Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-05-12
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washing for a living; is Woodworking,
and has to support by her toll a family of
three children. 1t will DO recollected that
some time ago her husband was tried for
killing a man, and finally acquitted. He
left for Montana several months since, and
has not been heard from by his wife or
his friends here since his departure. The
entire burden Of the care and keeping Of
three c~hildren-the youngest only two
years Of age-has thus been thrown upon
the poor woman. It is said by some of
her acquaintance that Mrs. Fairy has
been very much distressed in mind since
the arrest and trial of her husband, but
she has never shown any reluctance to
work to the utmost Of her ability for her
little ones. It seems that she has o boy
who has been Of some considerable assist
ance to her in carrying to and from her
customers the weekly-dispatched bundle
Of clothes for her washing. On one occa.
sion she remarked to this child, who had
done or omitted to do some errand
promptly or correctly, that she would
murder him. It was undoubtedly an ex-
preston that came from no thought of
committing such a deed it may be she
has used it a hundred times. Ut is not
claimed that she always adopts the most
tender language. Every humane person
can find extenuation for hardness of
speech in overworked, wearied women,
who have the entire charge Of q large
fafily on their Enthusiastically depend
ing for bread on her almost ceaseless toil.)
The boy told Of this cruel threat on the
par. Of his mother /; and she was arrested,
tried and sentenced to six months in the
county Jail. She has been imprisoned
now for several days-celled by the side
of some Of the vilest Of the vile. She has
not seen her infant child, even, since her
incarceration, and she does not know
where her children are, or how they are
provided for.
In characterizing this as an outrage, we
do not intend to reflect, from absolute
knowledge, upon the officers Of the law.
They may not have fully appreciated or
even known all the facts in the case. And
there may be items in the suit Of which we
have not been apprised; though we be-
lieve we have stated her offense correctly,
and we certainly have not desired to set
down aushs unfairly to the prejudice Of
the person or persons complaining or the
committing magistrate. But, certainly,
there is no justice, to say nothing Of .hu-
manity, in keeping a mother from her in
FAINT children, confined in such a den
of infamy as the county Jail is now,
for the offense described. If the woman
is in the habit Of getting intoxicated and
brutality ill-,rea,ing her children, then we
have been misinformed. AL the circum-
stances Of her situation would, even under
such an accusation, seem to urge that a
less severe penalty be attached to her faults
on this arrest. II she is in any degree
crazed by her misfortunes, then a county
Jail is not the place to which she should
be sent for a single day. And if there is
n reason to believe that she OCCASION
ally suffers from alteration Of mind, the
suspicion should lead to q careful exam
nation of her condition by competent
medical advisers. We have been told that
parties who knew her in Forrest Hill
California, give her the credit Of
there being an industrious and religiously
devoted wife and mother. Let any reflect
ing and Christian educated mind realize
the facts Of this case as we have detailed
them, and pity if not a shudder Of horror
must be the instantaneous emotional and
sympathetic expression. While crime is
high-handed in certain circles in our COM
munities, while murder, theft and all sorts
of heinous offenses, are perpetrated with
apparent IMMUNITY in our very midst, by
beings in manly form, a poor, lone woman,
struggling for a precarious existence for
herself and little one is taken from her
and their lowly home and sent on a
six months sentence to q dismal dungeon /;
where in addition to the penalties Of un.
natural separation from her babe, she is
compelled, through the strange laxity Of
discipline there prevailing, to hear bias.
phemies the most terrible, and expressions
Of nastiness the most foul-coming from
the lips Of the vilest wretches, unchecked
and unrebuked. The fact that she is the
mother Of three children, the younges. Of
whom is yet a sucking, constitutes
for her, in her present situation, q
strong appeal for the aid Of the charitable.
And though she were childless and Of the
lowest Of the low, it would yet be hea.
,henish to place her where she is at
present. .'
And we have the very highest authority,
which we will name to proper persons,
for informing the Sheriff Of this county,
whom we must presume to be ignorant Of
the fact, tina, there is NJ suitable order es-
tablished in the county Jail. Knowing ttis
officer to be a humane and al upright
man, we call upon him to direct that some
proper mode Of conduct and discipline be
observed in the prison, Of which he has
executive control. In such limited quar-.
tiers as are there afforded, you can not x
pect a stric,ness Of command equal to that
in similar institutions Of larger accommo-
dations. But who ever heard Of loud
moushed profanity and obscenity being
tolerated in a Jail anywhere in this coun-
try, and not stopped even on the advent
of a female prisoner within its walls?
The Philadelphia public have been ex-
cited over a remarkable contest between
an elephant. and his keeper. The animal
having become unmanageable. wa secured
by chains in the middle Of his Enclosure,
and deprived Of food and drink. This