Wood County Reporter

SARAH ALTHEA NOT A WIFE.

The California Supreme Court Reverses Judge Sullivan's Decision.

San Francisco.—The notorious Sharon divorce case was probably ended on Wednesday by the state Supreme Court decision reversing Judge Sullivan's ruling, granting Sarah Althea rights and property of wife and ordering a new trial of the case. This is the second decision of the state Supreme Court. It first affirmed Sullivan's decision on the findings in the case. Then the Sharon heirs appealed on the grounds that the findings were not warranted by the evidence, and on this ground to-day the Supreme Court upheld their appeal. There are sixty pages of legal verbiage, which may be condensed into ten lines. The court holds that there is no evidence that the parties lived together as usual with married people. On the contrary their marriage was secret, and the relations sustained by Sarah toward Sharon were those of a mistress or concubine, and not of a wife. Such relations do not show consummation of marriage. Consent to marriage is not sufficient under the code. It must be followed by the solemnization or mutual assumption of marital rights and duties. This is the gist of the decision which gives the death-blow to secret marriages not solemnized by state or church. The best lawyers here believe this decision ends Sarah's case, as she would have a new trial to prove that the marriage with Sharon was known to the public, which would be impossible. Nearly all her best witnesses have also gone back on her. Sharon's estate when Sullivan gave his decision in her favor was worth $15,000,000. She would have secured half that if she could have secured the approval of this decision. Now, after six years' litigation, she gets nothing. The case has been a costly one for Sharon and his heirs, as they have spent no less than three-quarters of a million in fighting Sarah.