The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-03-21
DIVORCE COLONY OF
RENO HAS 100 WHO
SEEK FREEDOM
Gordian Knot of Matrimony Is Not
Tight in Refuge of Blighted
Romances If You Can Spend
Six Months in Nevada.
Actresses and Bread Farmers Are
Among Throng, But Society
m Snubs Them All.
BY HARRY @. FARMER.


requirement from six months to one
year. Nevada sent Reno and Goldfeld
10 the post in the Great Divorce Stakes
90 a coupled entry.
Nevada started as a territory with
the loosest divorce laws ever written,
aud she didn't change them when she
became a state. Hence Reno is 10 the
unhappy mated what Mecca is TO the
Mohemmedan. Matrimony's gordian
knot is no mystery here. And what is
said for Reno goes for Goldfield.
Within the past six months, 90 di
vorces have been granted by Judges
w. II. A. Pike ami John S. Orr Firty.
four cases are now on file. The Ill
vorce colony numbers about $50. with
additions coming at the rate of six
week.
Within the last six months. women
whose names are we'll known in vari-
Gus ways have been divorced from "un-
desirable" husbands The most prom.
inent are Mrs. Frederick Lewis Col
we'll. Mrs. Keith Donaldson. Mrs Har-
ry Spies Kip, Mrs VIM. Lee Stoddart.
Mrs. Elihu b. Frost Mrs Daniel Froh.
man (who was Margaret Ilington)
Mrs. Lucien c. Shellabarger Mrs. Ray
mond C.. France. Mrs. Claude F. Day
and Mrs. Geo Leeds Zell. The latest
prominent arriva! is Virginia Harmed
Sothern.
Lawyers at home advise their clients
10 try Reno when quick action is
wanted. They arm them with an in
PRODUCTION To local correspondent
and are content that the mills OF the
gods and Nevada Jurisprudence will do
The rest
Divorces Are Quick.
Reno is cosmopolitan The petted
daughter of the 400 and the darling
OF The thoatergolng public rub Paris
ian-gowneu elbows with the blanket
Graped squaw.
Divorces are rs thick as show girls
along the Great White Way. You see
them, grand danes, actresses. newly
weds. foolish-weds. sufferers from, the
affinity thing, artists, professional ana
business men. The men aren't so no.
ticeable, they lose their identity SO
easily.
It's easy for those who chafe III
double harness to trot single. That
rassage. Whom God hath joined to-
Fether let no man put asunder," is as
meaningless in Reno as Sanskrit TO
Digger Indian.
The colonists. as the supplicants are
known, live apart from the Renoites.
They have as much chance 10 break
through societys barrier as high
grader has OF escaping II caught with
the goods There Is a reason.
little more than a year ago Mar
earet Illington-Frohman came here
with her mother TO secure the resi-
Cence necessary 20 apply for divorce
She declared she was sick of the stag,
and wanted to wed 10 darn her hus
hands stockings Society took Up
Nrs. Frohman. and 80 sooner had her
divorce been obtained than she mar
lied. here in Reno. T.. J. Bowes, OF Ia
coma. Society was shocked. and now
n divorce can't break in with stick
of dynamite.
There's a Reason.
why is Reno a haven for heavy
hearts? Read the answer in The
statutes
500. Sec. 22.-pivorce from the bonds
of matrimony may be obtained by COM
plaint. under oath to the district court
OF the county I'm which the cause shall
have accrued, or In which the defendant
shall reside. or be found. or In which
he either the county in which the part
last cohabitated, or I'm which the plant
in shall have resided six months be-
fore suit be brought, for the following
causes.
And then It gives these causes in
addition TO the statutory grounds:
Wilful dcsertion, at any time, for one
wear Exertme cruelty. Neglect OF hus-
band for one year 20 provide common
necessities. when rot the result OF
poverty.
II IS not the grounds, but the ease
with which the courts find jurisdictiony
that makes Nevada n haven for heavy
hearts. III two want divorce. they leave
n train I'm the state and one commits
an act of cruelty. Neither need be q
resident OF the defendant may Do
found" passing through the state and
served with papers. Or either may
reside in the state six months.
or the colonists 30 per cent live In
the Ave hotels Of which Reno boasts,
another 30 per cent are cottagers, and
40 per cent find employment The lat
.er are Mattresses, manicurists, hair
dressers. saeswomen, stenographers,
-$-elephone operators. or maids Their
tbraldom need only last but 1872 days
Prospe6tors. miners, gamblers, east
oruers Indians, Chinese. Japs, doctors.
lawyers. real estate men, merchants,
actors. men from every walk In life
eock to this sAmerIcan Eldorado, which
restles brilliant white In its setting Of
emerald on the eastern slope OF the
Sierra Nevada mountains. The rattle
OF the roulet ball. the drone OF the
dealers voice and the click of the crap
dice 20 on uninterruptedly, and there
is often high play Much money
changes hands nightly. for this Is one
of the few diversions of the rich in the
divorce colony.
Five Divorces Every Day.
Divorces average Eve a day Some
times the number reaches 10 New
cases are hled daily and set for hear.
isq as soon as possible after the COM
A.. FaN Residences