OF Connecticut re-
turned by the clerks of the Superior Courts TO tne
secretary of the State Board of Health has caused
a decided feeling of apprehension among the clergy
of the State. II truth, many other representative
and right living citizens view the divorce situation
in Connecticut disgrace to the State
The returns of the divorce court statistics TO the
State Board of Health for the year 1902 are prac-
ticalIy completed. and estimating one county. which
is diIatory in its returns by the number OF divorce
DEGREES granted in the preceding year, the total
number OF divorces granted in Connecticut IN IV-
foots up 492. This is conservative estimate, 100
This large number of divorces granted in a com
paratively small State has filled many social re-
formers with a feeling of acute CONSERVATION ana
they are asking with small amount OF reason
What is the Puritanical old State Of Connecticut
coming to-" Five hundred husbands and hVe nun
dred wives separated in year in Connecticut 10 a
rather appalling look IN the face But II Is
thh truth vouched for in legal form oy the Su-
neror Courts Of the eight counties Of Connecticut
This divorce crop is being contemplated oy the
commemorative citizens of Connecticut. in all walks
OF life with varying degrees of conjecture ana aP-
nrehenson as 10 what the future VIII produce Il q
curb Of sort is not soon placed on tne uiroi %
habit II is agreed on all sides that somethlhs
oupbt N he done to stop the headlong plunges OF
society into the divorce courts but as YET no rem
edv has been offered that appears TO nave Oeen
ak
string of divorces is that the Connecticut ID"
f,rriebes q means of procuring divorce upon
almost any pretext $1,000
o. +be +nd9es Of the Superior Court Judge George
W Wheeler is the hardest one to OBTAIN ueclee
divorce from Judge Wheeler. ever since MS appoint
-o,+ +o the Superlor Court, has shown an aversion
+o the wholesale granting OF divorce decrees' anu t
number of DEGREES he has granted Is holiCe ~
small compared with the NUMBER granted Og 1- -.l
hro+ber t1dges Before Judge Wheeler says lou
a,, +olxe a decree the most conclusive evidence
must he presented Judge Wheeler rsceItly noiiI
down a memorandum relative 10 d pe1-' p
a divorce which caused much oIsEUs .1.e
.ha clergy and the members of the lesai
~ go in uuestion was that OF Nancy u Lar
In, AGAINST Nathan Darling. OF MlddleseA ooN-Ny'
and was one Wherein the wife SET up lne sLiS
Of in+auuerance and intoleraoie cruettS' Gu Gu -
was defended by the husoalu-
memorandum was this: .,,..
..yvbatever may be said concerning the conuuC' I
of this defendant prior to his removal ~ -.
since that time there has oeen hOtliIs III ~ -.
dI,c+ ,1non which TO base claim that ne mas 0ei
in+oIera5lv cruel or habitu4uy lntemperaIe-
.,r,,- oo.a illustrates the advantages OF having
49, 5afendant represented by counsel and making
. dagance IN a divorce action 1t IS comparatively
easv to ascertain the truth under such Gil
stances. Had this case been uIlcoii'es q -
1,,orce cases are the probabilities are tnat ol-
-or,o ,you15 have been readily granted. II Woulo
he Of enormous benefit in the ascertalnmeht OF tio
truth in this class Of cases II the 5ta'e' III IIo
interest Of morality, and TOT us own P4O
had divorce actions really and IN fact unconteSteo
investigated, and the result Of the investigator
presented TO the court through competent counsel
such a procedure, properly carried out "oulo on
nofnish in my Judgment. the numoer Oh ol'OiIeS
ranted b at least one-third for there Is at least
that proportion Of divorce actions which could NOT
stand careful investigation and contested triai-
The adoption of Judge WheeIers plan "ou4o 90
.,,oh - 1n+ an end to the colusion divorces. the
Dr-uber ~ which now yearly granted in Connect-
cut is unascertainable ,,
A case in point which shows how painstaAlhs
ia. wheeler is in handling divorce petitions Is
that NJ Colonel n H. Heft. chief Of the electrical
denartment of the New-York, New-HaVen and
Hartford Railroad. Mrs Iiert sued her husband
g. 5,,o-ce and alfunony. Because % the social
nosition of the principals a committee was ap-
noInted TO hear the evidence. The committee.
Morris B. Beardsley. recommended decree OF
divorce and $4,000 aIimony. When the recommen-
dation came before Judge Wheeler he observed that
there was no mention in the report by the commit
tee Of the name Of the correspondent On this