Third District Court.
Pratt vs. Pratt.
Susannah Pratt, by her attorneys, Powers & Hiles, filed a petition in the clerk’s office of the Third District Court yesterday, praying that her lawfully wedded husband, Parley P. Pratt, formerly Poll-tax Collector of this city, be divorced from her, or vice versa. As a ground for this action, she sets up that Parley, who is a son of the original Parley P., is neglectful. That he has a reprehensible habit of asking for chicken and dumplings for dinner, while he had not even provided sow-belly and greens. The pair were wedded in 1883 and in 1885 Parley quit the family domicile and for three years has failed to send up the salerstus for the tea biscuit. Mrs. Pratt wants the child that is their joint property and a decree.
[Salt Lake Tribune, Sept. 27, 1891]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, Aug. 2006]
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Divorce Proceedings
Late on Saturday afternoon a suit for divorce was filed in the Third District Court by Susannah Pratt against Parley P. Pratt, Judge Powers and Ogden Hiles being the plaintiff’s attorneys.
The complaint sets forth the parties intermarried on March 22, 1883; that the defendant for more than three years past has willfully neglected to provide for the plaintiff the common necessaries of life, although abundantly able to do so, that he has compelled her to live by her own exertions and labor and upon the charity of her friends, although (as plaintiff is informed and believes) he is wroth as much as $8000. There are now three children living as issue of the marriage. Plaintiff further alleges that she is in indigent circumstances, and says that in or about the spring of 1885 the defendant, disregarding his marriage vow, willfully and without cause deserted and abandoned her, and still continues to live apart from her.
She prays that the bonds of matrimony existing between them be dissolved, that the minor child be awarded to her, that the defendant be required to pay a reasonable sum into court to defray the expenses of this action and for counsel fees, and such further alimony as to the court may seem just for her support pending the hearing of the suit.
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sep. 24, 1891, 4]
[Deseret News, Sep. 28, 1891]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]
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Around the Court
More Divorce Suits Before the Judges—Miscellaneous Matters
The divorce case of Susanna Pratt vs. Parley P. Pratt came up before Judge Anderson on the plaintiff’s motion for attorney’s fees and temporary alimony. The court ordered the defendant to pay $100 as attorney’s fees and $30 per month alimony.
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jan. 30, 1892, 2]
[Deseret News, Feb. 1, 1892]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, May 2006]
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