Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-03
Council Bluffs
Divorces Take
Much of the Time
in District Court
Judge Woodruff Grants DEGREES to
-Four Persons, Granting One Per-
nit to Remarry at Once.

Judge Woodruff yesterday resumed con-
sideration of the divorce docket but did
not succeed in clearing away as great
number of cases he did on the proceed
ing day, when he permanently disposed
OF an even dozen Of the 101 docketed for
the term. he only adjudicated four, and
like the others all were submitted upon
ex parte evidence and DEGREES taken by
default. In each case the wife sued the
husband for divorce, olga May Lennon
handsome young woman of 2S, was
freed from Fred J. Lennon, aged s5. The
evidence indicated cruelty, neglect and
failure to provide. 1t was disclosed, how
ever, that 1t was the young woman's sec
ond matrimonial venture that proved un-
satisfactory.
Mamie A. Smith was divorced from
William Smith after three long years of
matrimonial unhappiess.
The third divorce was given to Grace
NJ. Evans from her husband, H. @. Evans.
The evidence. although one-sided, showed
unquestioned grounds for legal separa-
ton.
Mrs. Hazel L. Moore was the fourth
successful applicant for freedom on the
grounds of cruelty and neglect.
In speaking OF the expeditions manner
in which he was eliminating the divorce
cases from the docket Judge Woodruff
said Il nave never stronger and clearer
evidence submitted in standardization for
divorce DEGREES than was submitted in all
of these cases. In some of the cases the
women were led into hasty marriages
without becoming fully conversant with
the habits of the men they married Only
short time was required to reveal in
harmonies that rendered happiness i'm
possible. The Judge on the bench real
ICES more than men 10 elsewhere the po-
tent part whisky plays in disruptinR
homes In all such cases the woman is
the real sufferer"
Judge Woodruff, for the first time this
year granted yesterday the frequently de-
sired permission to remarry at once 1t
was the case of Alva j. Thomas against
Cora Thomas, tried on the preceding day.
The man, who is far along in life, made a
satisfactory showing that immediate re-
marriage would result in good for the
woman and for himself a home.
AS break in the weary monotony of
default cases where accused husbands
failed to come into court and make a
showing Thomas j. Walker yesterday came
forward with an answer and cross petition
to his wifes suit. In her petition Mrs. Ida
Walker alleged that her husband had been
guilty Of Cruel and inhuman treatment to
such degree as to endanger her health
In his answer he denies all Of this and as
serts that his wife was not only guilty of
cruelty to him, but INDUCED in It to the
extent that 1t reached ''the refinement of
cruelty" In defining this refined cruelty
he says she refused to cook his meals, re-
fused to keep clean and mended the clothes
of himself and children; she repeatedly
told him he was crazy and had him ar
rested and brought before the insanity
commissioners, and was doing all OF the
time all she could to make him lose his posi-
ton. brakeman on the Milwaukee rail-
road; claiming to be sick when she was
well; running him into debt with the
merchants and doctors. and generally
neglecting her wifely and motherly duties"
The case is assigned for trial in the first
assignment.