The Washington times., 1922-03-15

IS HELObY
M0NC(JRE
Reno Judge Has Pleasant
Hour Striking at Times for
Exposing Divorce Frauds.
BY A. CIOYD GILL.

by n. CIOID OIlLs-
Behind the Bars in Little Reno"
came near being the subject Of this
story.
Jail loomed for this writer today
when he was hailed before the bar
of Little Reno's divorce Judge and
placed in the custody Of the City
sergeant.
Moncure Makes Writer Hostage.
After being served wsth' sum.
mons TO appear before special
grand Jury which convenes March
IL to investigate the divorce situa'
tion OF Alexandria. this writer was
informed by Judge Robinson Mon
cure that he would have to make
bond OF $500 before he could leave
the courtroom.
The bond which he finally made
requires him not only to appear
Friday when the grand jury cor
venes, but admonishes him TO keep
the peace for a period Of thirty days.
the assumption being that the In
vestigation will continue for that
length of time.
Final arguments before the bar
associa ton committee which has
been probing the divorce evil OF
were not heard today
due to the indisposition OF John S.
Barbour, counsel for Moncure.
To Meet Saturday.
The committee will meet Saturday
morning at 10 o'clock TO hear the
remarks of Mr.. Barbour and of A.
torney Frank Stuart. the latter ap-
pearing as prosecutor.
Resolutions, adopted by the com.
mittee this morning, request the
Judge to postpone the probe or The
divorce evil until the committee shall
have completed its investigation ard
filed it's report.
An effort was made by members
of the committee to have incor-
porated in the resolution a clause
calling on Judge Moncure to take
the probe out of the special grand
Jury which he has chosen and leave
1t to a gran djury which would be
called by judge from another
Jurisdiction. This move failed.
II was Immediately on the ad-
journment Of the probe committee
that Judge Moncure mounted the
bench in his bleak, bare court room
and pounded heavily with a gavel
for order.
Puts Ban on Smoking.
Declaring his court in session he
ordered those in the room who were
smoking to desist. They did. Cigars
and cigarettes, half consumed, went
to one Of the two stoves which con.
stitute the heating apparatus of the
court room.
The court moved with precision.
The city sergeant served this
writer with a summons and the
Judge ordered him before the bar of
justice.
There he was informed that Jail
awaited him II he did not make
bond, giving as surety an Alexan.
dria property owner.
The court explained that he took
this course because this writer
was a nonresident witness. This
writer some days ago stated to the
investigating committee in the
presence OF the judge that he would
appear before the grand jury when
1t convened. This counted for
naught with the Judge today.
Calling in Miss Cora Duffey, a
deputy clerk in the office of the
clerk OF the corporation court, the
ment, between paragraphs re-
ferring to certain legal volumes
piled before him. He omitted moth
ing.
Incidentally Miss Duffey IL the
first woman in Virginia to serve on
a Jury in that State. 1t was to this
writer that she told of her expert
en:e when he called at her home in
the fall of 1917. She was called in
to fill out a panel in a case then on
trial in the circuit court.
Little Reno's famous divorce Judge
spent a pleasant hour in striking
back at The Washington Times.
which has published articles expos
ing the divorce evil in Alexandria.
Several prominent members OF the
divorce ring were present to witness
H..