THE CENTURY BOOK OF FACTS. 



years' abandonment, conviction of murder or arsoa, 

 presumption of death from long absence, or for defect 

 in marriage rendering it void. Divorce may only be 

 decreed by Supreme Court. Alimony may be ordered, 

 and restoration of wife's separate property. 



South Carolina. Has no divorce laws. 



Tennessee. The applicantmust have been a resident 

 of the State for two years next preceding the petition. 

 Grounds : physical incapacity at time of marriage, big- 

 amy, adultery, two years' abandonment, conviction of 

 crime, imprisonment in penitentiary, drunkenness, 

 ante-nuptial immorality of wife, attempt of either party 

 upon the life of the other. Limited divorce may be 

 granted for cruelty, desertion, or failure to provide. 



Texas. Applicant must be really an inhabitant of 

 the State and a resident of the county for six months 

 previous to filing petition; grounds: adultery, three 

 years' desertion, unendurable cruelty. 



Utah. Divorce may be granted for violation of the 

 marriage vow; willful desertion one year; habitual 

 drunkenness ; conviction for felony ; cruelty ; failure of 

 husband to provide ; parties cannot live in peace and 

 union. 



Vermont. Divorce is granted for adultery, cruelty, 

 three years' abandonment, three years' imprisonment 

 in penitentiary or seven years' absence without being 

 heard of. The wife may obtain divorce where the hus- 

 band, being able, fails to support. 



Virginia. Grounds : Impotency, adultery, sentence 

 to penitentiary, guilt of either of infamous crime be- 

 fore marriage, the other being ignorant, notorious 

 immorality of wife before marriage, live years' aban- 

 donment. Partial divorce for cruelty or desertion. 

 Alimony and maintenance of children are decreed, and 

 the care of the children is given to either party at the 

 discretion of the court. 



"West Virginia. Divorce is granted for mental or 

 physical defect at time oi marriage, unfaithfulness, 

 three years' abandonment, sentence to penitentiary, 

 conviction of crime before marriage, or notorious im- 

 morality of either before marriage, the other party 

 being ignorant. Partial divorce may be obtained for 

 cruelty or desertion. Alimony and custody of chil- 

 dren is decreed by the court. 



Washington. Divorce may be granted for violation 

 of the marriage vow ; physical incapacity ; willful deser- 

 tion one year; conviction for felony; cruelty; fraud and 

 fraudulent contract ; indignities as render life burden- 

 some ; insanity lasting ten years. 



Wisconsin. Unless the parties had been married 

 and since remained in the State, the applicant must 

 have been for one year a resident before filing a peti- 

 tion. Absolute divorce is granted for impotency, adul- 

 tery, one year's abandonment, five years' separation, 

 three years' sentence to penitentiary, cruelty and 

 drunkenness. Partial divorce for desertion, cruelty, 

 drunkenness, or failure to provide. The court may 

 decree alimony, and the wife regain her separate prop- 

 erty. 



Wyoming. Divorce may be granted for violation of 

 the marriage vow ; physical' incapacity ; willful desertion 

 one year ; habitual drunkenness ; conviction for felony ; 

 cruelty ; failure of husband to provide one year ; indig- 

 nities as render life burdensome ; vagrancy of husband. 



PROPERTY RIGHTS OF MAR- 

 RIED WOMEN. 



Alabama. Married women may hold all property, 

 real and personal, acquired be_fore and after marriage, 

 as a separate estate not liable for the husband's 

 debts, and it mav be devised or bequeathed as by a 

 single woman. This separate estate is liable for debts 

 contracted by the woman before marriage, and for con- 

 tracts after marriage for articles of comfort and support 

 of family. The wife is entitled to dower of one half of 

 husbamf's real estate, if he leave no lineal decendants, 

 one third if there are any, provided she has no separate 

 estate ; if her separate estate is less than the dower in- 

 terest would be, she is entitled to as much as would 

 make it equal. Women attain their legal majority at 

 twenty-one, but may marry without consent of their 

 parents at eighteen. 



Arizona. Married women may carry on business and 

 sue and be sued in their own names. All property 

 acquired before marriage, and all afterwards acquired, 

 by gift, grant, devise or inheritance, is separate estate, 

 liable for her own but not for her husband's debts. She 

 may control it and dispose of It in all respects like a 

 single woman. 



