The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1905-10-13
AFTER-PERILS OF DIV0R( E
Bigamy and Blackmail Two CT
Them, and They are
Increasing.
New York Sun.1

hazardous business than it used to
be. There was time when the case
was ended when the man and woman
got his or her decree. Divorce
seemed simple thing in those days.
Now the real troubles of a mismated
husband or wife sometimes seem to
begin only when the decree has been
granted.
1t rarely happens that troubles of
the kind referred to have their ORR
gin in the New York Divorce Court.
New Workers may be concerned in
them, but the actions have usually
been brought elsewhere.
Laws are more lax in other states
and some of the methods of legal
procedure are so simple the New
York litigants without entire conf
dence in their cause seek relief from
them rather than in their home
courts. The Western Divorce courts
have for years attracted petitioners
from all parts of the United States,
and even the questions raised as to
their validity have not impaired the
popularity Of the Dakota quick and
easy methods.
As an example of the comparative
laxity prevailing in some states it
may be said that in some parts Of
the South service on the defendant
in an action is possible in the follow
ing elementary manner: If the de-
PENDANT is not in the state and can
not be found, either because his or
her whereabouts is really unknown
or because the plaintiff does not
want to find out where he or she
really resided, the court may name
an attorney to be served in the
defendants place. 1t is then required
TO give this attorney the last known
address to the defendant and the at
torney is expected to make personal
service in the case if possible.
He may or may not succeed. In
any case the service is valid.
The man and woman who are di-
Vorced and marry again only to find
afterward that owing to some flaw
the original proceedings have failed
to free them legally are nowadays
made to suffer in various ways.
There are plenty Of lawyers who do
not hesitate to use their knowledge
IF irregularity in divorce to black
mail the man or the woman who
happens to have money enough to
pay for their silence. The power of |
these men is very much greater
when there has been a second mar
riage.
One prolific source Of after trou-
Die in divorce cases arises out of the
question of jurisdiction and the fail
IRE Of the plaintiff to bling the ac-
ton in the state in which he or she
has a legal residence. A man or wo-
man may 90 to a state and take up a
residence merely for the sake Of
bringing the action. Is the state is
one in which she rules Of service are
lax it is entirely conceivable that
under the circumstances the defend
ant may never hear Of the proceed
npS until after the end.
1t happened only a few months
ago that the wife Of a prominent
man returned from Europe to find
hat he had pot a divorce from her
and was married to another woman
although she had never been awere
hat ne had begun the proceedings.
= i.t-r was obtained in South
We ac. State. where lax require
uent, as o-eevicepreyaiis. Itseems
that tnis man mad no real
'esderce IN the State where he
IroJght his suit for divorce. The
wife is determined to prove that
Fact.
if the first wife had not decided
o contest the case the husband
nigh, have lived for several years
n tranquility, satisfied that his di-
.urc. he'd been properly granted.
her SOM" attorney who figured in
he action or talked about it witt
who knew Of the flaw in
he proceedings miclt have wanted
% take advantage OF the irregular
T., "a tue proceedings.
On such hiac kmail he might have ,