The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-22
BY ERNIE PYLE

III PASO, Tex, May 22.-You
Il couldn't prove it by me whether
a Mexican divorce is legal or not,
but 1 know a man in El Paso who
has turned out more than 1000 Of
them in three years. And he says
he's never had one kick back on
him yet,
He is Mexican, around 40, I'd
say. His complexion is so light and
his clothes so Wall Streetish you'd
hardly know he wasn't an American.
He lives and keeps an Office in
El Paso, and practices before the
courts in Juarez. across the river.
He speaks good English and drives
big cars ana makes a great deal of
money.
He told me he handles IS per cent
of all the divorces obtained in Mex
leo He charges 5000 a throw, rich
or poor, take it or leave it.
Some days he has no new GUS
toners at all, and some days he has
as many as 20. He averages four or
five a day.
LIE has handled the divorces -foi
II 81 prominent movie stars, he
says, and about so who aren't so
prominent. The ones he liked best
were Norma Talmadge, Claudette
Colbert and Sally Eilers.
He was chagrined about Claud-
cite. She blew in, and gave her
right name. whatever it is, and he
didn't recognize her. Didn't know
who she was until couple of hours
later.
He's crazy about Norma Tall
madge. After her divorce, he ran
on to her one night in a Chicago
night club. Norma invited his whole
party to her table and they popped
corks and had a big time. He says
Norma is sweet and kind to every
body.
About IS per cent of his divorces
are by mutual consent. In that
case, he can get a divorce in a
couple of hours. If there isn't mu-
tual consent, it takes from IS days
to month.
He hasn't very high regard for
the motives of people who get di-
vorces. He says they don't really
want freedom; lots of them are di-
vorced and married again within a
few minutes.
VOU can get married in Mexico
Il without even being there. Get
married by proxy. My friend serves
as the proxy.
He has stood up and been married
to 101 women Gin his role of proxy,
of courSe), and once he was a bride.
One morning two midle-aged
couples flew in from New York in
a special plane. They wanted to get
unlocked. Since it was mutual con-
sent, he got them unlocked in
about two hours.
And then they said they wanted
to get married again-but not to the
same wives. They just switched
around. That night they had big
party, to celebrate. They invited
my friend along.
The newlyweds got to drinking
a little, and the first thing he knew
one wife had got jealous of her ex-
husband, and started screaming and
pulling hair, and there was quite
rumpus. But they all flew away
together next day.
My friend is a graduate of the
University of Mexico. He lived
short time in New York.
II n
TIE rides political horses, and he
Il l. rode the wrong horse once and
became a political exile. Couldn't
even go back across the river. But
he's on the right side now.
The thing he hates worst Of all
is when people he knows come for
a divorce. He has divorced four Of
his best friends. He was very much
upset about it. He is married him
self, but doesn't intend to avail
himself of his own legal services.
Most of his clients come from
New York and California, he says,
because those states have very linn
tied grounds.
People have to swear they are 60
ing to live permanently in Mexico.
Some of them actually do stay, but
you could spend a week counting
up those who don't. I expressed
some doubt to my friend about the
legality of these Americans inten-
lions. I thought his answer was
pretty good. He said:
well, I'm always honest with the
court, and with my clients. But I
can't always tell whether my clients
are honest with me-"