Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-20

COuTI, NTT. H4r-
ringtOn moved that the sentence OF the law be
IMPOSED in the case of DIR. y. T. Shuman. con-
YlCtcd OF manslauChtCT in causing the death of
Henrietta Paddon, on the 21st of March last
Ar. Riddle stated that he could not resist the
motion.
The accused, was called, and taking a stand
immediately in front OF the Clerk. ia answer to
the question of the Court If he had anything TO
say why sentence should not be passed, answered
81 have few brief notes 10 read" and with
some emotion read as follows:
Or. sHUNAN's STATEMENT
" In the house corner 10th and streets where
lie woman dledt here were only two rooms con-
tanning furniture; one was a room down stairs
u~ed az dining room and Kitchen the other
was a room Up stairs with single bed occupied
by Mrs. Lewis; so there WIS no accommodation
there for a woman to stay and miscarry. The
woman who died, first came under my care the
Friday night previous to her death. She never
tod me her name nor Goddard's, only that he
wa setting ranges at the ST. Charles Hotel and
was her friend; neither did she tell me that
she had commissions. She went up in the bed
room and after an examination / told her she
had been tempered with. She told me that her
mother had suspected her and that she had taken
spirits OF turpentine and strong injections, and
produced such hemmOrrhage to lay her up
in bed. When she came down stairs | wrote her
prescription for castor oil with few aromatics
and tod her to call and Get the pills the mex:
aI IN 60 hn, INC pills with Mrs. Lewis and
nv nOt L. myself during the whole of Sat
W uiuae S..u Sunday. On Monday morning when
lac came she was not in the room twenty
seconds before she was taken with what thought
an historical sfasm. She was not undressed, She
had every stitch OF clothing on her that she
10 the house except her hat and glove
which she lett down stairs, and her CLOTH NO
remained on her until she was in the har ,is OF
the cOroner. When che was taken W TN the
spasI.I called to Mrs. Lewis to bring me a Iitfle
whisky. There was not a grain Of medicines in
my possession, nor was there vessel in the room
to administer il in. When Mrs. Lewis refnr, a5
with the whisky i bathed her head ami She
seemed TO recover. 1 asked Mrs. Lewis to make
M little toddy, and gave her some, and imme-
dlately Afterwards sf'e went into violent conyul-
siOns, and afterwards died with SYMPTOMS of
congestion of the brain or lungs. There was not
the least sign OF vomiting or purging. There
Was no bolt TO the room door, nor KEY TO the
lock, and Mrs. Lewis had free access TO IL, and
came in frequently. Aft,r all efforts were ex-
hausted IN trying TO find Goddard, who L
ascertained at his boarding house could not see
neighbors know tlIat there was a deceased per
son in the house, and for that advised Grape on
the door, which, instead OF diverting attention, l
knew would demand an explanation. 1 was
anxious 90 spare the feelings OF her parents /
should not have made the explanation To Mr. H.
.. Noyes had it not been limited that il was an
abortion case. was by the bedside to assume
all responsibility, when the police came in, and
L went to the statiOn-hOuse the next morning of
my own accord. IL is most likely that giving her
the alcoholic treatment i did, caused an undue
rush OF blood &c the head. Had known more
of her system should have resorted to bleeding
in the arm and cups on the TEMPLES and "a vad
her life"
After reading the above, DIR. Shuman con-
unued as follows, extemporaneously: 81 under
stand that there Is a physician in this city ODr
Thompson) who has said he could account for
the symptoms without there being any poison nj
all about it. shall have TO beg OF Your Honor
to be as lenient with me as possible. L have got
helpless wife and little babes, with no one 10
provide for them at ell. III you will do so, /
promise that will not prescribe again for man
or woman; 1 shall go into different business
altogether. i have lived ten years in Wash
ingtOn, and my reputation has been unblemished
during the whole of that time. had no notion
OF producing any such thing as abortion. 1T /
had desired 10 do such a thing, L could have
gwen her medicine put up in such way that
she could have taken it home with her.
