The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-01-17
OKLAHOMA ONCE MECCA
FOR DIVORCE SEEKERS
Many Famous Persons Secured
Freedom Divorce
is still Easy

II the proposition advanced by the \
ministerial alliance or this city, and z
received with favor by other minis !
ters in various parts OF the state, 10 K
initiate d law allowing divorce fofl
Biblical grounds only, should be acs-l
ed upon favorably by the people OF
the state, Oklahoma could claim ihe
distinction of swinging from one eX-
treme OF the pendulum to the other
In tie matter Of divorce legislation.
IL has been only a few years since
Oklahoma was the easiest place IN
the country, with the possible eNcsp-
ton Of the Dakotas, to get divorce.
The cream of society was composed
of would-be divorcees. and business
became 100 heavy for the district
courts, so that even the PROBATE
I courts Wee allowed for time 70
i grant divorces.
i While Of course all that has been
done away with for several years
/ mast, the divorce situation III Okla
boma at the present time is worry
ING the social students who are pay
ing especial attention to that prob
lem and Is far from satisfactory 20
The ministers Of the state VINO are
heading the new reform movement.
Investigation of the court recurus al
Oklahoma City recently showed thai
in eight months time 457 marriage
licenses had been issned and 10
divorces granted, showing neariy
half as many divorces as weddlngs
Ineulplete returns made TO DIR. J. {
Mahr, state health commi ssioHea
under the vital statistics law passed
hpy the First Legislature, show almos
as high percentage OF divorces
Holds Divorce Record.
Figures compiled by the United
States government, after careful IN
: vestigation, are said to show high
er percentage of divorces ID Okla
homa at the present time than Il
. any other state in the Union.
The first step in the campaigi
9 launched by the Guthrie minister
will be the holding of an open meet
+ ing on February Z to discuss the d.
vorce question, at which the props
a sition OF initiating a new law. allow
a ing divorce only on Biblical ground
i viii be brought forward and az
IS eussed. II the sentiment at tina
q meeting seems TO be sufficiently ray
orable. a bill will probably be drafte
al once and initiative petitions WY
ecpies Of the bill sent 10 every mil
ister in the state TO circulate anon
the members OF his congregation an
others, who might be favorable to tn
restriction OF the divorce evil
The Rev. f. ID. Cameron, stat
superintendent OF public instruction
who IS also pastor Of the First Ba
list church here, and a member
fhe ministerial alliance, is primarl
responsible for the new campaign
a recent address before the sta
t. teache $ association he deprecat'
the prevalence OF divorce IN Okiah
=, ma. and advocated the teaching
! domestic science as panacea, d
AZ claring that Il would make a &
err want to get married and stay mi
ot ried.
r A large number Of people of
lis tional prominence claimed their r.
u.s. ideuce in Oklahoma for a few mont
)k. during the quick divorce perit
MI Among them were MS. James
en- blaine Jr, who secured a separati
from her husband In the disir
court in Oklahoma county: Iilli
. Blauyet, the famous actress, VINO
came a resident OF Oklahoma Cliy
secure a legal separation from |
he husband in the district court in on
ec- homa county: Lillian Blauyelt
to famous actress, who became q re
The dent nj Oklahoma City O secure
my legal separation. and Countess w
nu- ga. grandmother of the present Dr
lus of Manchester. remembered here
lm The most beautiful Of all the memb
'es- Of the divorce colony, who is n
ma living in retirement IN the South,
om- Col. Nathaniel Mckay, well kno
as Washington hotel man and c
- llalist. was an Oklahoma divorc
= as was Mrs. Helen Churchill Cand
~ The novelist, who gathered the mi
rial for he book IAN Oklahoma
nance" during her ninety days ]
idence IN Guthrie. The list incl
ed al least one prominent Engl
woman. who aftenward married
hus member Of parliament: member
, of The Coolidge family. OF Boston. Ma
use wha divorced hrp husband 10 ma
ort an English a my officer; one of
od. exclusive I.aniers OF New Orles
is q and former MAYOR OF Trenton.
md j.. who became enamonred with
bod wife of a Foreman In one OF his mi
} or and elopcd with her 10 Oklahoma
ion, his private car j. Charles Beech
les, legal writer of prominence in \
sat- York City. was one of the few
This successful applicants. He STAYED
lla- renuired ninety dayS. but his y