The Detroit times., 1911-02-06
GREAT CRUSH IN
DIVORCE COURT
Judge Murphy Tackles Record Docket
Of SO Cases-Aftinities Figure
As Home Wreckers.


Reno will have TO look To heI laur'
els or that swi;. little western city
made famous BY IS divorce colony will
ind that Detroit has wrcsted from
her the doubtful honor OF being the
worlds greatest divorce market.
All records in the Wayne circuit
court were smashed TO smithereens.
Saturday, when Judge Murphy tackled
"a docket OF 50 pro-confesso divorce
cases. SO great was the crush OF
plaintiffs and Witnesses that the judge
was compelled to leave his room, and
hold court in Room No. 9. one OF
tho largest In the county building.
Even there the crush was so great
that many persons were unable To
find seats and stood packed In the
aisles and In the doorway. Specta'
tors crowded into the jury box and
into the chairs, reserved for attor-
Eeys, and walked about the corridors
awaiting the calling OF the cases In
which they were interested.
II was the vision of one or her hus-
bands former eweethearts that led
10 the appearance In court or Mrs
Pearl Wicks, a woman OF attractive
appearance. Mrs. Wicks testified that
she and her husband, Norman A
Wicss, went to Guelph, Ont, to spend
their honeymoon. and there he saw a
girl with whom he had formerly kept
company. From that moment, Mrs.
Wicks said her husband changed. be-
came cold and Indifferent and finally
admitted to her. she said. that after
he had seen the other girl, the old
same was rekindled. and be no long
er loved his wife. Norman had other
affinities than the Ontario girl. and
Mrs. Wicks handed TO the court sew
eral letters she had Intercepted from
girl in Beliot. Wis. In one letter,
this girl said: y attended the X. OF
c. dance, last nlght, and | was told
that | was the SWEETEST dancer, the
lest dresser and the finest looking
girl there ! am sorry, dear Norman.
that you have such cold. wish /
was there 10 nurse you. Oh. Norman,
never loved fellow as | do you.
Don't forget yodr dear little girl"
Mrs. Wicks was granted decree.
Letters found IL the pocket OF her
husband, Emil 3eazy. also led to the
unhappiness OF Vesta Beazy. These
letters were given TO the judge to
read. and after glance at them, no
informed the plaintiff that she could
have q decree. IN one letter Emil's
affinity said: Il was sorry could
not meet you and go TO church, Sun
day night hut was afraid Mabel
would tell
Apparently those people didn't al
low love affairs 20 interfere with their
devotions.' Judge Murphy commented.
Judge Murphy was also called upon
To read more letters In the case OF
Gertrude VS.. Hugo Hemme. After a
brief glance at several epistles writ
ten by some of Hugo's affinities, he
remarked: These are too erotic for
the court to peruse." and handed them
back to the wife, at the same time
telling her she could have a divorce.
Frederick Cooper was on the verge
of collapse as she told of the cruelty
she endured at the hands or Joseph
Cooper, and after leaving the stand
she became hysterical and had to be
assisted from the court room. Mrs.
Cooper testified that her husband
struck her with his fist. The blow
in addition to rendering her uncop-
scious. impaired her eyesight and has
caused the growth OF tumor in the
nose. She was given a decree.
Other DEGREES granted were to Low
ena vs. John F. Bailey. 20 years de-
sertion: Anna vs.. Frank Kiss, cruel
ty: Maud VS.. Charles II. fowler,
drunkenness: Elizabeth VS.. Frank z.
Brown, non-support: Hannah VS..
Arthur Barnes, cruelty; Charles w.
VS.. Alice Coleman, desertion; Addie
vs.. Harley Grenier. non-support;
Julia VS.. Amos DcGroat, drunkenness;
Marie VS.. John 4. Mcdonald, habitual
drunkenness: Homer vs.. Mabel Hold.
en-, desertlon. and Anna VS.. James
Mayes, cruelty.