Judge Humphreys asked" Have you con-
Guided your statement?'
The Prisoner 1 have"
The Judge requested him to be seated and
addressed him as follows:
REMARKS OF JUDGE HUMPHREYS.
- If the statement that YOU have made could
be considered, and the facts you have mentioned
established, would be rejOicod to exercise any
power which might be reposed in me OF granting
a rehcaTing. But this cannot now be done
You have had "a fair trial. and the jury, after
having carefully considered all the facts ad-
duced before them by the witnesses on the stand
have deliberately rendered a verdict of guilty
IL only remains for NE TO pass the sentence OF the
law. i have had some difficulty in arriving af a
determination as to the time of Imprisonment.
The law leaves me no discretion 50 far Is sem
fencing TO labor in the penitentiaTy is concerned
but a. TO the length OF time discretion is reposei
IN me- The Judge then proceeded to read a.
follows:
THE SENTENCE.
s. In the sentence which have to pronounce
1t is my duty TO speak plainly, but it win be done
without any design 10 trample upon the feelings
OF convicted man. You, yourself must be
sat sled that the trial deli berate; that thoupI,
the court room was crowded from day to day
during the trial, such was the order and atten-
ton observed that each witness was distinctly
heard, the jury had the benefit OF all the testi-
mony, and no disposition was manifested to in
VI he Affa
strictly to the evidence i'm the case. And | will
be permitted TO say that 1 was satisfied with the
fidelity and ability with which your counsel and
advocates conducted the defence. In the dis
charge of my duties here 1 will never be satisfied
TO see an accused hurried TO conviction amid
confusion.
deceased by you, of which she died. The evil
denee satisfied the jury that you did either d
reetly administer it, or that you counselled and
ADVISED II TO be done, for the purpose OF creating
AT abortion. The attempt n abortioT
was not successful, but the young woman fell a
victim to her wrong aided in her crime by your
treatment. The first time that she visited
your Office she ought TO have been advised 10
take care OF her health, give life to that which
was growing, and call the author OF IL to take the
consequences of his passion. The law forces the
father of the child 20 support il. The child ofan
unmarried woman is, OF course, illegit. mate but
the law imposes obligations upon the father and
mother Of that child. The mother knows the
father, and she can make il uncomfortable
for him as IL is for her. The evidence
disclosed alarming practice that calls for a gem
era1 denunciation, and for punishment when
ever an offender is presented 1t may Be that
there are others guilty in this TRANSACTION not
yet put upon trial. This i cannot determine.
Tor II is not in my power, till a is presented
Your case, however, is before the court
have been informed that your father and
mother are pious, God fearing people, and your
wife good woman. The love of these persons
Will follow you even TO the prison. The world
however uncharitable it may be called, will not
abandon them, nor hold them in disgrace nor
visit responsibility upon them, because YOU have
been oyertaken III crime. But your offence will
wiring tears OF agony. And beneficent Creator
has ~ guarded the tenderness of wOmans afitc-
lions that she may find relief I'm the very tears
that flow on account OF a wounded heart And
L trust that the sterner nature of a kind and in
duigent father may find relief in bending TO the
same Influences. Your being oyertsken This
time may be merciful visitation, arresting your
action before other instances have been added 10
this violation of the law.
The law cenounces the offence of manslauCh-
ur by annexing as punishment, imprison-
ment, with hard labor, for period not less than
two and not exceeding eight years, for the first
offence. The law thus limits the punishment
The sentence of the Court cannot 90 beyond
eight, nor fall below two years.
IL has been my duty to reflect seriously how to
exercise the discretion vested in the Justice
one object of punishment r. the reformation of
the offender. A term of Imprisonment should
not be fixed 80 short 10 practically result In a
mere fOrmality. an long IN eaus..