El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-12
Man Pays While Woman Walks off
With The Domestic LaureLS From
NeuU York Court Of Family ROtOs

NEW YORK, June 12-This IS pop
IN ularly supposed TO be mans
world. but there IS one place
where It certainly belongs to women,
and that is the domestic relations
court, sometimes called the divorce
court Of the poor" and again the
court OF family rows" OF New YORK
Here II is the man who pays, while
the woman stalks grimly off with the
domestic laurels.
Presumably a man may lodge a
complaint II his vie deserts him. but
few men do so. Thus Il is primarily
a women's and children's court, pat
ronized almost wholly by disgruntled
wives who are anxious 20 get ever"
with erring OF weary husbands Oc-
casionally a mother appears TO exact
support from an irresponsible son. but
nothersinlaW are much more in evil
dence.
As the reporter approached the old,
dingy red brick court house the other
morning. a crowd Of interested pedes-
TRANS was gathered about a very
angry young man and very angry
old lady. who were shouting intimate
reproaches at one another, just as II
they had the whole street TO them
selves The young man wore an old
brown suit, a speckled cap and no
collar: the old lady was also poorly
clad in a shiny black cape and a
rakish sailor hat
You've got plenty Of money" she
told the young man and the amused
crowd at the same time And my
daughters goin' TO get some o. It.
The judgeu make you pay IL"
'Nobody'u never make me pay it.
replied the young man turiOusly. I II
see them in heaven first!"
The Proud Male Crlnges.
But alas for the bravado OF the
male, a few minutes later this same
young man was standing meekly be-
fore the judges desk in the court
room. holding an abashed assent TO
all serious charges against him and
weakly agreeing to contribute IS a
week to the support Of his wife. The
wife IS earning SIC a week and living
with her parents, so that this viii
mako her total weekly income S24,
while her husband viii have only ST
left out OF his weekly salary.
The courtroom itself proved inter
esting because OF its utter lack Of
formally and legal precautions It
is more like q private office than a
court. and the Judge, long since hav-
ing discarded his judicial robe. sits
democratically at a long table where
also sit the defendant, the lawyers,
the court stenographer, and the pro-
baton officers. To the immediate
right Of this table is the witness chair.
One case is admitted to the courtroom
at a time TO receive a confidential
hearing.
so much nicer than # used to be-"
whispered a plump. gray haired pro-
baton officer TO US, as we sank into
a straight backed, shiny office chair
rear the official table. having gained
our admittance by the divine right
OF our reporters card. Its just like
a family caucus now. You know, It
used 10 be that the women had TO stand
in line and take their turns with all
sorts OF criminals and the whole
neiFhborhood used to come and alb
sorb all the gossip. The poor things
were afraid 10 say anything for fear
every house on their block would
have the story by the time they got
home.
Now the cases pass through our
probation department before they are
even brought into the courtroom. We
investigate conditions, find out
whether OF not the wife IS telling the
truth, and often we are able to effect
a reconciliation between the couple
before the case comes up
The woman took the witness chair.