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A Group of Alimony Debtors in Ludlow Street Jail To
day. Better Surroundings, but the Principle the
Same. Actor Theodore Roberts in Centre.
The Interesting Philan-
, thropic Plan to Reduce
Matrimonial Risks by
Insuring Bridegrooms
Against Alimony and
Brides Against Desertion's
Financial Pangs
rorylDESPREAl) recognition lu
X ClirlHtlan countries of the
' clement of chanco In mar
riage has created the saw that "mar
rlnge la a gnmblo." Human frailty,
tho swamping of tho sense of propor
tion and of foresight by tho lovo vi
brations, unforeseen complications,
all menace the matrimonial bark. It
In, in fact, concerted that no lottery
ever offcrod Ingenuous patrons n
greater risk. 'Witness the manifold
ing of divorce.
An ingenious and philanthropic
ylna for lessening the risk In this
greatest of human relationships has
passed tho Incubation stage in Now
York. Not that n Solomon has arisen
wlso enough to guarantee that love
will Inst, nor to propound n formula
for the blending of human oil and
water. That problem still baffles tho
magi, Out nn organization has been
completed to make the hurt of sun
dering the ties less. It proposes to
offer you, on your wedding day or be
fore, an immunity policy. It will
make your ronrrlagc garablo less by
Itself gambling on tho risk.
It enables n man ns he leads his
blushing bride to the altar to reflect
comfortably that If things don't turn
out right ho has behind htm n con
cern which will keep him from going
to Jail for not paying his ojlmony;
while the happy brldo can bo happier
in the conviction that If ho doesn't
turn out right the samo concern will
provide her with the sinews of war
to mako him regret It nnd also pro
vide her with tho alimony ho won't
or can't pay.
To tho objection that such a pro
ceeding Is destructive Of true romaneo
tho promoters nnswer that It is ro
mance that puts the mar In marriage
nnd that It is the plain intention of
tho plan to substitute n little useful
business foresight.
To the objection that It Is Immoral
In that It affords protection ngalntit
certain consequences of breaking the
marriage vow, and so, in theory, en
courages such violations, the promo
ters point to similar Insurance taken
out by physicians, dentists and aut
moblllsts. The doctor will tnko out
a policy which Insures him against
tho financial consequences of mal
practice or careleHSiu'SB, even to tlui
killing of n patient; tho dentist takes
out Insurance against the conse
quences of pulling tho wrong tooth,
or breaking tho Jaw or infecting the
patient; the automobillst in tho same
way takes out Insurance that puts
the cost of the thing when ho smashes
another mnchlno or runs over a pe
destrian upon tho Insuring company.
Thcee are acknowledged and "le
gitimate" risks. It might be urged
that the doctor's and dentist's policy
puts a premium on lnettlclency and
stupidity In that if either knew that
damages must come out of their own
pockets they would be more careful.
Acd the automobillst would not drive
so recklessly if he knew that dam
ages Would come out of his pocket
Instead of the rich companies'. So
the alimony Insurance men point out
they are at least In well-known, if
nut distinguished company. Besides,
they say. anything which will keep a
man from the criminal absurdity of
loafing In prison because he can't pay
a debt, or help along a poor aban
doned wife, has much better morula
lu It than the cases of the profes
sional men and nutolsts.
Furthermore, whatever profits ac
crue to tho concern will not bo used
for dividends, as In the case of tho
insurance companies. They will bo
Uted, instead, to promote uniform
divorce legislation throughout tho
United States.
Mr. Mlmbeuu L. Towns, the dis
tinguished New York attorney, is tho
founder of the relief measure, which
came into being at tho time the
handsome and romantic actor, Con
vay Tearle. was cast into Ludlow
Street Juil, that New York dungeon
for debtors and matrimonial delin
quents, "Five men who have married and
snffered sympathized with Mr.
Tearle," said Mr. Towns, who has
curling white hair, a luxuriant beard
the color of snow, flashing dark eyes
ind the gift of poetic imagery.
They nre all toen of high standing
toclally and in the professions or
)uslnea. One is rated as the owner
pkt:: i s rax a szstx mxm $s radios m tv HVniwniBHii
V
of eight millions, They proposed
to help Mr. Tearle and others
like him. Realizing that
a man
might spend all his life in
Jail bc-
cause tho law pormlts
him to be rearrested
again nnd again tor
non-payment of ali
mony,' whllo in Jail wo
planned his relief. How
was It donoT It was
very simple Each of
the five men contrib
uted $800. Out of the
$4,000 thus collected
thoy paid tho paltry
$400, which represented
Mr. Tearlo's failure to
pay hU wife a stipend
pt 25 a weok for four
months.?
