Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-03-31
LIKE BIG STEAM SAW.
CHICAGO DIVORCE MILLS orr
BONDS WHILE you WAIT,

iurn Out DEGREES by the HIM.
urea separations Granted in T,,
minutes, the Average Time Ra;,,
only Ten Minutes.
onicago has justified its pretension +,
ne the largest hog market, tbe largos
Iaetle market the largest lumber mar
net, the Is '%est grain market, the largns
p"cklhg liter and the laroast rail
.oau center in the world: and nov
:. seems TO be reaching out for the dis
llnc'ioh OF being the largest diyorc,
manufacturing city in either hemisphere
VI the divorces applied for only , no
.ent are contested. There are few delay.
VI .he law, no long arguments no rhetor
icad appeals by lawyers. The diyorc,
laws are constructed to work like ,
steam saw and they do 50 with a direct
ness and expedition which must b,
shocking to many.
saturday, which is the great defaul
ulVorce day of the week, the Illinois law,
can De seen cutting the bonds of mar
rage at the rate of ten minutes to ;
marriage, and by the dozen. There ar,
usually tour courts grinding out divorces
The speed with which husband ant
Wlfe are parted is like the flash of til,
gulllotine. While three witnesses ar,
generally heard-the complainant an,
TWO friends, who tell Of the cruelty. o
The desertion or other act alleged agains
the absent husband or wife-no superfu
Gus time is consumed. The Judge FIRE
quently asks the questions himself. t,
bring out the salient and necessary
points as quickly as possible. There il
no jury in defaults, and the cases ar,
heard IN open court. Sometimes til,
granting of a decree occupies only five o.
SIX minutes; sometimes only three n in
utes. The average time is ten minutes
The Illinois law permits divorce fo
eight causes, including such as desertioi
or habitual drunkenness for two years
cruelty, and attempting life of spouse
Those from other States who may seel
release under Illinois law are required
to live one year in the commonwealth.
A Four-MontEs' Record.
That the divorce mills are workin:
full time is evidenced by the folfown.
figures, covering the past few months. Ii
the last two weeks in October there were
81 cases heard and SO new suits filed. II
November the eases heard numbered 134
with 70 new suits. In December 13t
cases were heard and % applications fo
separat ton were recorded. January!
record is 100 cases heard and 6S suit
filed; and during the first three week
of February there were Sc cases hearC
and % new applications all IS.
eases heard and 254 new suits filed. Ant
written ''decrees granted" for a divorce
decree is not refused in more than ont
out of so eases brought to trial.
1t is women who keep the Chicago
divorce mills grinding, four out of five
suits being brought by the wife. De
spite this fact. one of the most notice
able things about the Chicago divorce
courts is the lack of the sentimental
the lack of feeling. Sorrow. regret
shame. disappointment are not displayed
by the average woman complainant. A
n rule, the woman seeking divorce II
Chicago gives as practical and business
like an exhibition as can be seen IN
court ROOM She retails the story OF he
married life with almost as much uncon
Germ as though she were suing a Laundry
company and were describing the rulnn:
of a shirt waist. 1t is a business propo
sition. The law gives her eight chances
for a divorce. and she's going to land
decree through one of them AS rul'
both husband and wife punctuate theL
evidences with smiles and laughter a
thev recount the faults or otfenseS OF tn
one from whom release is sought.
But while many of the applicant
seem to treat the matter as a joke. o
agreeable diversion, there are. too, tear
and pathos and tragedy. SobDlnG ant
heartbroken women take the STAND L
foil of lives of abuse and degradation
coused by brutes to whom it would seen
that no law should require them to con
tinue united.
they tell of years Of wifehood an'
motherhood during which they nave Sc"
cd or scrubbed or washed to keep brea'
in the mouths of little ones and WhlS"'
in the mouth of the father. They tell o
STRUGGLES and self-sacritice on Their part
wear after year. met by kicks, blows
curses, attempts to kill CT MAIN.
Husbands. too. tell of sad yearS-o
devotion, generosity. kindness. patience
love. ending in the divorce court becaaS
If voman's viciousneSs, drunkenness 0
depravity. Pathetic cases, however ar
in = minority so great that the genera
impression left after hearing HUNDREDS .
walls is n memory compounded of busl
ness and joking.
All classes of the community seek IN
divorce mills. Lawyers, doctors ouslneS
mon clergymen. fashionable people a. a.
fgure in connection with the eight al
rerce causes. just as do policemen butcA
ers. plumbers, railroad conductors 1 3rpl
,noIders and stock yard laborers. IN
body of divorce litigation is, however re
g