The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-11-30
Fairfield Cited Be-
fore Judge Randall for
Violating Divorce Law.
MARRIED E. 5. sEAvER


bride Of e. S. Seaver, well known West
Side barber and manager OF the ~Seaver
Coal company. Mrs Hopkins was fined
fifty dollars and the costs OF the ac-
tion,1 with an alternative of ninety
days in jail, but the fine and costs
were promptly paid and Mr.. Seaver
and his bride Of a few weeks left the
court room together with the admoni-
tion that the marriage which had been
performed in Chicago was not recog-
nized as valid under the Wisconsin
laws.
The little incident which took up
the time OF the cout for less than a
half hour was one Of the most sensa-
tional proceedings ever held in the
court. Mr.. Seaver and his wife came
into court just after half past four
clock with the understanding that
the wife was to go through the ordeal
Of pleading to a contempt charge and
that she was fortunate in being re-
leased by the court without further
charges being filed against her.
The story leading up to the case is
one of more than passing interest. On
the 18th day Of last October Judge
Randall heard the divorce suit of
Maude Hopkins against Raymond HI.
Hopkins. The husband did not appear
and Mrs. Hopkins, who had alleged
failure to support, was granted de-
cree and given the right to resume her
maiden name Of Maude Ell. Fairfield.
At the time Of hearing of the case
Judge Randall took especial pains to
inform the young woman that the de-
cree was an introductory decree and
that it would not become final until
the end of q year, when, it it was not
reopened by either of the parties, it
would become absolute by the pro-
visions of the state law relating to
divorce. At the same time the court
cautioned the young woman thai she
could not contract any marriage until
after the year had passed. Previous to
the granting of the decree Mrs. Hop
kins had been working as house
keeper for Mr.. Seaver and on the last
day of October Seaver and Mrs. Hop
kins went to Chicago, where they were
quietly married On the Chicago Ii
cense the names given were Maude
Fairfield and E. Sewell Seaver, but
few days after the marriage had been
contracted the printing of the license
by the Chicago clerk revealed the sec
ret. At the time Seaver was asked in
regard to the marriage and he fatty
denied the facts in the case, declaring
that talk of the wedding was simply
gossip of the neighborhood. In due
time Judge Randall, believing that
such violation Of the law should not
pass unnoticed, laid the facts in the
matter before District Attorney Hast
ings and Seaver was called to the dis
trict attorneys Office and questioned.
He promptly admitted that the mar
riage had taken place in, Chicago, but
ing of both himself and his wife that
the order of the court simply prevent
ed her remarrying in Wisconsin. Seav-
er explained that he had a large fami-
ly of children badly in need of the care
of a mother and that Mrs. Hopkins,
who had lived at his home before the
divorce, was ready to marry him.
Seaver later appeared beforeS Judge
Randall and told the same story and
at this time the court demanded that
the couple come before him and the
fning Of Mrs. Seayer followed. This
is the first time in the history of the
county that woman has been fined
for contempt of court.
Judge Randall, in discussing the case,
said: ''The divorce laws of the state
must be observed in this court. It is
possible that neither Mr.. or Mrs. Seav-
er knew of the full force of the law
in this case and for this reason [ was
inclined to be as lenient as possible
with them for what must appear to the
public as a most unwarranted viola
tion of the law. It would be possible
for the interlocutory decree granted by
this court to be opened any time dur
ing the year and the couple should
have known this fact as [ took partic-
ular pains to impress upon Mrs. Hop
kins at the time Of the divorce the
meaning of the law. There appears to
have been some extenuating circum-
stances in the case and the court took
these fully into consideration in pas
sing sentence against the woman | am
hopeful that this viii point a lesson to
other people who have occasion to seek
divorce.
Just What the status of the
seaver family is at this time
will have to be figured out by
attorneys. Judge Randall holds that
even though the marriage contract
was entered into a good faith
in Illinois that it is not binding in this
state and Judge Belden IN the circuit