The Washington times., 1922-01-27
ON
HALL BILL .
NEEDED To
CLEAN
Voluntary Reform Of Alexan-
i dria's Little Reno" Not
Likely, Hackers Say.

T RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 27.-
Early action on the anti-divorce
bill introduced yesterday in the
Virginia legislature which would
put stop to fraudulent divorces
on the "quick and easy" plan made
famous by the Alexandria divorce
ring was demanded today by baci.-
ers Of the measure.
Want Law Changed.
Passage Of the bill is demanded IN
the name of "decency" and to rid The
State of Virginia from the odium
attached to its name through the
corrupt practice of its attorneys in
making that State the dumpinl
ground of divorce seekers,
Little hope was expressed in the
voluntary reform of the divorce ring
Of Alexandria, and hackers of the
bill demanded that the law be SO
changed as to make 1t impossible for
unscrupulous lawyers to engage in
q wholesale divorce business, secur.
Ing divorces on false affidavits and
purged testimony.
Hundreds of divorces have been
secured in Alexandria by Budwesky
ana Davis. the divorce kings, former
law partners of Judge Moncure.
whose home is their office, without
a semblance of fairness to the de.
PENDANTS.
Gives Defendant q Chance.
According to Investigations, made
by The Washington Times exposing
the Alexandria divorce ring, the ring
has used as their tool a next door
neighbor of Judge Moncure, Mary L.
Baggett, who has signed hundreds of
atfidaVits that hundreds of people have
lived at her house simultaneously for
a year.
1T Is to prevent such corrupt prac.
tice as this" declared Delegate Hall.
introducer of the bill, (which will
make an easy divorce in Virginia &
thing Of the past and rid the name
OF cur fair State from the odium that
has been brought upon it by Alex
andr!a and other lawyers of the State.
The measure provides that where
the respondent does not make proper
defense, or fails TO appear to make
defense, the court must appoint A
guardian for the suit and defend II in
the name Of the Commonwealth Of
virginia.
Under the Alexandria system the
defendant was never & ven a chance
to answer the suit and charges Of de.
sertion. adultery. insanity. and other
accusations were made, on which the
DEGREES were granted.
In the majority Of a number of the
fraudulent eases fake addresses were
used by. the attorneys in sending
notice Of the suit, which were re.
turned undelivered and. accepted by
the court as proof OF service.
The preamble of the bill Is as fol.
lows:
whereas the census and vital
statistics disclose the fact that the
number Of divorces increase annually
in the State as elsewhere at an alarm.
ing extent and constitute an evil
which Is becoming a menace TO public
and private morality. and
Whereas a cause contributing to
such increase is generally believed to
lie in the fact tha' n large proportion
tested. or II the defendant appears,
offers no defense, thus rendering Il
easier for the complainant TO present
a case, and IN many cases giving rise
to the suspiciOn OF fraud or collusion
wtirh ne her the court nor the coun.
sci fnv - means OF providing or
prevgn in ard
'Nr-l ~ conceded that the
~ - curity OF any people
liV'' ate or organized society
dep N" z" large measure upon q
due regard for the sanctitY OF the
married relations, and for that reason