To tho Ludlow Street
Bastllo for Husbands,
where Mr. Tearlo Was
not languishing his
specialty Is not lan
guishing, but champing
his bit and saying rude
and profane things
about tho laws of Now
York wont Mr. Towns
on his errand of morcy.
"Come, my boy," said
tho lawyer. "Come
with me. You aro free."
Picturesque language,
freely punctuated, bit
ter, staccato speech
burst from tho hand
somo prisoner. With
arm on high and wav
ing fist he bado Mr.
Towns doslst. Ho ad
vised tho attorney to
choofio loss dangerous
objects for his Jokes.
"My boy," began the lawytr when
tho nctor stopped, "you are free. Tho
newly organized Lloyds for Domestic
Derelicts has paid the alimony. You
will sign this note promising to re
pay the money in three months at
six per cent nnd lleo from these
clanging gates Joyously ns ever bird
flew to you mountain."
Back went Mr. Tearle to Mrs.
Tearlo tho second formerly the
charming Roberta Mcngcs, known us
tho "Pearl of 8hecpshend Boy" tho
cnuso and reward of his troubles with
tho first.
Tho promoters then went into ex
ecutive session, drew up articles of
Incorporation, nnd these hnvo now
been passed uimn and been O, K.'d
by the Department at Albany.
"But wo have nnother and higher
purpose than alimony immunization
In founding this organluztlon," said
Mr. Towns. "A part of the surplus
will be applied to tho establishment
of universal divorce laws legislation
and to tho abolition of Imprisonment
for debt.
"Divorce laws of Now York nnd
several other States aro in a most
chaotic condition. By a decision ren
dered last week by Justice. Samuel
W. Qreenbaum. n man who has been
married for twenty yeurs to his sec
ond wife may lllegltimntlzo their
children and cast her off on the plea
that his second marriage was null.
It Is unfair that tho mnrringo con
tracted In Connecticut should have
no standing In this Stnto and that
the wife in. that second ' marriage
should bo without social or legal
standing in nnother State. The
abuses accruing from Inck of uni
form divorce laws In this country cry
out to heaven.
"New York is branded with a fur
ther shame tho existence of Impris
onment for debt In but one other
State may n man bo arrested for
debt And Delawaro is an nrchaic
State, for it still has the whipping
post "We are already at work in Albany
upon a bill for tho abolition of the
Ludlow Street Jail shame, I have,
here a message from nn official in
Albnny who says: There will be uo
trouble at nil to secure the repeal of
the Ludlow Street Jail act for ali
mony provided you act promptly. I
am sure it will go through at once.'
When the organization has done that
work In New York It will try to ex
lend Its humanlty-nlding ngcncle to
other StAtes. If the Ludlow Street
Jail and the cruelty it represents hre
ubollshed, half of Lloyd's object for
existence will be gone. That accom-
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Sunday Bee Magazine -
RMTT i J III MiSnSHi
& .r
pllshed, wo can snvo men tho embar
rassment nnd Ignominy of owing
buck alimony, which Is as bitter to
tho spirit as the durance In Ludlow
is oppressive to tho body.
"Look ut somo of the pictures bv
Hogarth of tho horrors of Imprison
ment for debt In his time. Tho sur
roundings aro not so bad to-day, but
it is still the same horror in its
essence.
"What of contributory negligence t"
n representative of this newspdper
asked Mr. Towns.
"You moanr
"If a man has an insurance on his
automobile ho may bo less careful of
it. If ho hnye an accident insuranco
ho may be less careful of his person.
If ho has Insured his house or hli
furniture, he mny toss burning
matches about If he has an alimony
Insurance he may"
"Nonsense," said Mr. Towns. "It
a watchman in n bnuk knows how
much wealth ho Is guarding ho may
bo tempted to steal It But has It
ever occurred to you to glva human
nature thp benefit of the doubt? Why
think the worse of people? Think tho
best of then). They will rise to it
' 'Bo noble, nnd tho nobleness that
lies in others
Sleeping, but not dead, will rise to
meet your own.
"The husband will pay weekly what
we deem ho Is able to pay. Ho may
make no more reservations with tho
Domestic Derelicts Association than
ho uld with tho Government when ho
tilled the income tax blanks. If tho
weekly wage is ten doltars or less,
we might require him to pay teu
cents a week or less. If the salary
be seventy-five dollars n week, he
might be expected to pay seventy-five
cents a week or less. The amount
he and 'Lloyds' would have to ar
range. The amount of the premium
fixed, he has only to keep It up.
Then, in case the matrimonial ship
strikes the rocks, his wife will smile,
even though bltterlyi and on his own
visage may beseen a reflection of
that smile, for he won't have to go
to Jail if be folia Into arrears In alimony.
