The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-06-20
An NEED Of No
RENO, WHEN HAS
old DOMINION
Virginia is Haven for Mis-
Mated Couples of Dis
trict of Columbia
EASY HERE TO UNITE
MATRIMONIAL KNOT
Disgruntled Spouse May Come
to Alexandria and Secure
Relief Without Others
knowledge

Ply husband or wife of the District
of Columbia to go away from home
TO gain freedom from marital bonds
says the Washington Times. The Old
Dominion. green and smiling in its
Southern sunshine. furnishes almost
as much inducement as any distant
State without the car fare.
MIR. Soandso, citizen of Washing
ton. u. C., grows tired OF bearing up
his end of the yoke of matrimony
He feels the CALLED spots. He chafes
against the restraint of double har-
ness. Mrs. Soandso, after ten years
Of cooking. washing. scrubbing
pinching and economizing. has lost
the bloom of youth which attracted
her husband when he wooed and
won her. He becomes peevish. irri-
table and restless. He is neglectfui
short and ugly. He snaris where he
used TO murmur soft words OF love.
Separation and Divorce.
Mrs. Soandso, being human as well
rs feminine. resents his conduct, at
first silently and then loudly. They
quarrel, They go whole days with
out speaking. They grow TO hate each
other. Finally. separate. Mrs. Soand-
so posts over TO the other part OF
town. to live once more with mother
MIR. Soandso hunts a boarding house
year passes. Six months more
pass. Mrs. Soandso decides she wants
a divorce. She consults a lawyer
Being an honest lawyer. he suggests
reconciliation. She agrees TO allow
him to see Mr.. Soandso.
The lawyer sees Soandso and dis
covers this remarkable state OF affairs:
Soandso has already obtained d.
yorce from his wife In Virginia
Here's another case:
MIR. and Mrs Suchandsuch are peo-
pie OF means. They have no hard
ships traceabls to lack OF money They
merely grow tired OF each other. of
the monotony of each others com
pany. They are kind and considerable
10 each other. they are people OF cui-
sure and refinement. they merely think
hey would like to go back to the sim
gle state from which they departed
when they married.
How shall we manage III" asks
Mrs. Suchandsuch.
Easiest thing In the world" re-
plies Mr.. suchandsuch. II know a
lawyer chap who'll AK il for us sup
pose you'd rather he the one To get
the diyorceg''
OF course.
An right. All you have to do IL
go over to Alexandria, rent a room.
put an empty trunk in ii and sleep
there once or twice month for
Year. Then you can get divorce on
the grounds or desertion. won't
contest 1t. and there'il be no uues-
tions asked"
Her Virginia Residence.
So Mr.. 6uchandsueh goes down
town and lives at hotel for a year
Mrs 6uchandsuch rents room in
Alexandria, leaves an empty trunk
In It and regularly. twice a week.
goes over and sleeps there. At the
and OF year she swears she II a
resident of Virginia and that her
husband has deserted her. suchand-
such falls to appear. and the decree
of divorce Is granted. Then Mrs
kuchandsuch Ia free to 20 into any
State In the Union. a legally divorced
woman. and Huchandsuch il restored
TO single bIessedness.
Now, the interesting features OF
these two cases Ia that they are true
They are typical of what has been
going on In Washington and Virginia
for the last Ave years. The city of
Alexandria. the county OF Alexandria,
and the county of Fairfax constitute
three OF the csitest little Renos east
Of the Rocky Mountains. They are
An untold Joy TO Washington couples
who mutually agree that they want
10 be divorced, They are an unai-
loyed delight to the Washington man
er woman who wants to get a divorce
without the knowledge or wife or hus-
band. They are a haven OF refuge
to those who have good reason to
want q divorce. but cannot get II on
the one ground provided In tho DIS
trict OF Columbia law.
Abuses Outweigh Benefits.
Accurate statistics. OF course. are
not available. but II Is believed by
those who have Investigated the situ-
alton that the abuse of the easy
means for untying that knot that
doesn't always bind--provided at the
very threshold of the national capt.
tal---far outweiShs the benefits de-
rived by the deserving.
In the District the law recognizes
but one cause for divorce. Virginia
recognizes SIX. The District law went
into effect In 1909 and ever since
then the number of divorces granted
In tho Corporation Court at Alexan-
dria. tho Circuit Court Of Alexandria
county. and the Circuit Court OF Fair
fax county has been rapidly increas-
Ing. the percentage OF increase being
$50 In Alexandria, 500 in Alexandria
county and 500 in Fairfax county.
Obviously there has been no such
percentage Of increase In population.
Obviously. also. the bulk Of the in
crease in the number OF divorces has
come from the growing practice OF
Washingtonians to get divorces Just
aoross the river.
The vicious feature OF the Virginia
law. however IL not it's multiplicity
Of causes for divorce. but Its made
duat0 provision for serving notice OF
suit against the defendant and for
the protection Of the rights Of the
defendant 1t the trial. II Ii possible
for . man whose wife lives right here
In Warrington to get divorce In
Virginia without her knowledge and
therefore without giving her an OPP
portunity to appear and contest the
action or present her side Of the case.
Furthermore. divorces of just that
character are frequently obtained.
The system OF seryins notice Of suit
In Virginia IN one Of the most charming
ever conceived. when 70 ana 20 rot
his divorce his wife was served with
rottco by the simple prOcess or post
ing q brief statement Of the case on
the court house door. Never having oc-
caslon to visit the court house and
having no friends In the vicinity. Mr..
SO and 70 overlooked this legal "pub-
lication." and hubby walked on with
the decpee. II was all perfectly
straight and proper. ana IN confornn.