Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-08-14
Letter from Washington.
MAsaiAsIas car, JAZZ ~ ine'
D. IL. No.. .l.l.. -. IIll.lL.

Jnfl OI Nhllta anu uiatAa fNeuiANN
! yesterday in another verdict dis
, grateful 10 the annals Of lhe com
, in0n law. For some Time past ihors
} has been 0n trial a negro prostitute
named Minnie Gaihos, charged will
numbering a white man named
, Ingle, By killing him with an axe,
, whilo he slept, The defence plead
insanity, resulting first from out
ragged m0desty at fading herself
seduoed, aud secondly, "hOmieidai
insanity" tho result OF pregnancy,
The first plea was pretty we'll ex-
plOded by the prosecution who
brought evidence 10 show that Min
mic was n prostitute since she was
fifteen years Of ago. Tho second
plea also was very thoroughly OK,
plOded by the prosecution, but
Judge Fisher, in his charge, TO the
Jury, instructed them 10 consider
the prisoner insane aud aequit her,
which was done. This farce of
"homioidal insanity" is pretty well
'playod out" Tho astounding dee
laraiion, judioially made by Judge
Fisher yesterday, that woman en-,
oicnto is insane, olicits nothing but
laughter from tho we'll informed and
sane portion Of tho community, Its
extravaganza was well proved in
this case, when tho tcstiiying Sur.
gcons declared that nj tho time Of
tho murder the .ncgrcss could not
have been in that condition for n
period longer than three weeks !
1t ia time, IL this doctrine carries
tho day, for husbands 10 club TO.
gcthcr and erect private mad houses
for tho accommodation OF their
wives. twill do doubt add TO tho
blushing rapturcs Of tho betrothod
maiden TO know that within
month or so aftcr marriage she will
bc q fit subject for an insane asy-
lum, and the correcting influences
of the straight jacket and tho show
or bath. If practically carried out,
this absurd and outrageous doctrine
will result in total abolition Of
marriage. No man with n grain Of
common sense in his composition,
will undertake TO marry or oven
court woman who Is thus judicial
ly empowered to kill him when che
tires of him or iancics my ono else,
or fccls q moments irritation on tho
ground of "catamcnial or concop-
tional insanity" 1t is better to
sweep all tho laws against homicide
from the statute book, unless indeed
an innocent Southern woman,
charged with such Il crime, by n
perjurgcd renogadcs and ungratcful
Williams, like Holt and Wcichman,
in which case it is cmincntly right |
and proper that the step from tho
goal to the gallows shall be short
and swift one. l cannot sec what
the womon's rights advocate havo
TO complain Of when the mere fact
of their sex is sufficient plea in
a criminal prosecution for murder.
But this particular case, in all its
features, is important, chiefly be-
cause it shows that negro or
negrcss of Washington can COM
nit any crime with impunity. No
sensible man--and there was somo
intelligent negroes on tho jury
could have regarded his oath, and
brought in such q verdict as was
given in the Minnie Gaines case,
even after the Judges ono-sidcd and
unlawful instructions. Black is the
color to win nowadays.
Col. Il. A. Whitley, of kentucky,
died hero last evening, of" consump-
tion," as the papers say. The true
cause of his death was thorough
prostration of his system from mon-
tai labor. lie was q brilliant and
facile newspaper man, and worked
while hc was able to stand on his
feet, like q steam engine. For sew
cral years he was tho associate cdi.
tor of tho Louisville Journal, and
was looked upon as a worthy associ-
ate of the brilliant PRENTICE. Lea
wing tho Journal, he became editor
of tho Baltimore Clipper, which, un-
der his management, became ono of
tho most influential papers in Mary
land. Lattcrly ho has been on the
editorial staff of tho National MteW-
qencer and the Sunday Herald, of
this city. For many years Colonel
Whitley was correspondence OF the
New York Herald and other promi-
nont papers, whose columns derived
force and lustre from his
brilliant and trcnchant pen. Ho had
been in bad health for over n year
past. The death OF Col. Il. A. Whito-
iy is another offering upon the Mo
loch of the Press Ho is man of
splendid physique, brilliant and pow
crful intellect, dying at tho carly
ago of forty four. His habits were
GOOD. and his constitution strong
enough TO have lasted him till nine
ty wears of age. But the public de-
mands moro work from newspaper
man than il docs of the stoutest
porter that ever shouldorcd bur
den. That work, too, is of a purely
nature, exceedingly cxhaus-
tive, and requires much relaxation. J
But who ever heard of journalist
taking recreation in this country?
Sick or well, he must be at his post,
and in nearly every case his rcmu-
neration is niggardly Insufficient
The American people are hard task
and grossly unjust in their
rates Of compensating. their most
faithful and valuable servants. The
j. Fourth Estate" should take this
natter mp, aud see 10 II that no more
Of its members die Of "consumP-
tion. tho fashionable name for over
work. II is time, also, for the Press
10 assert ifs claim TO the position and
The remuneration which its services
demand.
Much Indignation is felt and cx-
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