Evening star., 1922-02-23
BACKS UP CHARGES
IN WAR ON DIVORCE
Attorney Stuart Declares He
Got Facts Which Barred
Alexandria Scandal.
From q STAFF Correspondent.

AVN Stdu Correspondent.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, February 23.-
Frank Stuart. local attorney. while
appearing today as a witness before
the committee of. seven lawyers in
vestigating the divorce evil alleged
to exist here, stated that it was he
who furnished the information which
has formed the basis of the articles
appearing in a Washington news
paper conducting a campaign against
conditions here, and that he would
readily assume his share of the re-
spensibiiity as to their truthfulness
Charges BASED ON Facts.
Mr. Stuart. who was the only witness
examined by the committee up to
o'clock. when it recessed, explained that
the charges he had made had been based
upon the facts contained in the rec
ords of the corporation court and upon
his own personal observation and knowl-
edge. He explained thet he had noted,
as far back as two years ago, when he
came to Alexandria to practice, that
there was big divorce business here
and that he made it his business to con-
suit the records and to make inquiry to
determine the cause.
He stated that he thought the time
had come when the evil should be
stopped, and it was then that he sup
piled the Information to the Washing
ton paper to make what he termed an
EXPOSE" He declared that from his
observation he considered the respon-
sibilitfes for the evil rested almost en-
tirely with Judge Robinson Moncure,
who presides over the corporation
court, in which the majority Of the
divorce cases had been tried within
the past eighteen months.
Attorney Stuart then proceeded to
cite instances in cases in which he
personally was represented or was
familiar with to show. as he termed
IL. the laxity on the part OF Judge
Moncure and of the existence of ir-
regularities in such cases.
Mrs. BaEgett Often Witness.
He said that examination of the
records of the court prior to the
time Judge Moncure headed the bench
showed he frequently used Mrs. Mary
l.. Baggett, whose name has appeared
so frequently recently as witness
to the residence requirements of di-
yorce applicants; that the judge was
familiar with Mrs. Baggett's activi-
ties then and after he assumed the
bench and that he should have taken
it upon himself to have prevented
these acticities. He declared further
that he was convinced by the atti-
tude of Judge Moncure in certain
divorce cases in which he (Mr. Stuartl
represented one or another OF the par
ties that he encouraged divorces rather
than discouraged them.
When the hearing was opened to.
day Howard w. Smith. chairman OF
the committee. explained that its pur-
pose was to obtain evidence or infor.
nation from any person who wished
to testify before 1t. He stated that
any information thus volunteered
would be helpful to the COMMITTEES in
reaching its conclusions.
Three Decline to Appear.
]. Randall Cation. secretary to the
committee, reported that Mrs. Bag
gett, Mrs. Stella Bensel and Robert
Lucket, whose names have appeared
most frequently as witnesses for ap-
plicants for divorce. had been invited
to appear before the committee, but
failed to present themselves. He re-
ported also that the writer of the
articles in the Washington newspaper
in question had written a letter de-
clining to appear.