The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-17
From the New York World.

IN the last few weeks there has peen
 an unprecedented rush to Reno, the A new divorce center of the United States Nearly every day has brought new arrivals to that Mecca of the mar ftally disappointed
 Among the latest arrivals from New York was Mrs. Smith Rollins McKim, who has taken up her residence there with her father. Isaac Emerson, the wealthy drug manufacturer.
 Mrs. Gustav Luders. wife of the noted composer, accompanying her sisters, Mrs. Welchman. wife of a widely known New Yorker, arrived in Reno on switch en- 1 zine in an effort to hide their identity some time since.
 Mrs. William Lee Stoddart, wife of the there recently, as did Mrs. Jacob Veil of No 5s1 Columbus avenue
 Former State Senator Frank J. Gard ner's case will come up for trial there l within a few weeks.
 1 Mrs. Maturin L. Delaield, Jr., wife ! of the son of Maturin L. Delafieid of No. i s2 East Seventy-ninth street, and Mrs. Henry Spies Kip of No. 2V West Fifty seventh street, members of New Yorks "smart set," have been living in Reno since last summer. Other known mem- bers of the New York colony there are Mrs. Keith Donaldson, Mrs. H. B. Ty- l Ter, daughter of Brigadier General Brett, and Mrs. Carrie Dillon.
 Mrs. Elihu B. Frost, wife of the presi- dent of the Holland Submarine Boat company, obtained divorce there on December IS, and was married to Ham, ilton Wickes Cary, wealthy New York east the following day.
 | There are many more, how many mo- l body knows for scores of divorce seekers who go to Reno are successful in con- 1 cealing their identity until they file suit. The ease and rapidity with which di- voroe can be obtained in Nevada has made Reno the divorce center of the country now that South Dakota has changed its laws. The rumor that Ne i vada would change its laws at the next session of the legislature and thus make l divorce more difficult Is responsible for the rush to Reno.
 Tn order to obtain divorce in Reno one has only to live there the six months 1 necessary to become legal resident Of i the state, plus the IA days which must elapse before a case can be tried after suit is filed. Although section 22 of the marriage and divorce acts states that the plaintiff must reside in the state at least six months before beginning an ac- l ton, the courts have interpreted this iib- 1 erally, holding that divorce seeker need 1 not live there continuously for the six months. All that is necessary is to go 1 there, rent a room or a cottage, pay l for it six months and make 1t apparent l that he intends to live there. Then he can take a trip to Calfornia-a nights ride-and return from time to time as matter of precaution. This is necessary only if it is expected that the suit will be contested. If one Is certain that the i defendant will do nothing. he or she can remain away from Reno the greater part l of the time without danger. One must l have two witnesses to testify that one 1 has had a home there for six months. l The landlord and the grocer will testify to that.
 l Under the laws Of Nevada husband or wife can obtain a divorce If his or her feelings have been hurt. This sounds like an exaggeration. but 1t is actually | true One of the causes for divorce in ! Nevada is cruelty, and the supreme court i in defining cruelty as a ground for di- vorce has ruled that it consists of acts that mot only affect the health of the party, but such as even affect the com I fort and peace of mind What may wound the mental feelings may be ad- mitted even though 1t be unaccompanied with bodily injury, either actual or men aced. If austerity of temper, petulance of manner, a want of civil attention. oc- casional sallies of passion do threaten bodily harm they do amount to legal | cruelty"-in Nevada.
 Other grounds for divorce in Nevada are: Wilful desertion for the period of one year, conviction of felony or infam- ous offense, habitual drunkenness, cruel ty, neglect of the husband for the period of one year to provide the common neces- sities of life when such neglect is not the result of poverty on the part of the husband which he could not avoid by orr dinary industry.
 The two judges who dole out the di- ! vorces seldom take longer than half an hour to try a case, unless it be contested. Service can be obtained upon the defend- ant either by publication or by some one I deputized by the state.
 There are some states which do not rec I ognize Nevada divorces unless they are 1 granted on the same grounds that are recognized in those state But it makes little difference For instance. If woman 1 who was married in New York obtains a divorce from her husband in Nevada on the ground of cruelty and then renarries in New York, her second marriage is not legal in New York for the reason that New York only recognizes one cause for divorce. But such a complication Is cas- 1 ily avoided by the divorcee remarrying in Nevada. Then the laws of New York recognize her second marriage as legal
 It costs about s25Oo to obtain a divorce at Reno. It can be done for less if one is willing to seek employment there, as many divorce seekers do, but to live at ] one of the hotels or rent cottage for seven months, pay . lawyer and travelling expenses back and forth, s25OO is needed.
 Reno is a city of between 15,0Oo and 1s,- 900 people. It is surrounded by an am-