Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-27
MRS. KATE DOWNING PLACE
BRINGS ACTION AGAINsTHUs.
BAND AT LAcoN, ILL.
HEARING is HELD, BUT
DECREE NOT YET FILED
Husband Made No Appearance, Refus-
ing to Start Action HimseIf-Sspa-
ration Took Place, Week Ago at
Peoria - First Divorce Interfered
With Second Wedding.

May IS, 19V5--Elopes with a. j.
Bailey
May &c, 19O5-Marries Bailey at
st. Joseph. Mich.
Jan. I, 1907-F'iles petition in di-
vorce from Bailey.
Jan. 8, 1907-Divorcc granted
Jan. s, 19CS-Becomes wife of
Langdon Place at Peoria
May 30. l911-Fles petition in
divorce from Place.
This, in brief, is the record Of the
rapid fire matrimonial career of a
Marshalltown girl. Mrs. Kate Belle
Downing Bailey Place. who ha:
brought her second suit for divorce
within six years time, and is now only
23 years old. Mrs. Place is a daugh-
ter of Mr.. and Mrs. E. E. Downing, OF
this city, and her husband is son of
Mr.. and Mrs. Woodbury. L. Place. also
OF Marshalltown.
All has not been moving smoothly
within the Place household at Peoria
for some time,and the final break
came last Sat urday. May 90. when the
young people decided to call it quits
The household effects were divided
and Mrs. Place at once began prepara-
tons for securing a divorce.
Files Petition at Small Town.
In order to avoid the publicity Of a
divorce in Peoria Mrs. Places attorney
filed her petition in the court Of Mar
shall county, Illinois, at the little coun-
ty seat town of Lacon, thirty miles
above Peoria on the Illinois river. The
charge of cruelty is alleged in the petit
ton, and a hearing was given the
plaintiff. According to a telegram to
the Times-Republican no decree has
as yet signed. Mr.. Place made no
resistance to the petition, and an
nounced to his wife when the separa-
ton took place that he would not bring
a suit for divorce.
Mrs Place, as Miss Downing, came
into the matrimonial limelight on May
Is, 1906, when she eloped with A. J.
Bailey, former Hibbard, Spencer,
Bartlett & Co. salesman. who, prior TO
the day of the elopment, was associat-
ed with Miss Downing's father in the
furniture jobbing business. as man
ager Of branch house at Sioux City.
Bailey and Miss Downing, who was
then only II, engaged livery rig here,
drove to Melbourne, took the night
Milwaukee train out Of that place for
Chicago, and were married at st. Jo-
seph, Mich, on May 16. Attic the
young womans parents had discour-
aged the wedding. wanting their
daughter to wait until she was at least
IS. the parents became reconciled to
the marriage and all ran smoothly for
time.
Divorce Follows.
In the divorce courts was written the
next chapter, Mrs. Bailey filing her pc
tition in the district court here on Jan.
I, 1907, charging cruel and inhuman
treatment, failure to provide. and other
statuatory causes. Judge Parker grant
er the divorce two days later
Divorce flinders Wedding.
Then came the second marriage, to
Mr.. Place, at Peoria, on Jan. s, 1908.
This affair attracted attention at
Peoria from the fact that the first di-
vorce came near acting as a barrier to
the second wedding. The divorce did
interfere, from the fact that it lacked
one day of a year since the brides de-
cree Of divorce was signed, and the
clerk at Peoria refused to grant the IL
cense. The aid of an attorney was Sc
cured. and the obstacle was overcome
in some way. Rev. B. c. Carpenter,
pastor of the Universalist church, per-
formed the ceremony.
Mr. and Mrs. Woodbury. Place, who
had been planning a visit to Peoria to
visit their son and daughter, left for
Peoria Friday. but only to visit their
son, as they announced Young Mr..
Place is employed as a clerk in the
Strauss cigar store at Peoria