The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1922-04-19
HOLL|S'S DIVORCE
FOUND ILLEGAL BY
BULGARIAN STATE
Government Never Recog-
nized Decree, Department
of Religion Announces.
SOFIA TAKES ACTION
"Did What | Thought Was
Right" Former Member
of Senate Explains.

SOFIA, April ID (AsSociated PreSS).
The Department OF Religion and
Education OF the Foreign Office has
advised the Bulgarian Legation in
Washington that the divorce issued to
former United States Senator Henry
+. Hollis of New Hampshire by the
pastor OF the Unitarian Church at
Dubnitza is not officially recognized
by the bulgarian State. and possesses
no legal force.
The religion department denies
having given official approval to the
divorce papers. and the Government
is instituting proceedings against
Pastor TopHsky, who granted the di-
vorce.
Or. Dobtshef, professor Of canonical
law at sofia University. declares the
divorce invalid by virtue OF the bul-
garian laws. He points out that Bull
garian religious authorities have not
the power TO annul marriage con-
cluded civilly either at home or
abroad, and says that only the civil
authority which executed such mar.
riage can annul 1t.
Tho Bulgarian newspapers are
printing long articles commenting
upon the strangeness of the case. Mr..
Hollis is wen known here, as he had
represented large American corpor-
alton endeavoring to sell the Govern
ment excess American war stocks o.
freight cars.
PARIS, April 10 ASSOCIATED Press)
Former United States Senator Hol-
lis, when informed of the Bulgarian
Governments action in declaring his
recent divorce illegal, said; "All care
TO say now is that acted upon what l
considered sound legal advice. am
confident the divorce will stand"
He added that the divorce docu-
ments had been authenticated by the
Bulgarian Minister in Rome.
WASHINGTON, April 10 (Asso-
ciated Press) No detailed informa-
ton regarding the divorce proceedings
of former Senator Hollis in Bulgaria
has reached the Bulgarian Legation
here. A message received to-day at
the legation merely announced the
Governments decision not TO recognize
the divorce as legal.
Pastor TonislIy, who granted tho
divorce, Is known to some Of the lcgu-
ton staff. He is described as having
a wide acquaintance in Bulgaria.
During the war he is said to have re-
ceived considerable notoriety because
OF an unsuccessful effort to obtain ex- %
omption from military service.
Hollis married Grace Bruerton
Fisher of Norwood. Mass, In 1898.
Fairly in March OF this year he OBJ
tained a divorce in sofia. Bulgaria,
and at Rome he married Miss Anne
White Hobbs OF Concord, n. II. The
ceremony was witnessed by Ambassa-
dor Child and former Senator Phelan
Ut California.
At the time of the Rome marriage
II was said that the divorce decree
had been made legal by the bulgarian
Foreign Ministry. II appeared from
tho text of the decree that Hollis was
a resident OF Bulgaria without preju-
dice to his American citizenship. Il. T.
Moore. a former law partner OF Hol-
II.
vorce in the French courts three
| months before his re-marrisge.
Attorneys for the first Mrs. Hollis
contended that under the terms OF
the decree of separation she obtained
in New Hampshire neither she nor he
had the right to remarry