Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-01-01
DIVORCESUITS
CLOG COURTS
HALF A HUNDRED CASES AWAIT
TRIAL
ENTIRE DAY DEVOTED ALMOST
EXCLUSIVELY TO THEM
Many introductory DEGREES Granted.
Grounds Alleged Show Great
Variety, Cruelty Pre-
dominating

Almost every department of the SUI
perior court of Los Angeles has its quota
of divorce cases to be tried with the be-
ginning of the new year, and each day
sees an additional grist of suits asking
Tor the untying of the marital knot.
There are now pending almost half
hundred divorce suits, and even with the
greatest expediency In disposing of them,
many weeks must elapse before this list
Is cleared from the calendar.
Yesterday most of the departments
We're occupied in trying cases of this
character, number being disposed of.
After listening to the story of Mrs.
Jesse e. Potter, who sought a divorce
from Earle H. Potter on the grounds of
cruelty, Judge Wilbur yesterday granted
the decree and allowed Mrs Potter to
take her maiden name. Mrs. Potter said
her husband wanted her to wear the
costume of ballet girl in a moving pic
ture show with which he was connected
at Riverside. She said while she was
working In a department store in Los
Angeles, her husband called at the store
and choked her until she was black in
the face Other employees of the store
corroborated her testimony
Ethel Taylor. whose suit occupied three
days last week in Judge Houser's court
was yesterday granted a divorce and
given the custody of little boy. Rid
ley V. Taylor was ordered to contribute
S35 a month for the support of his former
wife and child. and will be allowed to
see the boy once a week. Cruelty was
the grounds for the suit
MAKE Up with New Year"
A decree was denied Pearl Smith. who
wanted to be divorced from Clarence
" Smith, on the grounds of cruelty.
Judge Bordwell, after listening all day to
the evidence in the case told the woman
10 start In the new year by making up
with her husband. The couples marital
troubles began with quarrels over money
matters. From a loving husband, who
helped her wash the dishes and cook the
meals ne had become an absentee from
MS nome, coming home late and leaving
early In the morning, and acting In such
manner that she was, she declared.
compelled to leave him in August
Mrs Verna j. Merriheld. who was mar
rfed to j. p. Merrifeld in Iowa in 1902
aired her troubles in Judge Houser's
court, but to no avail and a decree of
divorce was denied. Merrifeld, she said.
had an extremely bad temper and was
desperately Jealous. While he was In the
hardware business at Woodland she was
compelled to depnd on her parents for
necessities. At one time. she said. he
refused to give her ten cents to go to
roller rink, and then went to town and
spent twenty-five cents on himself.
The case of Martha NJ. Illingsworth
against Carlos G. Illingsworth was con-
tinued to be reset, the court deciding 1t
had no Jurisdiction, as the plaintiff, by
her own testimony, had not lived In the
county three months prior to the filing Of
the suit. Mrs. Illingsworth said her hus-
band was free with his threats to do her
bodily harm, the weapons he declared
he would use including pocket knife, a
shovel and a revolver. When she wished
to ride on his delivery wagon, she said
he told her Mrs. Somebody Else" was
going