Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-08-25
FEDERAL DIVORCE HUNT
Women Clerks to Examine Rec
ords For Twenty Years.
CONGRESS WANTS STATISTICS.

Information Gained by Census Clerks
Sent to New York and Every Prin-
cipaI County In the United States
Will Be Used In Framing a Uniform
Divorce Law.
Twelve of the brightest and most
skillful women clerks in the depart
ment of commerce and labor of the
bureau of the census recently invaded
the county courthouse at New York,
marshaled by William II. Jarvis, and
installed themselves in the surrogate's
court. They will hold possession every
day for some eight weeks when the
In that time they expect to go over the
divorce records of New York county
for twenty years, says the New York
World. Examinations of similar rec
ords will be made simultaneously in
every principal county of every state
in the United States for the purpose of
collating information, which will be
used in framing a bill for the federal
supervision of divorces, just as there is
a federal supervision of bankrupts.
Another body of Washington clerks
was set to work in Brooklyn on the
same task.
The unannOunced appearance of the
young women created a sensation in
the courthouse, and there was a gen.
eral rush of clerks Ito look them over"
There wasn't much to see except a doz-
en- coiffures bent low over a long Ia
bic and many taper fingers going deity
over a great mass of papers and doz-
en- pencils making swift records
When the news spread to the offices
of lawyers who have been counsel in
divorce proceedings in which the evil
dence was sealed after the granting of
the decree there was a general inter-
rogatio as to how far the federal gov
eminent would go in its researches.
The head of the clerical force express
courtesy the county would permit the
examination of the sealed bundles
which no man outside of the referees
and the judges had seen.
Although Mr.. Jarvis made it clear
that no names were to be copied in
the compilation of the statistics, the
mere announcement that the arcana of
divorce secrets were to be thrown open
TO twelve women created consterna-
ton.
The men and women employed in the
census bureau are required not only to
possess intelligence, but good memory.
Every employee is under bond not to
reveal information under pain of $500
fine or term of Imprisonment, or both
The twelve women and the eight men
brought on from Washington We're Sc
lected with especial reference to their
fitness and their loyalty. Most of them
are from southern states and are es-
pecially jealous of their regulations for
being able to keep secrets. Neverthe-
less the attorneys who have family
skeletons locked up were averse to any
secrets being distributed among twelve
women, even if no names should be
placed on record.
In the state of New York it is the law
that all cases not tried in open court
are sealed by direction of the court, and
this is strictly enforced either literally
or presumably, sometimes the entire
record of a case being securely sealed
Will DIS Itu stars llcu WIFI
red tape, with the exception of the de-
cree. Then again it has often been said
that divorces have been granted to GER
tain influential persons of social or
financial standing in the community
that have been secretly put away and
guarded so that information of them
has never come to- light. These viii
now be made subjects of thorough |
search and all the data regarding them |
will be placed In the public records at |
Washington. The secrets thus disclosed |
will not be for publicati ton, but for the |
use of the government only, no matter |
how sensational may be the character |
IF the facts revealed.
The examiners will make no record |
If names-except in their memories
1ut will file answers TO the following |
IuerieS:
State or country in which married.
Date of marriage.
Date of separation
Date of filing petition.
Who was Hbellant-husband or wife?
How was notice served-personally or
~ publication?
Was case contested?
Was decree granted?
Date of decree or Judgment.
Number of years married.
Cause for which divorced.
If not direct, was intemperance an in
lirect cause?
Kind of divorce-absoIute or limited.
Number of children by this union; num-
Der affected by decree.
Was alimony asked for? II
Was alimony granted? II
Occupation of husband; or wife. II
Residence of lfbellee. IL
StufHng For Kansas Pillows.
Mrs. Gilyeat, clerk in the state audi n