The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-12-30
It's a "CinCh"
To Get Divorces
In King County
THE RECORDS At THE COURT HOUSE ron THE PAST YEAR
SHOW AN ALARMING INCREASE IN THE GREAT SOCIAL


Z around saloons and beat them VII en-
they came home feeling strong and
brave.
Dozens tell this same story.
The only reason they want d.
vorce. many ~ them say. 70 not be-
cause they are not willing TO stand
for the abuse for twenty years long
a. II need be-. but because Of their
children.
IT doesn't do them any good 20
see their father lyiug around drunk
I can't teach them 10 respect him"
some women explain. and. besides.
! need the money be takes from me
20 educate the children"
II seems almost unbelievable that
there are 50 many women Ia the city
mon supported 10y their husbands.
but the superior court judges are In
a position 10 realize that there arc
hundreds and hundreds OF men who,
during the past year. have invested
more money In cigars than they
have In making provision for their
families.
In few uncontested cases are de-
crees denied. Undoubtedly many
tales Of woe are told that are not
30. but II no one contradicts them
and they appear 20 be. on the sur
face. fairly STRAIGHTFORWARD. there Is
nothing else for the court to do.
When the plaintiff has children.
however. many questions are asked
BY both the judges and Mr. Murphy.
30 that they may be sure of the
merits Of the case.
On default divorce case DAYS the
court room Is nearly always full,
many people come TO hear the d.
vofcea because II Is Just as inter-
egtlng and cheaper than II In TO 20
10 the matinee on Saturday after
moons. But a contested divorce Is
what draws the crowd. Friends
and relatives. each taking sides, fill
up the spectators seats and whisper
and chatter about the case being
tried until the bailiffs knuckles ache
with rapplng for order.
I knew II would come 10 this be-
tween May and jim I told May 50
when she married the shiftless
brute one old lady will whisper
20 another. while probably two old
maiden aunts Of Jim'a behind them
will be whispering:
Little cat. amt she7 She Ger
tainly made his home unhappy.
don't blame jun for hitting her. IL
he did. I'd a done Il. too. II I'd
been him"
The alimony proposition is for the
derelict husband the most unpieas-
ant feature Of the divorce evil"
and the clause In the decree which
provides for the payment OF SEQ per
month or 500 or SO. as the case
may be. causes the average divorced
husband more real mental anguish
than the courts findings in sub
stance that he Is a brute and not fit
20 have a nice little wife.
OF the SIT divorces granted this
year. q large majority are for de-
sertion and non-uspport. Drunken
ness or cruelty comes next. lnfidel-
ity Is a close third aud incompati-
bility OF temperament follows close
on its heels There have been a
few. however. on the ground of In
durable manias and imprisonment
Ia the peultentiary.
The number OF divorces filed dur
ing 1903 was G75. The number filed
this year Is 746. so. in view of the
growth In the population, the In
crease in the number OF divorces.
lawyers say does not seem TO be
alarming On an average more
than SO divorce suits are started
every month. and II Is safe 10 say
that about ten DEGREES are granted
every week
During the year the record shows
that in only three OF the suits start
ed have DEGREES been denied. So
the general superstition that II il
easy TO get a divorce in this county
has been proved
Thirty-one cases have been dis
missed during the year. In nearly
all of these instances reconciliations
between the quarreling man and
wife have been effected. That Is
joyful for everyone coneerned-ex-
cent the LAWYER