from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)—issue of Thursday, March 24, 1921—page 1, column 2:
ALLEGES DESERTION
Bertha Lawson asks for a divorce from Harlan Lawson who, she alleges, abandoned her and her seven children on April 7, 1916. Since that time she has heard nothing from him. She seeks the custody of the five minor children. Parties were married Feb. 18, 1897.