Judge to Decide If Shipman Divorce and If Mrs. Shipman's Subsequent Marriage Were Legal, Feb. 28, 1921

The decision as to whether Mrs. Elizabeth Layton Shipman is legally the wife of George L. Shipman, a sailor in Uncle Sam’s navy, or of George Geurukos, proprietor of a shoeshine and hat-cleaning establishment on South Tryon street, may not be handed down by Judge W.F. Harding of the superior court before the last of the week. The motion made Saturday before Judge Harding by H.L. Taylor and Chase Brenizer, attorneys for the sailor, asking that the degree of divorce granted here in September to Mrs. Shipman from her sailor husband will not be acted until briefs citing the laws governing in such matters are laid before Judge Harding.

In the meantime a hearing of 3 ½ hours took place Monday before J.A. Russell, assistant clerk of superior court, wherein the attorneys for the sailor tried to obtain information on which to base a suit of $5,000 against the Greek for alleged alienation of Mrs. Shipman’s affections.

The hearing before the clerk was principally a legal bout, with rapid-fire give-and-take argument as to the admissibility of this and that question put by the attorneys for the sailor in tier efforts to find out about the history of Geurukos’ courtship of Mrs. Shiman prior to and subsequent to her obtaining a divorce here before Judge T.D. Bryson in superior court last September. J.D. McCall and Hamilton C. Jones, attorneys for Geurukos, objected to most of the questions asked by H.L. Taylor, attorney for the sailor, and the number of answers put down to the record by Miss Rose Kennedy, court reporter, were inconsequential as compared with the voluminous number of questions asked. Geurokos’ attorneys objected that most of the questions asked their client and his wife would tend to incriminate both, and therefore need not be answered. The clerk, asking as judge in the hearing, ruled often in favor of the Greek’s attorney.

A suit for alienation of the affections of the former Mrs. Shipman will be brought in the near future in superior court regardless of the opinion to be handed down by Judge Harding as to the regularity of the Shipman divorce, it was agreed by attorneys on both sides. The suit probably will be for $5,000 in the alienation case, though this detail is not definitely decided upon.

The suit for annulment of the divorce decree granted Mrs. Shipman in September will also find its way to the supreme court, regardless of what the decision may be here, it is said. J.D. McCall, attorney for Geurokos, said his client would certainly appeal the case to the supreme court in case Judge Harding ruled against him on the motion made and argued Saturday afternoon. It is believed the sailor-plaintiff will do the same if Judge Hardin’s ruling is against him.

From The Charlotte News, Feb. 28, 1921