Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-06-26
THE POISONING BUSINESS.
Women Dosing Men and Men Dosing
WOpjeP. ..


Women Dosing Men and Men Dosing
A very remarkable discussion is that in
which the Tribune, the Independent, the
ConqreqatioIiaIist, and latterly the WOnldll'S
.JotY7sdl; have recently become involved
with regard to the question o. poisoning by
women. The Tribune led off with the as
sertion that poisoning as a
DOMESTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT
has become unplessantly common, and that
it is a vice to which women are especially
addicted. The Independent followed with
the indisputable truth that if punishment
can only become as certain as detection can
be made sure, poisoning would be serious
" checked, if not entirely eXtirpated." The
COnqregatiOnGLiSt argues that "unfortu-
nately the same laxity OF moral sentiment
by which such wichedness is festered, in
sists upon treating criminals with leniency,
and practically takes sground against just
and needful penalties. Poisoning is a
crime most frequently committed by wo-
men, and, as the hanging of women is
something which a manly nature revOlts
from, we have reason enough for acquit-
| tails"
Now comes the TYom0n'S journal with a
| defense of the sex-at least SO much of one
as is contained in the allegation of great
| er prevalence Of this crime among men
/ and gives the world a startling bit of in
formation. Says that writer: awe dislike
to make sensational assertions or charges
that cannot be sustained. But the Trj-
| bttne'8 SANDER upon women needs refuta-
| ton. We are assured that
POISONING WOMEN BY MEN
| for the purpose of collecting assurances up
! on their lives have become so common that
! hardly single life assurance company is
willing to insure married WOman's life at
any price. Having occasion to procure an
insurance upon married wOman's life a
few weeks ago, we called upon the richest
and most extensive company in Newark, n
j., and were told by the President that
their experience in insuring wOmen's lives
had been so singularly unfortunate that
they had been compelled to decline taking
such risks as dangerous to public morals
He did not say that these women had been
murdered, but be did say that they almost
! invariably died under suspicious Circum.
stances sOen after the policies were issued.
He added that the general experience o.
life assurance companies throughout the
COuuL-N " uS bilO odthOy anu 1AlGLS AAO Ii
class company of his acquaintance is now
willing to take risks upon the lives o.
! women"
At the first glance such an assertion a;
this seems so monstrous as TO be beyond
the bounds of serious consideration. 1t ap
pears impossible that any number Of mel
| should have
MURDERED TUEIR WIVES
for the sake of few hundreds or thousand!
of dollars without the keen eye Of detection
ever having fallen suspiciously upon any on,
of the criminals. 1.-The reasonable suppOsi
ton might be that sooner than relinquish {
profitable branch of the business the assur
| ance companies would have sought to retaiI
it with safeguaTd--tbat is to say, tie!
would endeayor to obtain a conviction 0
some one whom they supposed to be guilty
and so brighten off others whose specula
tive ambitions are not barred by the neces
sity Of committing a great crime. If tn
officers OF any Of the companies have gOOC
reasons for a belief that certain individual;
are guilty, they are c0ndoning their CT
fenses by silence on such a matter. TIL
writer in the VOmaR'S journal, Mr.. Henri
3. Blackwell, speaks of the facts in tn
charge he offers, aud it ought to arouse
general and widespread attention.