Great Falls tribune., 1922-02-20
SINGLE DIVORCE
MOTHER OUT To.
SHAT TIER MILL
Woman Rented Closets
in Which to Hang Her
Nighties as Residence.
Enbittered Husband in
One Case Charges Her
With False Affidavit.
By RALPH BURTON

ssecial Correspondsnt Of Great Falls Tribune
Copyright. 1922. by The Great Falls Tribune
Alexandria, six miles down the
Potomac from Washington, dis
covered recently as sort OF super
Reno, has been busy In the last
week "cleaning house. The activ-
ity has resulted in the arrest Of
divorce mother" "a IandIady
living next door to the divorce
court-Wh0 made business of
renting rooms to separationIst
folks of both sexes.
Alexandria, Va, Feb. 19.-They have
arrested Mary Baggett-and the other
boarding house divorce mothers
watched from behind slanted shutters
as the man from Judge Duvall's court
came to tell her that the former hus-
band of recent divorcee charged that
Mary testified falsely. wilfully and
feloniousIy" about the residence claims
which bolstered SO strongly the wom-
ans case when she was granted dl-
vorce Evidently the divorced husband
was peeved when the wife who had
been living with him in Washington
suddenly announced she had been dl-
vorced across the river. Mary's arrest
action taken bearing upon anyone who
has been gossiped about. so much since
investigation disclosed Alexandria's
divorce mill"
Operated Next to Court
For MANY months the mill ran on
quietly, quickly and quiescently at
prices made exceedingly low through
the adoption of the American manu-
featuring principle of big production
low unit COSTS
Many have been the whispered
charges of who fathered the plan by
which the hanging of night gown IN
closet and the payment Of a small
rental fee" could secure evidence that
a resident Of Alexandria for year.
But while talk has caused speculation
as to the identity of fathers, the more
invidous, scorching charges have con-
cerned the mothers Of the plan.
Mary Baggett's boarding house is
next door to the court in which the
great share of the divorces were grant
ed. It is charged that on the brightest
days of the year when sunshine flooded
the streets. one could establish rest
dence, ioin in conference with the 1awy
ers and attend the court hearing with
out once stepping out of the shade.
It was what might be called "the pro-
gressive system of manufacture'-you
proceeded in straight line from one
operation to the next.
Mary today was fearful. yet said
Many Affidavits are Lies
she was ready to attend court next
Tuesday when the hearing Of the
charge will be heard.
Il know what is being said about
me, but in all the years | have run
this boarding house, / have never know
ingly done anything contrary to the
law" she said.
According to the files of the local
corporation court where the vast ma
jority of divorce cases in this iurisdic-
ton are brought, the name Of Mrs.
Baggett appears frequently on affi-
davits swearing to the compliance with
residence and donkcile, requirements
of applicants for divorce.
In other words, she has in these
cases sworn that the applicant in
question has resided at her home for
the necessary period required by law
She admitted she had made more or
less of a speciality of renting rooms to
persons taking up residence in Alex
andria preparatory to filing suit for
divorce, but said she had never sworn
to anything but the truth.
The local divorce evil is attributed
by the Rev. p. F. Hall. pastor of st.
Paurs Episcopal church, chiefly to
what he terms the lowest standard |
of public morals