Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1873-11-12
THE HONOR OF ONES
FAMILY.

AvENGING THE HONOR OF ONES
FAMILY.
The right of man to avonge the honor
of his family, although not put down in
the law books, is still so firmly set in the
American mind that no jury can be found
to convict where one Stays the seducer
of his wife, daughter or sister. This is
principle which no amount of energy on
the part of the prosecution, no instruc-
tons Of the court. can overcome. Ad-
hitting the principle to be strictly cor
rect, is there not danger that some hus-
band, father or brother may act precipi-
lately under some fancied wrong and
wreak his vengeance upon an innocent
party. 1t is less than year since three
cases have occurred in San Francisco Of
men being shot down for seduction. The
first of these was the case of Samuel for
killing Marchant, who was alleged to
have seduced Samuel's daughter; but
there was no proper examination into the
circumstances of the case; Samuel was
not indicted by the Grand Jury-the Star
Chamber simply deciding that no crime
had been committed. The next case was
that of Curtin who shot and Killed
youth for the alleged seduction of his
daughter, when, although there had been
seduction, it will always be question
among people, who ought to know,
whether it was the girl or the deceased
who was seduced. The jury returned q
verdict of not guilty. The latest case
occurred only few days ago, resulting in
the infection of dangerous wound upon
the person of John Donaldson by Barney
McAravy. 1t seems that the parties had
never met until few minutes before the
shooting. McAravy met Donaldson, ae.
cused him Of seducing his sister, and, al
though the latter denied the accusation,
he was shot by the former. What will
be the result Of Donaldson's wound, or
of McAravy's trial, remains to be seen
However greatly we may detest the Sc.
ducer, the rights of society demand tina,
the life of man shall not be taken upor
mere supposition, or, perhaps, false
accusation. History is constantly repeat
ing itself, and it may not, therefore, b.
out of place to refer to what occurred il
Missouri in 1919. There lived in St
Louis Postoffice clerk named Wise
whose wife was very attractive woman
A criminal intimacy sprang up between
Mrs. Wise and a gay Lothario by the
name of Hart. The suspicious of Wise
were never aroused until after Mrs. W
went to Palmyra. In making up
the mail one day Wise came across
letter which excited his suspic
ion, and he opened it. To his
horror he found it was letter from
Hart to Mrs. Wise. although directed t.
another name. Wise Immediately wen
to Palmyra, and going TO the Postoffice
inquired for letters. There were non
for himself or his wife, but he was in
formed that there was letter there for
party whose letters Mrs. Wise Away
took from the office. Wise said ne woul
take that. He opened the letter an
found it was from Hart to his wife. Han
had preceded Wise to Palmyra, and
was while the latter was reading tn
criminal correspondence between III
guilty pair that he saw Hart sitting i
front Of hotel. Drawing pistol h
fired and Hart fell. Wise rushed upo
him with bowie knife and stabbed hin
Hart died almost Immediately, but s
great was the general sympathy for Wis
when the criminality between his vii
and Hart became known that he was tr
umphantly acquitted. Shortly after tn
end of the Wise Hart affair, a man in S
Louis by the name of Lownsdale becam
impressed with the idea that all was nj
right between his wife and man name
Howard. Without any evidence to su
tain his suspicion Lownsdale shot How
ard down in the street. Before his deaf
Howard declared that there never ha
been any improper conduct between Mr.
Lownsdale and hi mself, and as she W,
recognized as an estimable lady, III
tide turned, and upon his trial for xii
ing Howard, Lowsdale was convicted
murder in the first degree and sentence
to be hung. By the strenuous efforts
friends, the prisoners sentence was con
muted to twelve years Imprisonment
1t will thus be seen that the tide turns
some time or another. 1t may turn tc
soon for some who are prone to shoot
man down upon mere suspicion, as a.
pears to have been the case in San Fral
cisco a few days ago. ------