, 1870-04-11

Letter from Judge floWcs

We have from the first taken great interest |
in the experiment in Wyoming, Of allowing |
jurios to be composed Of both msn and women,
in regard to the Wyoming 3uEies going tho |
rounds Of the press. we wrote 10 the Hon J. |
II. Howe, Chief Justice Of the Supreme Court I
Of that Territory, requesting him to give Us
his ylewa as to the success OF the experiment. |
We are pleased to publish the letter Of Judge
Howe, which is all the most aanguine friend Of |
the cause could desire The Judge, after
writing the lettel upon request, consented to |
It's publication AZ written:
"CHEYEHNE. W1onrsg. April 4, 1s7n
Mrs, Ayra Rratseet2, Chicago, ~:
"DkARMAnAN; ] An in receipt Of your favor
Of the 26th ult., in which you request me to
give you truthful statement, over my own
signature, for Publication in Jour paper, Of
the history Of, and my observations in regard
to, the woman grand and petit Jurors In W.
this Qualification, that it be not pub&shed over
my own signature, ~ I do not coret news~
paper publicity, and have already, without any
agency or fault Of my own, heen subjected TO
an amount Of it which I never anticipated nor
conceived Of, and which hks been far from
agreeable to me.
- had no sgeney in the enactment Al the
Law III Wyoming comforting legal equality upon
women. I found it upon the statute book OF
that Territory, and IN accoEdanco with its pro-
visions several women veTe legally drlwn By
ju.ies OF Albany County, and were duly sum
moned by tho Sheriff without any agency Of
mine. On being appsised OF these facts,
| conceived it to be my plain duty to fairly On
| force this law, AZ would any other; md more
than this, resolved 1t once that, as it had
| fallen to my lot to bayc the experiment tEed
| under my administration, 1t should have
| fair trial, and therefore Assured these women
that they could serve or not ss they chose
that it they chose to serve, the Court would
l Ay &hn .raf nj r..
Grafton and Difference, and protect them from
insult in word or gesture, and from everything
| which might offend q modest and tirtuoua
woman in any Of the walks OF life in which the
good and true women Of our country have bean
accustomed to move
"Nhilc hid never been an advocate for
tho law, felt that thousands Of good men and
women had been, and that they had = right to
zee it fairly administered; and Has resolved
that it ahonlI not be sneered down If I had to
vent il. ! felt that eren those who Waro ep-
| posed to TIE policy Of admitting women to the
right OF suffrage and to hold office would con-
denim mo il did not do this It Wa also suf6-
eient for me th&t my own Judgment approved
this courRc-
t'With such ASSURANCES, these women
chose to serve, and we're duly impanelle1 II
Jurors. Thoy are educated, cultivated Eastern
! ladies', who are m honor to their sex TheJ
have, With true 1oman]y devotion, left theil
homes OF comfort in the States, to share the
,, fortunes Of their husbands and brothers il
. | the far West1 and to aid them in founding
, new State beyond the Missouri
".ind nov as to the results. With al m,
) t preiadices against tho policy, I an unde
; conscientious obligations to say that thcs
! women acquitted themselves with sucl
. dignity, decorum, propriety OF conduct
/ and intelligence As to win tho admiration
i. Of every fair-1ninded citizen Of Wyoming
: They vsEc careful pains.aking, intelligent
Lutte for the right n established By tho la
! and the testimony. Their verdicts Were righi
4 and, siter thrue or four criminal trials, th
d lawyers engaged in defending persons accuse
right Of peresnptory challenge to get rid c
u the women jurors, who we're too much in fave
E OF enforcing the laws and Furnishing crime I
- suit the interests OF their clients! After Y
= grand jury hid been in session two days, II
le dancc-house keepers, gamblers, and dem
r monde fled out Of the city in dsmay, to eacaI
=. tho Indictment Of women grand Jurors!
ehoyt, havo never. in tuonty-1vo ycArs
1e constant experience in the courts Of the coul
y, Try, seen a moro faithful, Intelligent, AZ
e resolutely honest grand aud petit jury tn.
1t these.
ot IA contemptihty lying and silly despatch VIC
q over tho wires to tho effect that during Il
y y trial OF A. ". HOWE for homicide Cn vhi
y, the men and women were kept loo
J. ed up together all night for 70
er nights. Only two nights intervened dr
In ing the trial and on these nights,
s. my order, the ju1y were taken to the p.
T. let Of The liIgs M connections medic nd aad Hd ws1l-t.
Il, in Charge Of the Sheriff and woman b.
= III, where they were supplied With me-
Ie- and every comfort, and 1t 10 o'clock I
women were conducted by the bai1in to
n. ~ were prepared for them, and tho men TO :
aaT other adjoining, where beds were prepared
ID them, And where they remained in charge
III, sworn officers until morning, when they VI
no again all conducted to the parlor and TX
&c thence in / body to breakfast, and thence
~ tho Jury room, which WAS clean and comic
NJ. NJ able one, caIpeted and heated, and furnisf
ID. with I'll proper conveniences.
he 1.-THE cauee was submitted to tho jurJ
~ their dccision about II O'Clock in the fo1eno
lily and thes agreed upon their verdict, which '
&C. received by tho court between IL and
wetr discharged
he Jury, and were satisfied with their verdict,
1n cept the individual who WAS convicted Of n
be der in tho second degree. ....
"Tlcprceenceo OF theaalalics in ccurt secu
tho most perfect lecorum and rrprTiety OF e
duct, and the gentlemen Of tho hsr and 9th
yicd with e8ch other in their courteous AND
epectful demeanor toward the ladies and
/ Ct court. Nothing occurred to offend the n
On: On: refined lady iii she WAS sensiblc ladyl.
.eI q the universal Judgment Of every intellie
tho Anu aAH-lainAso nAaa P4eecn. W ~ A '
e the experiment was sncces1
ces ~ dislike tho notoriety t,1s matter has
4 en- me, but do not nhrint from II nc
asd eoushtit nor expected i, nd haro only !
ttt4 .aL". .nI;,r ,,nT ,3nairpo any nrsiss
"' quite Indifferent To any censure or critic
which my conduct may hive invoked
"Ihankng you for yoas friendly and c
plimentarr eIprcssionst am very lespoctf1
yourn- J. II. uowE