The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-03-28
DENOUNCES QUICK
DAKOTA DIVORCES
AS ''DISGRACEFUl"
Former Erasmus Student Claims
That Sioux Falls Divorce,
Granted in 1907, Is
Invalid.

Brooklyn, N. Y, March 26.-Justics
nelly, OF the supreme court In Brook
lyn old what he thought Of the western
dlVorce courts, when Mrs. Caroline
Rupp asked him to annul her marriage
10 Richard c. Rupp, an architect.
Mrs. Rupp declares that when she
married Rupp he already had a wife,
MRS. Edith Rupp, who had obtained o
dlVorce from him in Sioux Falls. 8. D..
In 1907. She maintained that this d.
vorce was invalid, that Rupp had gone
into an agreement with his wife not to
defend the suit on condition that he
would return to her jewelry he had
given her during their married life,
which began In 1902.
w deny that there was an agree
ment,' said Rupp's attorney, and I
think that divorces Of this character
should be sustained"
Justice Kelly said:
Il hold to the contrary. I think they
are the most disgraceful things in our
modern history"
In her testimony Mrs. Rupp, who is
the daughter Of Frederick B. Steven
son. Sunday editor of the Brooklyn
Eagle, told how, when she was IS, at
tending Erasmus Hall high school In
l9O9. she met Rupp, who was 35.
He Made Plans and Love.
He was directing the work on my
io'iici . HSW HOuSe, she Sdlu, anQ we
were together almost daily after our
first meeting. He was always kind and
gracious, taking me into his confidence
as though l were his own g l saw
nothing in our friendship, and even
when he criticised my parents for
What he termed my narrow bringing
up / would not resent 1t. He told me
now other girls of my age were allowed
10 go to theaterS and dances while I
was kept at home like an old maid"
And did this influence you against
your parents?" asked Frank X. Nc
Caffry, Mrs. Rupp's attorney.
1t made me very unhappy and
brought me nearer to Rupp," she re-
Piled.
Mrs. Rupp, who looks a girl. con-
tinued:
"One evening in March, 1910, we were
walking together neal my home when
ne put his arm around me and pro-
posed marriage. He told me has was a
divorced man-that his first wife had
disappointed him and he had allowed
her to get a divorce. He told me he
considered himself well rid Of her."
First Marriage Secret.
The following Tune the girl and Rupp
we're secretly married, but because Of
some trouble about the license they
were married again the following July.
'Rupp then, at my suggestion, told my
rather of u marriage, but father
would not permit us to go to house,
keeping until Rupp had shown his di-
vorce papers," resumed Mrs. Rupp.
This he refused to do.
Several days later l went alone to
Rupp's apartments to induce him to
DO as father wished. He opened the
door and locked me in. Then he sent
for an automobile and compelled me to
accompany him again my protests"
Tho pxrl Gnjl thnu hnopInI tho Al
bany day boat and then went to Round
Lake, N. Y. She declared that during
this trip he subjected her to cruelties
that drove away the last vestige of
love. They stayed at Round Lake II
week, and while there she said she was
constantly trying to get away. Con-
tinuing her testimony, she said:
ION one occasion we were on the
AXE and he was rowing. l cannot row
at all. Suddenly he stripped off his
clothing and dived into the water. l
was frightened and begged him to
come back"
Did he wear a bathing suit? ?" coun-
sci asked.
NO; not a thing" Mrs. Rupp blush
,ngly answered.
$4,000 Suit Started.
On returning to Brooklyn, Mrs. Rupp
returned to her father, and Rupp
brought suit to recover 5 1000 dam
ages from MIR. Stevenson. charging
alienation Of his wife's affections.
John S. Griffith, a Brooklyn lawyer,
testified that Mrs. Rupp had said in
his presence when she returned from
Round Lake:
Papa, l want to go home with ou.
This man Rupp has abused me. If you
don't take me away I will go out as a
servant. 1 will sweep doorsteps-any-
thing-rather than live with him."
Mrs. Alice E. Stevenson, Mrs. Rupp's
mother, told how Rupp had come to her
home to consult Mr.. Stevenson about
the new home. She then did not know
he had been attentive to her daughter.
But on one occasion / saw a most
disgusting thing" she said. II saw my
little daughter sitting In this mans
lap. She had never been to Manhattan
alone. She never went to theaters or
dances and never asked to go, and the
possibility of marriage had never sug-
e.na&al itga1fD