THE MORNING OREGOXIAX, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1920
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DEEURED
SHAME OF SEATTLE
Lax State Laws Open Way
for Fraud and Perjury.
COLLUSION ALSO INDUCED
Puget Sound City Outstrips Reno
In X umber or Decrees Granted
and Moral Collapse.
SEATTLE, Wash., Dec. 7. (Spe
cial.) Fraud, perjury and collusion
ero amazingly large and successful
factors in obtaining divorces in Se
attle, declared Judge Frater of the
King county superior court today.
This combination of fraud, perjury
nd collusion, coupled with what
popularly is known as the easiest
divorce law of any state in the union.
Is responsible, in the opinion of the
veteran Jurist, for the fact that Seat
tle has attained the leading position
among cities of the land in the
matter of marriage annulments.
This assertion of pre-eminence is
tiased upon the fact that Seattle beat
Eeno, for years holding the reputa
tion of being the divorce center of
the country, by more than two to
one for divorces granted in 1920,
with 2430 divorces from January 1
to December 1 in King county, as
compared with 991 in the Nevada city
In the same period.
Law Permits Flagrant Fraud.
T"raud and perjury are practiced,
declared Judge Frater, by maintain
ing a local residence only to establish
a 12 months' residence as the divorce
law provides. Many of them merely
rent a room and go about their busi
ness elsewhere, returning to their Se
attle "home" occasionally to keep up
the fraud.
Collusion appeared, the Jurist said.
In the perfunctory defense offered to
actions in divorce, in the failure of
contradictory affidavits to appear,
and in various other ways which,
Judge Frater said, leave the court
with only its plain duty to sign the
decree- of divorce.
The statement of Judqre Frater Tras
voked by the official statistics given
in a local newspaper yesterday, in
which it was shown that 2430 divorces
were granted in King county the
Jirst 11 months of this year.
Children Deprived of Parents.
These same statistics, incidentally,
liad shown that 1600 children had
been deprived of one or both parents;
that four of the eight defendants in
murder cases now pending here were
either divorced or principals in pend
ing divorce actions; that the city and
county records were filled with cases
of kidnapings growing out of divorce;
that scores of divorcees had turned
"police characters," and that 26 per
cent of the delinquents and depend
ents arraigned in juvenile court were
children of divorced parents.
'Once in a thousand or so cases the
courts will .revoke a decree In divorce
where fraud, perjury or collusion
afterward is established, said a coun
ty official today, "but, while the
courts may be morally certain that
they are being imposed upon by liars,
frauds and conspirators, yet they can
not prove it, or it is not established
tor them."
"Blanket" Statute Is Vicious.
The ease with which fraud and
perjury are perpetrated in respect to
establishing the prescribed year's- res
idence in the state, and the "blanket"
provision of the state's divorce law
as the tail-end of the statute, are
referred to by county officials as
spelling- the enormity of Seattle's di
vorce shame.
The provision Indicated was written
into the state law when it was en
acted in 1S93. It is the appendix to
eight specific grounds of divorce- and
It reads as follows:
"... or for any other cause
which in the opinion of the court
may be just."
Residence Easily Established.
In Reno where 991 divorces have
been granted this year, as against
."0 in Seattle a si3c months' real-
HOL IDA Y '
BARGAINS
Reductions in every department! Lowered prices that will make
your Christmas shopping easy! Avoid the crush of the
Department stores shop here in comfort!
Men's Silk Neckwear
ALL REDUCED!
Thousands of Ties from which to choose for gifts, T
$1.50 and $2 Ties $2.50 and $4 Ties
95c $1.55
Men's Knitted Silk Ties
Regularly $4 and $5
Reduced to $2.95
Shop for Men
in a Man's
Store
' A,
Men's Silk Shirts
Regularly $10.00 and 412.00 Men's Silk Shirts, Qn Qf?
reduced to DU.7cJ
Three for $20
Men's Woven Madras and Silk Stripe
Madras Shirts
Regularly $5.00 and $6.00 Men's Woven Madras and Q9 A K
Silk Stripe Madras Shirts, reduced to OO.ttJ
Three for JglO
Lounging Robes
and House Coats
$8 50 House g Q 4Q
SEu..-.S 9.40
$15.00 House "I QC
Coats "511.I7U
Hr.e... si5.oo
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Men's Fine
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All Men's Fine
Mufflers at Re- N
duced Prices!
BEN SELLING
Leading Clothier "
MORRISON AT FOURTH
Suit Cases and Bags
A splendid selection, suitable for Christmas gifts.
315 Bags reduced to. $11.85
$20 Bags reduced to. . . . .$15.85
$25 Bags reduced to w . $19.85
$30 Bags reduced to. . . .t.- .$24.85
$50 Bags reduced to. ,c.; - $39.85
deuce must be sworn to In court by
the plaintiff.
In Seattle a 12 months' residence
must be testified to.
"A mere formality that," said Judge
Frater, "when one is willing1 to per
jure one's self, for they come here
from other countries and other states
where less 'reasonable' divorce laws
exist and establish a nominal resi
dence only. '
"Today divorces are being granted
here to persons who, under oath, will
declare they have been residing with
in the state or city 12 months con
tinuously; whereas, I am morally cer
tain they merely have rented a room,
or a house, for the period described,
and may not occupy it but a few
hours or days of the 12 months."
