George A. Webster 

One of the Dirtest Toads in the Divorce Puddle 

By reference to the Grand Jury’s report on the Probate Court records of Salt Lake county, it will be seen that one George A. Webster figures as the boss divorce shyster of this city. He is not here now, having found it convenient to light out just about the time the committee of the Grand Jury was appointed to make the examination of the county records. But he did not go on that account altogether, as a brief history of the fellow will show. 

He came here from Illinois a little over a year ago for the purpose of procuring a divorce from his wife, then residing in the East at her home. George Caesar Bates took his case, No. 604 on the record, filing his complaint June 20, 1877, and obtaining a decree of divorce without publication on July 5^th of the same year. 

Shortly afterwards, one Nancy M. Bates, of Rochester, N. Y., put in an appearance, and on August 15, 1877, she filed a complaint in the Probate Court of this county against her husband, William Bates, this fellow Webster acting as her attorney. Smith, who runs the Salt Lake divorce machine, allowed the plaintiff $350 attorney’s fees and $250 temporary alimony, and granted an absolute divorce on September 9^th, less than 30 days after the filing of the complaint, together with a judgment of $5,000 “permanent” alimony. Smith’s liberal judgment was prompted by his virtuous indignation at the plaintiff’s complaint, that Mr. Bates, the defendant, living in Rochester, New York, was a damned cussed hound of the law, and was guilty of adultery. 

A few months after this divorce was granted, Webster and the woman Bates were married, though she had never been paid her alimony, nor had he received from Mr. Bates his fees for conducting the divorce suit of Mrs. Bates-Webster. When, therefore, it became known that the Grand Jury intended to investigate the doings of pious Elias and the shysters in cahoots with him, the Webster outfit let for Rochester for the purpose of bringing suit against Mr. Wm. Bates in a New York court, to make him shell out the $5,000 judgment obtained in the Mormon tribunal, together with the legal interest thereon. 

What further has been done in this nasty affair has not reached us, but it is to be hoped the Websters will have the impudence to push their audacious claims, so that Bates will be prompted to see that both of them conclude their earthly career in Sing Sing. Mr. Bates is said to be a gentleman of some means, and an able lawyer, and it is, therefore, probable that he possesses the power to give Mr. and Mrs. George A. Webster a legal snubbing. 

(Salt Lake Weekly Tribune, October 06, 1877)

Submitted by: Cathy Danielson