The Cordova daily times., 1921-07-21


 the spoek of life-.especially the life matrimonial-tha variety Is supposed 10 lend.
 Connecticut has abolished the biga. nous marriage which it's statutes have heretofore declared to be no bigamy unless the contracting parties live to- gether in the state.
 Governor Lake has signed bill amending the marriage, and bigamy laws in his state, where so many dis satisfied husbands fled to take anoth. CT partner leaving their perfectly good wives at home.
 Little was known of this legal loop hole for marital monotony until Vice Chancellor Joseph Merritt Lane, of New Jersey, took advantage of it-in September, 19l9-to leave two wives and yet escape imprisonment.
 Since that time we have had the cases of the broker, Herbert Thorn ton Andrews, of Jersey City and the eloping church treasurer, Shubel K. Silver. of New Brunswick.
 Of all those Andrews was bravest. He not only ran away from his first wife to marry a younger and more comcly women but he brought the second wife Esther Tatnall Andrews. back home to dwell in peace and unity with his first choice, Mrs Maud An drews.
 Not until the neighbOrs began to take notice and complain about the plural matrimony of Andrews was any action taken.
 After the publicity and criticism that followed wife No. ? fled. Mrs. Maud Andrews held the citadel, and it was reported that T reconciliation had taken place.
 But soon came the news that Esther and Herbert could never be parted and that after a divorce was procured they would marry again.
 Alas for such plans! Andrews was threatened with arrest. not only for bigamy, but also on perjury charges. Andrews. of course. in applying in Connecticut for license had said ne was single at the time.
 And all the while Mrs. Maud An drews declared she tolerated condi- tions while wife No. lived under her roof, only for the sake of her children
 Merritt Lane had no such fears of bigamy charge. He cannot ever be charged with perjury for his bigamous marriage, because the facts in the case were sworn by by Grace Herche. whom he married in this fashion, and not by him.
 And when Grace Herche swore he was single she believed it to be the 1 truth, so she said since
 Mrs. Herche-Lane also swore that they never lived together in Colnecti- | cut of anywhere else after the mar rage. But Prosecuting Attorney Ken nedy, of Stamford. now d state sen ator, was ready to draw up a bill |. amending the bigamy statute so as to ! make marriage of already married persons bigamy whether the contract ing parties lived together afterward or not
 Meanwhile the chance for another ! try at marital happiness was not lost upon such anxious o6sercers as Shub- el K. Silver. church treasurer, of New Brunswick, N. J. and Adelaide Gouin, waitress, of Perth Amboy. Sive- Lad had q wife and several children. He is over forty. But he was strongly at tracted to the young waitress, girl Of seventeen.
 Funds are necessary even for biga nous marriages. Silver had little mon- of his own. But for the sake of the waitress he left home and family and robbed the cashbox of his church to the sum of $6,0O0 in Liberty Bonds.
 With the Liberty Bonds in his poca- ct. Adele at his side. both bound to- gether in bigamy. they sought free dom and happiness in the Maine | woods.
 Investigators caught up with them. however, and brought Silver and his bigamous bride back to civilization and court.
 Silver is now in prison for an inde- terminate sentence of from two tol seven years. His wife has sued for airnucn naming No 2 as cO-reSnOnd-