The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-20
ENOCH ARDEN LAW
RAISES LAST HOPES
Rich and Poor Ask for CO.
pies of States New Di-
yOrce Law.
ONE EDITION IS GONE
Flood Of Letters Received by
Secretary of State. Many
Asking Advice.
STRANGE CASES RELATED
Measure Draws Inquiries From
All Parts of Nation-Suits
Soon to Start.
STRANGE CASES RELATED
Special Dispatch TO THE NEW YORK HERALD
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany, April 10.

Special Dtspotch TO THE NEW York HERALD.
New York Herald Bureau.
Albany. April 10.
The number OF letters written to
the Office of Secretary of State Lyons
by persons seeking 10 end their matri-
monial status under the new Enoch
Arden law. has jumped to Last. All
have been received since March 20,
when Gov. Miller signed the Swift
bill which makes Ave years absence
second ground for divorce in this
State.
Written upon all sorts of stationery,
froin the monogrammed and often
scented sort to the cheap pad variety,
the letters have all but swamped the
Law Department. Many have come
from law firms. not only in the larger
cities. but also from hamlets, indi-
eating that there will be many suits
for divorce within the next few weeks.
based upon the provisions of this new
law.
One print or the laws already has
been exhausted. and judging from the
present demand the new divorce law
in chapter form will rank as one Of
the six best sellers OF the year
No Names to BE Given Out.
Realizing that many requests have
come from persons whose matrimonial
troubles have been fraught with much
unhapplness and that publicity is the
last thing to be desired. Secretary
Lyons has made a rule that under no
conditions are the letters or tho Gently
of the writer's to be revealed.
While some of the letters merely seek
a copy of the law. great m Try cover
q page or more. the writers apparently
thinking the Secretary of State may be
able to offer some legal advice. Some
writer's pour out their troubles, page
after page One woman in asking for
a copy of the law said that while her
husband had been gone five or six
years she was only too glad TO get
rid of him and that all she now wanted
was to make II final
''Hurrah for Miller and swift wrote
another woman, adding that the law
thousands of helpless women who other
wise would remain tied hanl i''d foot
for years.
Tken there Was another woman.
New Yorker. who informed Mr.. Lyons
that her husband, a professional BAL
loonist making the rounds OF county
fairs. must have "drifted away for
she had not heard from him since 1916,
when he was in the middle West.
Judging from the number OF requests
for copies OF the law coming from
women the male sex Is more inclined
to beat IT." forgetting to leave any for
warding address. than are the women.
Probably five OF every six letters so fac
relieved are from women
Some Complications Arise.
Mr.. Lyons has received letter from
well known artist whose matrimonial
troubles were aired few years ago
and who later left New York and has
been leading an isolated existence for
some time In the Catskill Mountains.
He also asked for a copy OF the Swift.
law.
While the law is generally known as
the Swift divorce law, one woman ap-
parently took II for granted that ths
word swift" indicated speed rather
than the introducer of the bill. for in
her letter she asked for the quick
divorce law"
With the law already In effect. some
puzzling situations have arisen. One
man stated that he formerly rnsi,ed in
New York State, bur had married a
Canadian and had been living in Can
ada for the last seven or eight years.
although still claiming New York State
ns his home. About five years ago his
wife left and SINCE then has never been
heard from. The husband. still Twins:
IN Canada. Is anxious to know II under
the present law he can obtain divorce
Matrimonial agencies In the middle
West. and even as far as the coast also
are interested in the bill. for several
have written for conter