Arkansas. Married women have absolute and un 

 qualified right in property of every kind ami are not 

 liable for debts or contracts of the husband. Hut a 

 schedule under oath, and verified by some other repu- 

 table person, must be made by the hugband and wife, 

 and filed in the recorder's office of the county where 

 the property is, and of the county where they reside. 

 The wife may control her property, may carry on busi- 

 ness on her sole and separate account, may sue and is- 

 sued, may make a will and may insure her husband's 

 life for her benefit. The widow is entitled to one il .in! 

 part of the estate, unless legally relinquished by her. 



California. All property acquired in any "manner 

 before marriage, or afterwards by gift, grant, inheri- 

 tance or devise, is wife's separate property, controlled 

 by her and not liable for debts of the husband. The 

 husband's property similarly acquired is not liable for 

 debts of the wife. All property acquired after marriage 

 by husband or wife, except as above, shall be common 

 property, but under the husband's control. Dower and 

 curtesy are abolished, but the survivor takes half the 

 common property afterpayment of debts and expenses 

 of administration. A married woman may disposeof her 

 separate estate by will without the consent of her hus- 

 band and may insure her husband's life for her benefit. 



Colorado. Married women are treated in all re- 

 spects, as to their property rights, as if they were single. 

 A wife mav carry on trade or business, sue or be Mied, 

 contract debts, transfer real estate, and in all ways 

 bind her separate property, without the husband's 

 joining. She may make a will, but cannot bequeath 

 more than half her property away from her husband 

 without his Consent in writing. The husband cannot 

 by will deprive his wife of over one half of his property. 

 Dower is abolished. The husband is liable for debts of 

 the wife contracted before marriage to the extent of 

 the property he may receive through her, but no fur- 

 ther. 



Connecticut. Previous to the year 1877, the husband 

 acquired a right to the tise of all the real estate of the 

 wife during her life and if he had a child by her and sur- 

 vived her, then during his own life as tenant by curt- 

 esy. By the Act of May 20th, 1877, the rights of married 

 women are materially enlarged. Any woman married 

 after that date retains her real estate as if unmarried. 

 She may make contracts, convey real estate, and sue or 

 be sued" in regard to any property owned by her at the 

 time of marriage, or afterwards acquired. The estate 

 is liable for her debts, and, jointly with her husband, 

 for debts contracted for joint benefit of both or house- 

 hold expenses. The separate earnings of a wife are her 

 sole property. Dower exists only in real estate of 

 which the husband is possessed at the time of his de- 

 cease. 



North and South Dakota. Married women may 

 transact business in all respects the same as if unmar- 

 ried. Neither husband nor wife has any interest in the 

 separate estate of the other. The earnings and ac- 

 cumulations of the wife are her separate property and 

 not liable for the husband's debts nor even for house- 

 hold debts contracted by her as her husband's agent. 

 Her separate property is, however, liable for her own 

 debts, contracted before or after marriage, if such debts 

 are contracted on her own responsibility. 



Delaware. Married women, married since 1873, re- 

 tain all real and personal property held at marriage, or 

 since acquired from any person other than the husband, 

 as their separate estate, and not subject to the disposal 

 of the husband or liable for his debts. They may re- 

 ceive wages for personal labor, sue or be sued in respect 

 to their own property as if unmarried; and the rents, 

 issues, and profits of their separate estate are not con- 

 trolled by the husband. The widow is entitled to one 

 third dower of all the lands and tenements whereof the 

 husband was seized at any time during her marriage, 

 unless she shall have relinquished such right for and 

 during the term of her natural life. She may be an 

 administratrix, and the husband's life maybe insured 

 for her benefit if premium does not exceed $150. 



District of Columbia. Married women may be- 

 queath, devise, or convey property or interest therein in 

 the same manner as if unmarried. Real or personal 

 property belonging to the wife at marriage or after- 

 wards acquired is separate estate. She may sue and be 

 sued in all matters pertaining to her property, and the 

 husband is notliablefor any contracts made by her in 

 respect to her personal estate. 



Florida. Married women retain all real or personal 

 property owned at marriage or acquired thereafter, and 

 are not liable for the husband's debts, ^n order that it 



