DIVORCE MILL STOPS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 123, 21 November 1932, Page 9

DIVORCE MILL STOPS

PENNILESS PETITIONERS

STRANDED IN RENO

(Received 21st November, 11 a.m.) 'SAN FBANCISCO, 20th Nov.

Hundreds of people seeking divorces are. stranded at Reno owing' to the failure of 12 WingfieW banks, which handled SO per cent, of Nevada's business. George Wingfleld hiinsolf^a famous frontiersman, and all his stock-holders, have- lost their money; 700,000 dollars cash remains of sixteen million of deposits in these banks. It is estimated that four million dollars have been deposited by' visitors from all parts of the United States for establishing a residence qualification to comply with the divorce law and secure decrees in the Reno divorce mill, which has been brought to a standstill by the financial crisis.

Six weeks ago the banks of Reno were in difficulties, and State officials were compelled to declare'a fortnight's "bank holiday" to allow reorganisation of institutions in a \veak position. Some of these banks were seeking the aid of the Reconstruction Finance Corporatioii, which has lent millions of dollars to banks all over' the United States. This action followed upon "bank holidays" in other States, notably m lowa, where the farmers' strike followed upon a period of respite for the banks gained, it was alleged, by coercion of some of the depositors. The State of Nevada, in which Reno is situated, has a population of about 90,000, and the population of Reno itself was less than 13,000 in 1925.