New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-08
UJFE-BEA TERS.

No one hurries to draw moral from the
scene o. week or so ago, where woman,
who had been stabbed four times by d sulky
and savage lover, refused to testify against
him, burst into tears when his scnteLce OF
three years in prison was announced, ana
wept on bis shoulder as he left the Conrt.
lie was sulky even them did not respond to
her 0utburst Of aifectionate remOrse; refused
to be touched by her protestations that she
would wait for him. The circumstances of the
murdcrous assault clearly enough prove the
brutal self.wIll of the man. He saw his be-
trotned walking with young girl whom he
did not like. lilo approached them and COM
manded his affanced to quit the company OF
the other she answered, "She has done me
"no harm, and | will not give up her ac-
quaintance.p Upon this the angry savage
asserted his authority with dirk-knifc SO ener-
getically that the unfortunate girl was thought
TO be MORALLY wounded. She recovered, how
ever, and the first use she made OF her con-
valescence was to publish her devotion in the
courtroom to the rufidn who had redeemed
his hands in her blood.
Such an incident as this would give food
for serious thought to those who are inter
regulate the relations between men and
women. if this were matter to which as
much thought as sentiment were generally
given. 1t Is not enough TO call this an excep-
ton to any rule. The records of the police
courts, the recollection of all officers of the
peace, and of all well meaning but misguided
neighbors who have attempted to defend NAL
treated women against their husbands,
would only confirm tho puzzled infer
ences which the performance of the
other day excited in the minds of the
witnesses. at appears like they preferred
to be used rough" an observant old police
man remarked. Mr.. Reade describes rascal
whose hawk-like face reused the distrust of
all the men who met him, but did not raise
any prejudice in the breasts of those white
"doves who were born to be clutchcd." There
may be something of cynical exaggeration in
this but those who are called by their bust
ness or by charity among the poor or the de-
graded, learn how prompt and faithful and
apparently willing obedience is paid to rufians
by their beaten, bruised, and trampled wives.
There is many woman in New-Y0rk today
who not only supports her husband and family,
but endures his savage cruelty without muir
muring, and furnishes him the means of
vicious indulgence with silent, accomplishing
resignation, and who would resent with quick
anger any imputaton upon his person or re-
pute.
This spirit is not confined to those In humble
life. The men In Fifth Avenue who beat
their wives are probably not numerous, but
now many are there whose daily life is filed
with acts of moral cruelty more revolving to
any refined sensbility than the club or the
knife of the tenement-housef The surly Jest,
the brutal retort. the studied contempt and
neglect which many men use to their wives,
and which would insure their prompt chastise-
ment If INDUCED in the company Of other
men, do not, TO any outward seeming at least
alter the devotion and loyalty of these women
toward them. There are men. claiming To be
gentlemen, who never think it worth whilc to
be civil to their wives, who are
nevertheless rs sure OF their obedient
regard as il they were Bayar,is or Sidncys
they are, "a they think. perfectly happy in
their domesticity, and it would DO hard to
see wherein they are not. There are those
who believe there is Providence which
watches over drunkards, which sustains their
tottering steps on slippery places, and which
sottens the paying-stoncs for them whom they
fall. Ii would sometimes appear that similar
care has ordered that whenever an especially
mean and selfish scamp is driven into mar
rage. woman OF more than usually angelic