The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1922-02-03

lars swear under oath that they
have known the person suing for d.
vorce more than a year and know
that they have lived In the State
for more than year.
To a Times reporter, in quest Of
an overnight" divorce, upon pay
ment OF $50, he was given q receipt
by one Of Alexandria's professional
"domicile caretakers," stating that
she had known him for more than
a year and that he had actually'Iived
at her house for one year. from jan
uary I. 1921. to January I, 1922.
AZ q matter of fact this writer
was never in Alexandria prior to his
investigation. During the investi.
cation he went under an assumed
name. in order to avoid suspicion
In seeking so many different di.
vorcee.
Hundreds OF Them
Despite the fact, however, the re-
ceipt was issued showing that this
particular woman had known him
personally for q number OF years
and that he had lived at her home
twelve-room housewife hundreds
of other washingtonians.'
Upon establishing this over
night" residence the next step in
the proceedings is q showing Of
horse play in notifying the other
party to the suit. that he or she Is
about to be sued for divorce on
grounds of desertion, adultery, in
sanity, or some kindred action.
Upon the trio's entering into nego-
tiatlons for the divorce, Attorney
Thouas was notified the place OF
residence OF the supposed husband.
Now, tho less you tell me. the
better off well both be-" Thomas de-
clared.
at would never do to send the no.
dress, and Il h never done. The
method employed Is to send II to
some fake address, under registered
cover. The letter, Of course, h not
delivered, ID returned, and N made q
part Of the legal court records"
Subsequent Investigation by The
Times reporters show that the Alex
andria, divorce couEs contain hun.
dreds of returned letters such as
Thomas described.
INQUIRY OF some Of the cases De.
velop the fact, according 10 postoffice
officials In those cities, that In many
cases no such address exists, nor did
the city directory show even the
name OF the street given as the ad.
dress.
Accepted Method.
The practice Of sending these no
tees to fake addresses. Thomas de
clared, was the common accepted
method of the Alexandria divorce
lawyers and the. best way to handle
the matter to keep the spouse from
becoming aware Of the suit"
The third step Of the proceedings
Thomas explained, after the resi-
dence L. established and the de
PENDANT to the suit legally" mott
fled, was the newspaper publica
ton of the suit.
This" said Thomas. can be
done either In the Alexandria
Gazette, which has little circula'
ton outside Of Alexandria or In the
little paper at Arlington county
court house, which . / control.
think in your case, probably II
would be best to publish It in the
Arlington paper.
Published In that sheet, there
isn't one chance in q million OF
anybody's ever seeing Il. y
AS to witnesses who will swear
that they have known you for
more than one year. and that you
have lived in their home for a
year, there will be no trouble as 10
that. There are people here In
Alexandria, good, safe, Trustworthy
folks, who make their living know
ing people and there win be no
trouble whatever In getting your
domicile affidaytts.
I've got ten neighbors. within q
half mile OF my house, any one
Of whom will sign your affidavit
for me-" Thomas declared, "or ]
can take care Of II here in. my own
house. The lady wouldn't want to
stay over here anyway. would she2
At the present time the house In