Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-10-25
WOMAN UNDER THE LAW.
Has She One Right Men are Bound
to Respect,
The Case Of Mrs. William A. Gage.

l have stated again and again
that women do not possess one
right in and Of themselves that
every privilege women enjoy is
enjoyed by sufferance, by the favor
of her legal and political masters.
A case in point occurred yesterday
in this city which proves this. |
shall briefly state the occurrence,
that the women of Tennessee may
fully understand their subjected
condition.
1t is well known to this people
that a month or two ago Mrs. Wm,
A. Gage was sent forth from her
husbands house, and deprived OF
her children by her husband, on
the charge of infdelity.
The truth or falsity of this
charge, it is not mine to discuss,
The case is before the courts, and
lawyers may wrangle and judges
decide as they will; ; but the legaI
! and social status of this woman
/ under accusations not yet proved.
is my proper and legitimate theme
1t is the theory Of English anc
American law that every man il
h qId innocent until he is proved
gul1. Wy. This just principle, how
ever, is only applicable to men
,cornen are held guilty aad con
demned OH the simple accusation o
their husbands.
On last Saturday, about ] o'cioci
nm, a mes, ,age was sent from Mrs
GAGE to her lawyers, Colonel Minol
MeTiwether and Judge Anderson
urging their instant presence a
her house on Vance atrset, as SIN
was in great distress and Heede,
, assistance. 1t was near 4 o'elocl
before the message was receyed
One of them, Colonel NJ, Judge A
being absent) went out to the house
We found the door locked ant
=, barricaded, as it had been durinl
the day. Several ladies having calle'
on Mrs. Gage were refused access t.
: her. Two white men kept guarC
in the hall; one, We afterwar'
learned. was Mr.. Hiram Gage. tb
other a hired man called Thomas
10 formerly Mrs. Cages esrriage-driyel
n They refused at first TO open th
!. door, but after u little while it wa
!. opened few inches, when Colone
e NJ. said he wished to see Mrs. Wm
to Gage. "You can't come IN" the
., cried, and shut the door yiolentl
At and again locked and barred !
m mas After a minute or two more, Nj
Is Hiram Gage said to COlonelM. frol
e@s @ the inside that he could see Nr
Y Gage in u few minutes, and the
buo rushed up stairs, leaving us stanC
ed ing in the vestibule. We then hear
strange noises on the upper foo
r. e. heavy trampiug of booted feet,
9 if some dire tragedy was being Ell
H. acted. We ran around to the SIC
of the house, looking up to Il
windows and pOrticos. On one
his the porticos we saw several sterl
J. he looking men forcing their entran
through window into a room.
another window Of the same roo
no we saw three pale and panic-stric
en- faces-Mrs. Gage, heg little b
and Mrs. Morgan, her mother. II
n' three were clinging together al
= watching with atfnghted eyes t.
men breaking into their room
=; watching as if deadly foes We
Z after them. Alas and alas!
the Justice of mems laws DeaC
foes scere after that unhappy WON
). foes armed with the high auth'
ity of the law-to drag her TO ja
And for what ? Mrs. Gage,
~ wife Of William A. Gage, and mott
our of his children, had ventured
enter her old home and go into