New Britain herald., 1925-05-19
MANY AFFECTED IN
 DIVORCE SCANDAL
More Than 100 "Freed' in R. l., Now Married Abroad

Providence R. l., May l9.-(AP) Effects that will be felt by people now living far from the boundaries Of the United States will result from disclosures of the operation of the Rhode Island divorce mill when the cases against Leonard ". Horton and Francis P. Dougherty are brought 10 trial in about two weeks, Attorney General Charles r. Sisson promises
 Many Living Abroad
 The attorney general specifically cites the case Of New York school teacher who secured divorce here through two fake witnesses and gave false testimony herself She is now remartied and is living in France. Many Of the 100 couples that the attorney general says were illegally separated through the machinations of Horton and Dougherty are now remarricd or living abroad or both.
 The specially rec0nvened March grand jury returned 26 indictments yesterday against Horton and Dougherty for conducting their di- vorce mill in Rhode Island courts with headquarters at the Hotel 1m- pcrial, New York city, Horton is said by the attorney general to have boasted that he was getting s2,000 for every divorce he fraudulently secured for non residents of the state. Horton is being held in sS0,- GOO bail and Dougherty in S40,Oo0. Both have been committed in lieu Of bond.
 Secret Indictments
 Seven secret indictments have been found against non-residents of Rhode Island said 10 be as deeply implicated in the conspiracy as the two attorneys. Attorney General Sisson has intimated that the de- fendants in these cases are New Workers. but asserts there is not lawyer among them, They are prin- cipaliy false witnesses, 1t is under stood.
 Asked whether any of the 200 persons involved in the cases he had investigated were prominent, MT. Sisson replied that he recognized none who were widely known, but that most of them were possessed of wealth. More efforts Of iIlustrious persons to secure divorccs have been nipped in the bud, he pointed out, since the disclosures attending the frustrated divorce proceedings here Of Nina Wilcox Putnam San derson, well known author; Minta F.. Durfco Arbuckle, former wife of the film comedian. and Fay Mantell Eiscnberg Of New York.
 More Sensations Likely
 Nr. sisson declared that further sensational developments may be eX- pected in the divorce mill proceed .ings. Operations Of other attorneys besides Horton and Dougherty are being closely scrutinized. Tho ulu- mate result may be d complete revo- lution in tho method of granting di- vorces in Rhode Island.
 So far, the system has presented no obstacle to those who sought 10 cvadn the strict laws of other states Dispositions were sworn to before a master in chancery and read in court with neither petitioner nor re- spondcnt present. The dispositions were then impoundod. Collision was thus made easy and practically un- dotcctiblc as newspapers could not see the dcpositions after they were sealed
 With eases being heard in several court rooms at once however, and the volume Of business during di- yorcc sessions as huge as it has been. publicity for every deposition read has been virtually impossible. At the January session lS7 divorces were granted in ID days in Provi- dencc county superior court alone. At the March session 179 dcCrees were handed down in 10 days. Of Ithc latter total. the largest number Of eases were handled by Horton as master in chancery and Doughcrty as attorney Of record.
 II Grounds For Divorce
 Rhode Island offers a wide va riety Of grounds for divorce. There are II in number. viz: neglect to provide, extreme cruelty, desertion, gross mlsbohayiour, living separate and apart for 10 years. hebitual drunkenness adultery. marriage originally void. impotency drug ad- diction and being ciyilly dead. Ne glcct 10 provide and extreme cruelty purely technical ground. have been the most popular charges.
 Testimony Of deponents has been accepted by the courts as unques- tioned in respect to grounds and length Of residence, Two years con- tinuous residence prior to the enter ing Of a divorce petition is the sta ute residence requirement. and the state supreme court has handed down a stringent opinion interpret ing this 10 mean the maintenance uninterrupted Of legal domicile fol two years immediately preceding tho date of entering decree.
 Has Comedy Angle. Too Tt is in dcposiur to meet thi' strict residence" reumrm'rt tha'