The New York herald., 1921-06-26
PICKFORD- D-MOORE
DIVORCE UPHELD
Proceedings to Set Aside De-
cree Quashed in Nevada
Court.

RENO New, June 25.-The effort of
the State Attorney-General to have the
divorce decree OF Mary Pickford from
Owen Moore set aside failed at Minden
this afternoon when District Judge Lam
gan granted a motion to quash the sum-
mons in the Attorney-GeneraPs proceed
ings.
The court held that while 1t was true
the State was party to all divorces, as
contended by the Attorney-General, yet
the State was represented by the trial
Judge anil not by the Attorney-General
AS the decree had been accepted by both
plaintiff and defendant, the Judge de-
cided, the State was estopped from pro-
ceedings to set aside the decree.
Many of the members of the bar from
western Nevada were present at the
Minden court this afternoon when the
decision was rendered
Mary Pickford. whose divorce from
Owen Moore was attacked by Leonard
! B. Fowler, Attorney General of Nevada,
won her decree here March 20, 1920. by
District Judge Frank +. Langan, and
! in short time married Douglas Fair
banks in Los Angeles.
! Testifying at the divorce trial. Miss
Pickford said she had come to Nevada
February is. 1920. for the benefit Of her
health. She charged Moore with de-
sertion and cruelty. Moore was not
present at the hearing and did not con-
| test, although on the day before he
was served with the summons in Doug
las county. in which Minden is located.
Miss Pickford testified that she did
not know Moore was In Nevada at the
time. Following the divorce both left
the State.
Nearly one month later on April 16.
after Miss Pickford and Fairbanks were
married. the Attorney General filed an
action here asking that the decree be
! set aside 'in the interests OF the State
of Nevada" He charged Moore and
Miss Pickford with fraud and col
lusion," declared Judge Langan had no
Jurisdiction in the case, as both prin-
cipals were residents of Los Angeles.
said the decree was "colorable." said
that the two principals held the Nevada
court Sin utter contempt and charged
that the marriage Of Miss Pickford
and Fairbanks was part Of 'fraudu-
lent plan concocted by the defendants"
| Moore. he charged, came to Douglas
! county solely 10 submit to personal
service of the divorce summons. The
Attorney Generals action was predi-
Gated he declared, on the principle
that the State reserves interest In all
divorce cases"
Attorneys lot MISS flchioTu hIiSWcIeu
the Attorney Generals charges and
asked that his suit be set aside. They
asserted that the Attorney-General had
no authority under Nevada laws to
bring his action. and declared that If
the principle on which the States suit
was predicated was sustained, the At
| torney-Gener could review all divorce
cases ever granted in Nevada. The de-
fence counsel said that no case could
be found as precedent for Fowler's
action. The right to review. which the
Attorney General said he held, was at
tackled The State. 1t was claimed. was
represented at the trial by the court,
and the courts action in granting the
decree was final. They held that the
divorce was legal in every way, that
the residence requirement had been
lived up to, and claimed there was no
collision between Miss Pickford and
Moore.