Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-03
JUDGE Connolly's Statement

Judge Joseph L. +. Connolly of the
Cumberland County Superior court in
his statement of facts relating to the
bill to change divorce jurisdiction IN
Cumberland county to make it concur
rent between the Superior and Supreme
courts instead of exclusively in the Su-
perior court. as at present asserted that
Maine is becoming the Reno of the East
and cited several instances which have
come within his observation of wealthy
women from other states coming to
Portland with the object oe obtaining
a divorce. The general price charged
divorce emigrants from New York is
from 500 to $3.50. he said. He gave
figures to show that i'll 1916 two attor-
neys handled IS per cent. of the divorce
business in Cumberland county and IL
per cent. of the lawyers in Portland
had 10 per cent of all the divorce
cases. In the same year 40 per cent.
of the divorce cases in Cumberland
county were in marriages that had oc-
Cured in other states.>
This particular bill Judge Connolly
said arose from a grievance at rul-
ing of his court In a certain divorce
case, ana ne Clteu eACeEPtS iAoiil the
evidence to justify his conclusion in
ruling there had been no legal deser-
ton He gave several instances of
abuse of the divorce statutes such as
the giving of false evidence and bold
violations Of the moral law.
THE granting of divorce for the pur-
pose of remarriage and to crafty lust
lis but q step removed from license to
prostitution" said Judge Connolly, and
asserted that lack of means to deter
mine the facts by the court lacks prac-
tice by counsel and perjury by petition
ers has made the Maine divorce law "a
laughing stock. and the divorce decree
refuge for hariots, while worthy men
and women who have availed themselves
of its provisions are classed with the
unworthy. until the name of divorce
has become synonymous with all that
is bad and unworthy"
Senator Marshal's Statement
Senator Frank D. Marshall Of Cumber-
land who introduced the bill to amend
the jurisdiction of the Superior court
of Cumberland county to make divorce
Jurisdiction in that county concurrent
between the Supreme and Superior
Courts instead Of exclusively in the
Superior court as at present, after read
ing the statement of facts of Judge
Joseph E. F. Connolly Of the Cumber-
land Superior court bearing on this
matter which was introduced in the
Senate Friday by Senator Howard Da-
vies Of Cumberland. made the following
statement to a reporter:
This bill to confer concurrent jur-
isdiction upon the Supreme and supe-
rior courts. so that divorce matters
may be heard before either court in
Cumberland county. was mailed to me
by a reputable lawyer in Portland: and
by request introduced it and at once
notified Judge Connolly. received
from him a very frank and courteous
reply. am informed that other drafts
Of bills covering The same subject have
been prepared, but this happened to be
the first one to get into the Legisla-
ture. have no special interest in the
proposed change as a lawyer. and am op-
posed to any change which would make
It easier to obtain a divorce in this
State. don't think 1t is the object Of
this bill to make divorce easier: yet
there may be other valid objections
which will be developed at the hearing
to making any change at this time"
IN THE HOUSE.
An unusual situation was found In
the House Friday morning, when the
hour Of calling to order arrived
Speaker Bonney, who has been an ex-
emnIsrv exponent of punctuality