The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-02-15
Letter from the State Capital.
COLUMBUS. February Q, 1877.
LOCAL LEGISLATION,


LOCAL LEGISLATION.
While the Constitution of the State,
as effectually as it can,provides against
this, vet its demands seem 10 increase
at each session of tho General assem-
bly,. Much of it relates to the grow
ing towns and villages of the state.
Ono wants town hall, one a new
school house, another bridge, &c,
&c, on to the end, not of The chapter,
but to adjournment of the Legislature.
Sometimes township or q corpora.
tion treasurer has been robbed, and
his neighbors believing that he is hon.
est. and prudently cared for their
money, ask to have him relieved from
responsibility in the matter. To do
this requires bill for the purpose to
be read i'll each of the two Houses
three several times, pass two commit
ties, and be voted upon twice. This
all consumes time and yet to relieve |
innocent men, often there is no other |
way.
AMONG THE CRIMINALS.
Your correspondent, having occa-
sion TO visit the States Prison few
days since, had a short interview with
Mrs. Victor, whose notorieiy in North
ern Ohio, few years since, was con-
nected what a charge of poisoning her
brother. Her sentence was comlnuted
from hanging to life imprisonment,o ,on
| account of real or feigned lunacy.
She recovered from her lunacy within
, few years, only to suffer from an at
tack of paralysis While suffering
from this she seemed the merest wreck
OF humanity. But, to the surprise OF
all, even the medical men attending
upon her, she has so far recovered
that she walks with a crutch. AS she
was unable at the time of the COM
mutemeDt of the sentence from hang
ing to imprisonment for life, to accept
over her own hand, this change of
sentence. it became question of law
whether. after her restoration to rea-
son, the courts should not set her free
! And 81 The case was "tried on" by
some Columbus lawyers some months
since. The judgment of the Court was
that nothing now remained but for
the sheriff of Cuyahoga County to
take her q way and execute her accord
ing to the original decree of the court.
And now she says, "Let me out or
hang me'-a thing she is safe in say
ing, while Gov. Hayes is in theExecu-
tive chair, we think for we predict.
that pardon would come before he
would permit woman to be hung
Mrs. Victor is a woman of positive
character, as any one can see by n
glance at her countcnancc and general
bearing. OF course she most emphat'
ically asserts her innocence of the ter
rible crime charged upon her. She is
not able to take part in the prison
work allotted to the other female in
mates. But material is furnished her,
and she busies herself in making tides
and such fancy work as her taste die
taies. She has fine, roomy cell on
the south side OF the building, which
she keeps in admirable order, making
it look really inritinq, She Processes
great faith in God, and that lie will
yet i'm His providence vindicate her
innocence.
| FLOWER IN A DESERT,
/. In the womans department: of the
Prison, there is Il lille enid, probably
about sixteen months old, too Young
when the mother was sentenced To be
taken from her care. or course il is
a great pet with I'll! the inmates, and
perhaps ills innocent eprattla may be
an Inspiration to a better life to some
OF the inmates. LII is tO be hoped that
the mothers sentence may expire be-
tore memory stores up the terrible fact
in the heart OF the child, of prison life.
Two Of these inmates are exp;ating
their crimes in serving lite sentences.
Mrs. Richardson, who murdered her
husband at MassiIlon, is ladyike ap-
pearing woman, in spite of her prison
garb ot light blue drilling. A desper-
ate effort is being made to obtain a
pardon for her. 1t is to he hoped that
justice will not be cheated of her dues.
The women of the State I'VE are not
sorry TO sa. are not doing their part
SO promptly in Keeping up this State
} institution as the sterner sex. While
male cOnvicts are every month in
creaslng in numbers, there are no
more and perhaps lees females than
three years since. The prison fare, in
the way of food, is the same for both
prisons. In dress the women are de.
cidedly favored, while tor their quart
ers, both for day ani night, the wo-
men are the favorites OF fortune, or Of
the gallant" lawmakers OF the State.
Ii they cannot read when they enter
the prison, they (the womeno have an
opportunity to learn, of which they
generally avail themselves. y.
The Supreme Court of Ohio. Judge
Rex rendering the decision, have de-
creed that, CD "A railway company
has the right 10 require passengers to
pay fare, and a rule directing it's con-
ductOrs to remove passengers from the
cars, those who refuse to comply with
the requirements, is reasonable; and
(2), The fact that ticket had been
purchased by passenger, which was
afterward wrongfully taken up by a
conductor of one of the defendants
trains. will not relieve the passenger
from the duty of providing himself
with ticket or paying fare on anoth-
er train of the defendant i'm which he
may be passenger; and (3), In such
I caSn The ri IN LII of ncii0n Of Tho no neo,,