Laura Bigger, a Famous Phase
in the Matrimonial Troubles
of Dr. Charles Hendricks,
Who Will Be the Next All
mony Beneficiary.
"On the other hand, if she belongs
to the association she will not be
distressed by her Inability to pmploy
a counsel to force her husband to
pay or go to Jail. At the 8ame tlmo
she will bo paid reasonable nllmony.
Copyrig-ht, 10X4, by the Star Company. Great Britain
Mrs. Menges-Corwin-Hill, the
"Belle of Sheepshead Bay,
Who by Becoming Mrs.
Tearle No. 2, Made Actor
Tearle the, First Beneficiary
of the "Lloyd's Matrimonial
Derelicts."
That is the privilege of the female
member of 'Lloyds.'
"Why do we call It 'Lloyds?' I will
tell you. They will Insure a ship
ten days overdue. We are as cour
ageous ns they. Wo Insure matri
monial barks. Lloyds, of London,
will insure lost Jewelry, a cork leg or
n flesh one, a tenor voice, the life
ter of n frock, or a scalp from bald
ness. We will lusuro lost happi
ness." "But suppose a wife and a husband
both Insure and then the marrlago
goes to smash?"
"Wo will be Just to both," said Mr.
Towns. "It's Just tho situation we
want to create like two negatives
making a positive."
Mr. Tearle was the tlrst beueficlary
of the organization. Two others are
about to feel Its beneficence. The
first Is Theodore Roberts, the well
known nctor, who recently for a debt
to his wife, from whom the courtd
had granted separation, endured the
gyves for six months and is liable to
be flung Into Jail again for the same
offense if he dares to step upon the
soil of Manhattan Isle. The other is
Dr. Charles M. Hendricks, who In
R. ymond Street Jail, Brooklyn, sits
ii. Achllles-IIke wrath thinking rem
iniscent thoughts, including Miss
Laura Blggnr. Dr. Hendricks say
be reads by the stars that be would
remain In Jail for another hundred
years but for tho mercy of "Lloyds."
and "Lloyds" Is inclined to be merci
ful, even though Dr. Hendricks has
been adjudged his wife's debtor to
the amount of $60,000. In the en
forced calm of Raymond Street Jail
the doctor has been permitting the
milk of human kindness, curdled In
his bosom, to flow out to the world
In the form of bitter epigrams against
women, love and marriage.
IUffhU Reserved.
"But
Now
There Is
Hope.
Fancy
Draws
a Picture
of the
Recalcitrant
Husband
Speeding
Toward
Mr. Towns's Welcoming Arms.
Constables and Wife Three
Paces Behind Just as the
Pursued Used to (Flee To
ward Sanctuary.
Judge and Jury
THIS newspaper recently printed tho evdlonce for the actuality of tho
Jeofail and -the Whalo incident as set forth by "Tho Bible
Champion," a religious publication which Is taking up tho
Biblical miracles one by ono and "proving" thorn on tho very lines of tho
higher orHiclsm. "The Bible Champion" for March has Just devoted
its campaign to the mlraclo of the resurrection of Lazarus, and deala
with Its credibility this tlmo on the lines of permissible legal evi
dence. The defense is conducted by Judge Francis J. Lamb, a dis
tinguished American Jurist,, and Is essentially as follows:
"We offer in evidence the Gospel of John as an Ancient Docu
ment, especially parts thereof relevant to the tissue,' viz., as
particular, subsidiary, evidentiary facts, and cite the verse or
verses in which the fact is recorded.
"PACTS
"Lazarus was a man residing at Bethany, a village situated
about flfteon furlongs from Jerusalem. (John xl. 18.)
"Mary and Martha were sisters of Lazarus, and tho three were
beloved by Jbbus. (John xl. 5, 21, 32.) " "
"Lazarus was sick, and his malady became so serious that his
sisters became alarmed. A message was sent to Jesus, who was
absent (John xl. 3, 21, 23.)
"Jesus received the message, and, after receiving it, stayed
two days in the place where he received It; during which time
Lazarus died. (John xl. 6.)
"Jesus then informed the disciples that accompanied him that
Lazarus was dead. (John xl. 14.)
"Jesus announced to his disciples his determination to return
again to Judaea, where the home of Lazarus had been. (John xi.
7. 16.)
"Jesus and the desclples returned to Bethany, and found that
tho dead body of Lazarus Had been burled and lain in tho tomb
four days. (John xi. 17.)
