New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08


10Y an exhaustive inquiry into the subject Inc
divorce laws now IN force are considered oy many
10 re a national scandal
we are confronted In this country. SAID car
diual Gibbons the other day. by polygamy-l mean
the polvgar7v that exists IL every State OF TINS
Union There is no law against this kind OF
pclycarnv but rather. laws that recognize i ana
make Il possible
"A Uniform divorce law" says Bishop Doane.
.vro,ld make our courts cease 10 be schools Tor
scandal and would tend largely 70 remove from
America .he evil rcpute which has come upon her
FOR loose methods OF dealing with question which
is OF paramount importance to society and hu-
mainly.
The divorce laws Of the various States OF this
country" said Justice Gray. O. the United States
Supreme Court. make rs a laughing stock in the
minds Of other nations IN country OF the world
are the laws used to promote divorce as in the
United States Other civilized nstcns have uni-
form laws dealing with this subject
Lawyers whose business brings them into every
day contact with the workings OF the laws on ei-
vorce all agree that the present chaotic statutes
should give way II possible. 10 a universal law
IT is a lamentable fact that the laws auectlng
marriage and divorce" says Abraham Hummel.
.o~a In a chaotic condition. Their reform would be
NOT only opportune but welcome The old idea
that the marriage tie is perpetual-'untn death do
us parts honored in some States more in the
breach than the Observance"
1T must drst he learned II Congress has the
mower 20 pass divorce laws which viii supersede
those Of the States says De Lancey NiCon. IF II
has this power Il should so ahead without delay
cases are Of every day occurrence which snow
how the present divorce laws are made farcical'
and the fundamental principles OF Justice are sub
vertod by men and women who have grown tired
o. one another.
The State OF New-York recognizes only inhdelity
Is cause for divorce. With the exception Of those
q South Carolina which does not permit divorce
granted by its courts the divorce laws OF this
State strcter than those Of any other state IN
the Union And it has become the custom TOT
husbands and wives OF this State 10 seek olher
States 10 obtain liberty from their matrimonial
bonds. Every now and then New-Horker is heard
70 have gone 10 South Dakota or Utah or California
and those who IN not quite as great haste seek
the hospitable shores OF Narragansett Bay mus
4 is that the courts OF Rhode Island grant as
many DEGREES citizens Of this State as OF tnelr
own on May q 1901. the Appellate Division Of the
suprene Court Of Rhode Island granted in one DAY
three DEGREES OF divorce TO New-TOrk people OF
fashion.
A case where a wife sought a divorce by going to
another State but was frustrated by her own
candid acknowledgment Of her purpose, occurred
recently and the friends Of the husband and wife
are SIN wondering as TO the final outcome Inc
husband had been charged with murder. and
throughout the first trial the wife befriended him
and sought save him Upon his conviction she
made her home near the State prison. On the
reversal OF the courts decision and during the
second trial The wife did not show the interest she
maintained before, and soon aIter
ac1ufttal she went a Western State and took
apartments in a hotel 1t was reported that she
furnished her rooms in sumptuous style and
through ternpestuous winter she bded her time.
In the State where she had settled only six months
are required FOR period Of residence prior to a
suit Tor divorce.
In this case, however the courts refused TO grant
divorce. because she had not kept her secret.
In certain States such as Arkansas. Kentucky.
Louisiana. Missouri ard Texas. divorce is granted
-~--,a-- ~,FF-
RACES or excess = as 10 render their living to-
f ha~ fus1r,rortable' can be shown Consequently.
many NeV-Yorkers have gone 10 these States TO
Obtain. divorces on grounds which were oftentines
ludicrous. Only recently New-York woman
brought suit Tor divorce in Missouri and in her
statement she charged her husband follows:
He never kissed me when he came home from
work The first two years he always used 70 kiss
me both in the morning when he left the house
and in the evening hen he came home. Then he
forgot 10 kiss me at night. forEave him that,
because ] thought he tired. but when he be
gan to 20 away fla the morning without so much as
even a tap on my wrist. knew that he didn't love
me any more. Finally. one morning scolded him
Tor forgetting me. and he treated me cruelty"
Then the Judge asked:
Just what was this cruel treatment
why. he said ! made him tired" replied the
plaintf
The divorce was granted
Because OF the decision OF the United States
Supreme Courl. in the case 81 Elliot against Elliot,
81 Is now impossible obtain divorce in State
unless the parties 10 the marriage have acquired
fun legal residence in the States. This ruling,
however only compels a little longer residence,
and only 'prolongs the agony one jurist ex-
pressed IT,
So many unhappy Fasteners have settled in
Oklahoma with me purpose OF shaking of their
matrimonial letters" that even the Indians last
caught the contaeion In July OF last year the
black and red Inhabitants OF Guthrie Okla, were
sstounded 10 hear that Spah-Tah Bear. an Indian
more than seventy years old, had sued for
divorce from his sQuaW. Mad Bear 1t the first
divorce case IN Indian history. Spah-Pah-Bear
charged his wife with all sorts OF iniouities and
among them was 'TnfdeIty.' abandonment
gross neglect and 'carelessness in her household
duties" The old buck his case and Mad
Bear was all that her name signihed.
AS a result Of American methods Of obtaining
divorces Fl is frequently the that the husband
o. one wife is supporting two three other fam
flies Of children as the result OF former marriages
auG divorces. Only short time prominent
citizen q this city and member OF one Of its old
est families sought 10 cut down the amount Of
E.-rouy which ne paying one wife and set Of
Children because be had such a large family by
bis second wife that his income was not large
enough % go around. When his first wife secured
divorce she court awarded her $4,000 a year.
Af.,r the decree the man remarked, and st was
mot lolg Before he sought TO lessen somewhat the
burden q the courts order and he obtained from
the Appellate Division Of the Supreme Court the
r5eht 10 pay only 5000 Re said that his income
had decreased 10 only $500 year and that his
former wife tyo-thirds Of it, For this reason
BE- said. ne was unable TO support himself ana his
present family except beggarlv fashion. But the
first wife was resolute and. carrying the case 10
enc New-York State Court Of Appeals, she was
f~al1y successful IN getting back the fun $4,000
Because Of The ease with which divorces may be
obtained in this country 81 is common 10 mo
women with "a half dozen hyphens IN their names
Bach hyphen represents divorce or death. IN