The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-03-20
TAKE ANOTHER NAME
REASONS SOME PEOPLE HAVE
FOR MAKING CHANGE.
II Is Of Frequent Occurrence and Is
Countenanced by the Law
Method Of It's Accom-
plishment.


for all male persons to bear the names
! Of their parents" said an attache Of the
local court the other morning, reports
the Washington Star. 1T seems nat
ural that 1t should be so. Nevertheless
there is nothing in the laws Of this coun-
try prohibiting a mans taking another
name. and no legal penalty is attached
In his doing so. There Is always, how
ever, possibility Of its being attend
ed with Inconvenience. and perhaps loss
TO himself.
Suppose, for instance, Brown as
sumes the name of Smith. Relatives
whose society may, peradventure, be
useful to Brown, 1t is a hundred to one
that the relatives discover him under the
name Of Smith. So, you see. when a
man changes his name at venture, it
may be all the worse for him. OF
course, II he changes his name to es-
cape detection as a criminal, 1t may save
him from capture or 1t rlay not; II not.
then he figures In the record with an
alias. and that is disgrace. A man may
enter into a contract or obligation under
any name he chooseg, the law looking
only to the identity Of the person.
There is a way, however, by which
man may change his name with the
sanction of the law, and that is the only
safe way But the law requires him
to assign some reason for the change
Men have assigned various reasons for
wishing to change their names. Some
times a man wishes to drop his right
name because 1t is Of foreign origin and
difficult for an American tongue to pro-
nounce. This may injure him in his
business, as there Is such a thing as
prejudice even In this free and enlight-
ened commonwealth. Or his name
may have in English an absurd or even
vulgar meaning and subject him to
unpleasant Jokes, or It may associate
him with some notorious criminal or
be the counterpart Of some name which |
history made infamous, or 1t may be
misspelled and consequently mispro-
nounced on his entry to this country.
Frequently infants are left orphans
or abandoned by the father after the |
death Of the mother. In that case 1t |
Is frequent occurrence for relatives or
neighbors TO take a child and adopt 1t,
giving IL their own name. In that case
the party desiring to adopt must apply
by a written petition to the court OF
the place in which he lives asking leave
10 adopt the child and change its name
to that OF the petitioner. The order al
lowing the adoption and the change OF
name must be filed with the court, so
that the parentage OF the child may be
established If necessary
"A citizen OF the district OF full age
may change his name BY petition in
he same way. or. il he is under age,
ais guardian or his nearest friend may
address the petition to the court. When
IN adult applies Cor Lave to change his
lame he must give his place Of birth,
age and whether he is mar
led or single and whether there are any
judgments against him or outstanding
paper in the name which he
eeks 70 abandon. In case OF an infant,
notice OF an application to change the
Iame must be served on the father. or
he Is dead and cannot be found, then
n the mother. or II she is dead. then /.
n a guardian. or ii both parents are out
( the district and there is no guardian,
be court may dispense with the motion
r require notice Of It be served on any
ody II may see ft. II in any Of these
ases the court Is satisfied there are 20
ojectionable reasons the order is per-
lifted granting a change OF name. The
rder must be filed with the clerk and
days thereafter the new name may
e assumed. The granting OF the notice
ust within ten days thereafter be pub
shed In newspaper designated by the ,
,urt.
Thus the law protects the person who
y good and sufficient reasons desires to
isume a name other than his own. The
der Of the court being recorded. all the I
ghts OF the individual which may sub .
accrue to him under his orig 9
al name are preserved, his Identity be- !,
g the view OF the law. fully estab- y
she'd" v