Delphian Literary Society Elects.
OREGON NORMAL. SCHOOL Mon
mouth, Dec- 7. (Special.1) The elec
tion of Delphian Literary society of
ficers resulted i-s follows: President,
Helen Brande; vice-president. Eun
ice Tichenor; secretary, Sarah "Wil
liamson; treasurer, Mary Donaldson;
sergeant-at-arms, Gladys Lursen; and
reporter, Florence Davis. The offi
cers will be installed by special exercises.
NOTE LEFT, WRITER GONE
"Homeless, friendless, Sick," Says
Missing Man's Message.
ABERDEEN, Wash,, Dec 7. (Spe
cial.) "I have committed no crime,
but I am homeless, friendless and
sick," was the brief note found in
Charles Donnell's room at the Hotel
Snyder "Wednesday and given to the
police. A neatly folded overcoat and
a gray slouch hat, identified as Don
nell's, were found Sunday morning in
a secluded nook on the dock at the
foot of H street. Police believe Don
nell drowned himself in the Chehalis
river.
A $450 check made payable to a
brother, W. M. Donnell of Madeira,
Cal., also was found in Donnell's
room. To the check was attached a
message presumably addressed to his
brother, saying: "This will probably
take care of me and leave a little for
you." The coat and hat were identi
fled as belonging to th-e missing man
by fellow lodgers. His age was esti
mated at about 65 years. No trace
has been found of the body.
THOMAS
MEIGHAN
CONRAD IN QUEST
OF HIS YOUTH
Columbia Picture Players
Vincent Knowles, Director
NOW TODAY
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CONSTANCE TALMADGE
in
"Good References"
Now Playing
A Dtor,CT:ijN jtN.,7:N-voN McnriHiT 1
Coming
Dorothy Dalton
..x.
Let your Victrola
this Christmas be
indeed a genuine
VICTROLA . .
HRISTMAS thoughts and Christ
mas giving invariably bring to mind
the Victrola. But why, among all
talking machines, this particular
instrument? Why has this instru
ment already been welcomed into more than
a million homes?
Because a million music lovers consider the
Victrola the greatest talking machine ever built!
How can one be sure that he is getting a genu
ine VICTROLA?
By looking for the famous trademark of the
Victor Talking Machine Company!
What dealer, in merchandise and in experi
ence, is best equipped to serve the purchaser of
the Victrola and its matchless Victor records?
The retailer who specializes in the Victrola and
Victor products!
Would it be well to search him out how, be
fore the Christmas rush?
Absolutely!
GVictrolas$25to$1500
cArty Vi&or dealer will gladly arrange
convenient payment terms
VICTROLA
' Y V'- gja Backwoods
' prS NOW PLAYING
NORTH
. ril mB1-. -M-!ii By James Oliver Ctxrwood
Atmospheric Set- I Wltk -
sr.Jir.TSS: lonchaney
which . m it-' BETTY BLYTHE
meLt." actieve- p - LEWIS STONE
This is one of a series of advertisements
by Sherman. Clay &" Co., "Wholesale,
in the interests of DEALERS who
specialize in the VICTOR products.
SHERMAN, CLAY &. CO.
Distributors of Victrolat and Victor 'Records
45 Fourth St, Portland, Oregon
There's a Reason for.Every thing Except
a Woman Getting Off a Street Car
Backwards That's Foolish
After telling- you. .
Last Week About,
that Heavy Meal. .
And that Weak
Stomach of mine,. ,
And
Just after that. .
I commenced. . .
rhinking-
That there must...
Be a Reason .
Why I..
Cannot enjoy life..
"As my friends do.
Such as
Eating whatever. .
They want. . . ..
As much as. .... ... .
They want . .
N'Everything ......
Which
Makes me think. .
That
For quite a spell. . .
The folks ....
Have been telling.
Me I don't look. . .
Quite well. -,.,. .
ill
- ccummmxaco. t
i h
That my system.
Is run down. .. . .
I felt it, too. ... ......
Was so tired .... ..... . .
I didn't know
What to do
Over me
Came a-stealing. ...
That listless......
Feeling
Made me feel.
So old and blue. . .
But
I can truthfully. . .
Say since taking. .
Bark Root Tonic. .
Each day
It has
Assisted nature. . .
Beyond'. ........
My hopes
And dreams ......
For it is
Restoring my.. ... .
Former good
Health and cheer-,
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Sold at All Reliable Drag Stores
DISTRIBUTORS
Seattle Distributing Co,
-Seattle, Wash.
Clark-Woodward Drag Co,
Portland, Or.
Spokane Drug Co,
Spokane, Wash.
Celro Kola Co,
Portland, Or.
Foshay & Mason,
Albany, Or.
Dan J. Fry,
Salem, Or.
Underwood Pharmacy,
Klamath Falls, Dr.
Blumauer-Frank Drug Co.,
Portland, Or.
f Is) x
Aspirin
Always say "Bayer"
Aipirin is trade mark Bayer Manufac
ture Monoaceticacidettcr of Salicylicaad.
BAUME
ANALGESIQUE
BENGUE
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