The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-23
CUPID IS NOT BUSY
Noticeable Decrease in Marriage
Licenses Here.
Over a Hundred Below Last
Years Record.
A BOOM IN DIVORCES.
PerceptibleIncrease for the Past
Twelve Months.
Officers Unable to Account for
the Facts.

Records issued today by Probate
Judge Schoch show that the number
of marriage licenses issued in Shaw
nee county are on the decline while
records IN the office of Richard L
Thomas. clerk of the district court,
show that in the last year there has
been boom in divorce business.
In 1910 Judge Schoch disposed Of
SS2 marriage licenses. At closing time
last night the probate court had this
year issued but 761 licenses, whic.
means that the court must ISSUE al
licenses in less than six weeks e. squal
the record of a year ago There is
little prospect for n n Imber of Ii
censes in Shawnee county in such a
short space of time; and even opti-
mistic Judge Schoch seemed willing TO
give up the fight today as he looked at
the two rows of figures.
Upstairs in the office of Richard L.
Thomas, clerk of the court. there is a
record of ass applications for divorce
in IL months. This is a decided in
crease over the divorce record of the
previous year.
To be sure many applications for
divorce are filed in the local courts and
later dismissed. This record is hard
to obtain without a careful study of
each individual case.
On the other hand. the probate
court often issues licenses on which
returns are never made and the court
has no way to determine whether the
ceremony was ever perform ed It is
not an unusual case for person to get
a marriage license and not use it Sew
era1 such cases have come to light.
But the prospective bridegroom keeps
his sorrow within his own breast and
never has the nerve to return and ask
the court to refund his money.
Come From Other Towns.
The ---ord 4or issuance of marriage
licenses includes the many couples who
come to Topeka from other towns to
be married, and probably 20 per cent of
the marriage license business in Shaw
nee county is from foreign territory.
But this would hardly be construed as
an evidence for the increase in the di-
vorce record. There are probably an
equal number Of disappointed husbands
and wives who come to Topeka. gain
residence. and file their applications
for a divorce decree
As Judge Schoch locke at his record
today, he still held out one lone hope.
Perhaps he said. the Thanksgiving and
Christmas marriages would make up for
the shortages. There are always many
applications for licenses at this season
of the year, the court declared, but even
with this advantage he was not hope
full for an even break on the weddings
The clerks in the Office were disaP-
pointed. Try as they could, it was inn
possible to think of more local love af-
fairs than the town furnished a year
ago.
In the meantime the lawyers are busy
with their divorce cases. The big grind
of divorce DEGREES for the present term,
has already been well taken care of.
Lawyers say that there may not be an
other flood of petitions for several
weeks But no one knows. Even the
wise old Law yers cant tell when there
will be an epidemic OF domestic upris-
sngs. Tney just sit down and wait for
the business that Is sure to come, soon
&r or later
It's the same way with the probate
SQUIRT You can't crowd courtship,
but if there are any Shawnee county
love affairs thar promise an early Gull
inination. it will be a personal favor to
Judge Schoch if these people will buy
their licenses early In the meantime
the couuty-s divorce and marriage rec
ord does not balance right