"When Jesus arrived at Bethany he found many of tho Jews
attendant at the home of Mary and Martha, met to mourn with
tne sisters over tho death of Lazarus. (John xl. 19,- 31,)
"The sisters, Mary and Martha, each met Jesus on his arrival at
Bethany, and each said to Jesus, 'Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died.' (John xi. 21, 32.)
"Jesus told Martha that Lazarus should rise again from death, which
Martha said she believed would occur 'in tho resurrection at the last
day. (John xl. 23, 24.)
'Tho grief of Mary over the death of Lazarus and that of the Jews
also weeping with her, was manifested with such intensity that Jesus,
sympathizing, wept also. (John xl. 35.)
"At Jesus' request Mary apd Martha and the friends in their com
pany conducted Jesus and his disciples to the tomb, In which lay the
dead body of Lazarus. 'It was a cave, and a stone lay against It' (John
xl. 38, Am. Rev.)
"The dpcument shows that, besides JesUB and bis disciples and Mary
and Martha, there was a considerable concourse of Jews met to sym
pathize with Mary and Martha over the death of Lazarus. (John xi. 19. K
"In the presence of this considerable assembly, immediately at the
door of the tomb in which the dead body of Lazarus lay enshrouded in
grave-clothes, Jesus ordered tho stone to be taken away. 'Martha, the
sister of him that was dead,' .protested against opening the tomb. She
said to Jesus, 'Lord, by this time the body decay eth; for he hath been
dead four days. (John xl. 39, Am. Rev.)
"In obedience, howover, to Jesus' command, those present removed
the stone from tho door of the tomb. (John xl. 41.)
"Then, after brief prayer, Jesus at the door ot tho tomb spoke with
a loud vojee, 'Lazarus, como forth.' Immediately 'he that was dead came
forth, bound band and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound
about with a napkin,' and Jesus said, 'Lose him. and let him go.' (John
si. 43, 44.) Judge Lamb then refers, for furthor evidence, to; (John xlt.
1. 2) ; (John xli. 9, Am. Rev.) ; (John xll. 10, 11) ; (John xii. 17) ; (John
xl!. 18. Ho then continues:
"All these separate items, evidentiary facts, are ordinary testimony.
Mary and Martha were perfectly competent witnesses to know and. to
testify to the sickness, death and burial of Lazarus, and that he had been
dead and burled four days before Jesus had the tomb opened. The
neighbors of Mary and Martha were also competent witnesses to know
and testify to the death and sepulture of Lazarus. All ot them, and John,
who wrote tho document, were competent to observe and testify to the
transactions detailed that took place at tho tomb when Lazarus came
forth from it alive, and that he continued alive.
"Each and all the items of evidence are ot matters plain and simple
In their nature, easily seen, and capable ot being readily and accurately
observed, scrutinized, comprehended, and detailed in testimony by
witnesses who are of ordinary capacity and observation. The amount ot
competent evidence is abundant unlmpeacbed and uncontradicted,
"THE RESULT OF A TRIAL.
"Tho evidence would require, at the hands of a Jury, a verdict
embodying these facts: (1) That. Lazarus was dead; (2) that Jesus
spoke over tho dead body of Lazarus the words, 'Lazarus, come forth,'
and immediately Lazarus' dead body was alive; and (3) that Lazarus
came forth from the tomb alive, and continued alive.
"A Juror would violate his octh If he refused to find a verdict on
that evidence. A contrary verdict would be set aside by a court as not
only contrary to the evidence, but perverse, in short tho miracle 1b
proved by competent evidence.
"The tact that Lazarus was dead, and at the flat words ot Jesus he
vos immediately alive and continued alive, establishes the transaction
a mlraclo as tested by any standard definition; and the proof Is by
human testimony.
"It Is undoubtedly a law of nature that the dead body of a man
remain dead. It at once commences to decompose, continues to decom
pose, and returns to dust But Lazarus' dead body did not remain dead.
dldnot return to dust, but became alive and continued to live. These
facts, thwarting, frustrating the operation ot the laws of nature, were
clearly and abundantly proved by a multitude of competent witnesses
by human testimony.
"This review of the law and evidence on the 'issue' tried Justifies the
conclusion. that the miracles ot the Bibles aro capable of being proved,
and are proved, by existing available evidence evidence competent,
proper, admissible under the rules and standards of the science ot
jurisprudence as administered In courts of Justice of enlightened nations
of the earth; also the miracles of the Bible are verities tested by the same
standards by which fact and truth are established onall questions between
man and man in which fact and truth depend on and are ascertained
and aro established through evidence,"
Page
The Horrors of the Debtor's
Prison in Hogarth's Time. A
Scene of His "Rake's Pro-
The
Miracle'
of Lazarus
Before
a Modern
1