The Washington herald., 1909-10-17
CURIOSITIES OF DIVORCE
Freedom

Napoleon declared that every man in
the ranks carried in his knapsack a mar
shaps baton. Victor Newman. a clever
English artist, declares that every Amer
lean girl tucks divorce papers into her
trousseau.
Whether the charge be just or unjust
certain # is that the American woman
proves almost as fertile in the matter
Of excuses for securing divorce as she
is in marshaling wiles with which 10 net
a husband. For while scarcely more
than round dozen causes are cited by
the law as grounds for divorce. even in
this country Of liberal and varied State
divorce laws. the average woman can in
terpret the most common cause, cruel
ty," in a hundred and one ways each
OF which will go straight 10 the hearts
OF judge and jury. Some examples OF
her. ingenuity are printed in an article
prepared by Anna steele Richardson for
the New York World.
For instance the Superior Court In
Seattle. Wash. was recently asked 10 de-
eide whether dyspepsia" and cruelty
were synonymous terms.
Harriet Bendick Kohl was culinary
artist. Aher " Kohr, her husband. was
a dyspeptic. SO long as Mr.. Kohl stuck
to a diet he was a companionable spouse.
When he yearned for some Of his Wife's
tidbits he would surely fan from grace
and into a tantrum.
One Sunday he induced his wife to
make waffies. After eating plentfuliy
Of these. floating in maple strip. he
threw the family canary in its cage
through the window A batch OF es-
peciaIly fine soda biscuits led him 10
stray from his diet. and that afternoon
he kicked the family watch dog into the
neighbors back yard.
When no family pet was at hand Mrs.
Kohl was the butt OF his displeasure and
dyspeptic rage. After eating an unusual
shortcake. Mr.. Kohl actually refused to
speak to his wife for forty-eight hours.
Mrs. Kohl urged this ingratitude for her
culinary ability so effectively that divorce
on the grounds Of cruelty was granted
Mrs. Anna NJ. Hodge. Of Pittsburg.
secured a decree because her husband
limited the daily bin OF fare, breakfast.
dinner. and supper. $50 days in the year,
to sausages and rice pudding. He throve
on the diet. but Mrs. Hodge called il
cruelty, and the court agreed with her
Mrs. J. B. Stetson. OF san Francisco.
in applying for a divorce from a traction
magnate Of the far West cited as cruel
ty' the fact that she had 70 eat pumpkin
pie three times q day and was denied
the privilege Of adding soup and salad
10 the family menu
Mrs. Harry Maremounts divorce from
a Chicago carriage maker was due large
ly to difference OF opinion over saUer-
krauL She liked seuerkraut, but her
husband could not endure the smell Of It.
When she persisted in cooking It. he
struck her and fed from their home in
anger.
Mrs. Joseph T Colvin. Of Pittsburg.
secured a divorce because her husband.
a prominent secret society man and an
aH-round good fellow. insisted upon sup
plying champagne when she asked for
bread. The court agreed that no woman
could live on champagne alone.
In the little town Of Union. Bergen
County. y. J., Mr. and Mrs Theron c.
Knapp amiably agreed TO secure a divorce
because Knapp. in moment nf extrava-
gance. brought home a box Of prepared
Goldfish. Mrs. Knapp had always humored
her husbands fOndness for Goldfish cakes
with the good old-fashioned brand OF cod
fish which you soak over night and pick
by hand
Shocked by his extravaganza in buying
the prepared article, she pulled his hair.
The records do not show which consu-
tuted cruelty, the Goldfish purchase or the
hair pulling.
A Marquette CMich1 man cited as one
instance Of cruelty in his petition for d.
vorce the fact that his wife had in
variably refused 10 make for him a lemon
pie. of which delicacy he was extremely
fond, much TO his discomfort" the
papers set forth.
Family pets have often figured in petit
tons for divorce. Mrs. Andrew Mahu.
OF Alton. H.. had forty picked Leghorns
which she kept at the rear OF her cottage
Her landlord served notice that his prop
erty could not be converted into a
chicken ranch Her husband announced
that ne could not AFFORD 60 sacrifice his
trade as a piano tuner by moving into
different neighbOrhOod
The two had been married fifteen years.
but Mrs MANU- calmly packed UP her
personal property. including the chickens.
and moved away, leaving Mr.. MANU- 10
the cold comfort Of a divorce court.
William 3. Entrindn, Of Chicago, OBJ
jected TO the attentions showered on
French poodle by his wife. and took il
out on the poodle, TO the latter's physical
discomfort WhereupOn Mrs Entrinkin
took herself TO the divorce court. with
cruelty" for her open sesame.
On the other hand. Mrs. Leroy Morgan,