The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-07-13
THE LAW AS METED OUT IN AS
T0RIA.

4Oh1As
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST:
would like to submit for your edifi-
cation and the delectation of your read
ers an instance of the administration of
justice (?) by Eye lords of creation" in
Oregon's seaport. Scene, an Astoria
courtroom, July 6, 1877, His Honor P.
H. Fox presiding. State of Oregon,
plaintiff; Thomas Pullam, defendant;
complaining witness, Mrs. Vandenburg,
who testified that the aforesaid defend
ant did, on the I'd day of June, seize her
by the shoulders, and in a violent and
inhuman manner did shake her, threat
ening "to kick her all over Astoria"
These facts were duly attested by five
witnesses, two on the part of plaintiff,
and three on the part of defendant, all
agreeing that there was no i'll temper
shown or bad language used by the
prosecuting witness before the assault
was committed. The facts in evidence
were then summed up by the prosecut-
ing attorney, aud the laws made and
provided for the peace and dignity of
the State of Oregon as bearing upon this
case were duly expOunded.
Judge Milton Elliot then made the
following argument for defendant: First,
the State of Oregon was the party in
jured, and not Mrs. Vandenburg, and
that if defendant had not injured the
whole State in assaulting the prosecut-
ing witness, that he was lawfully enti-
tied to discharge. Second, that the
lent temper, and that said defendant
had lawful right to shake or otherwise
judiciously punish any lady from the
fact that he was man, and as such was
and is lawfully entitled to exercise a
kind of guardianship over the women of
the State. That said defendant or any
other man had a lawful right to chastise
said plaintiff or any other woman in the
State of Oregon should he deem it nee
essary, the chastiser himself being the
sole judge of such necessity.
With the facts sworn to by the five
witnesses concerning the assault, sup
plemented by the eloquent logic (?) by
the judge named, the case was submit
ted to an Astoria jury, whose names
should severally and collectively go
down to posterity as oracles of wisdom.
They are G. A. Mcclure, Henry SPELL
mire, ]. H. D. Gray, G. w. Raymond,
F. Ferrell, and George Davidson, all oi
whom, with stately mien and lordly air
after being sworn to render a verdict &C.
cording to law and evidence, rendered
one of ''Not Guilty" of assault and bat
terry. The happy plaintiff, happy in be-
longing to the dominant sex and being
privileged to chastise women wheneve
he shall deem it necessary" was i'm
mediately discharged from custody.
To have been in keeping with tn,
rest, the presiding judge should hav
rebuked the plaintiff for not meekl!
taking the chastisement complained OF
, and warned her not to again take up th
time of the honorable court in listening
to complaint of a necessary" chas
} tisement, as in disposing of the cases o
"drunk and disorderly," all of whom
belong to the privileged sex, the cOur
has quite enough to do. 1t is not re
| corded, however, that His Honor thu
: warned and advised the plaintiff, an
| lest the effect of this wholesome lesso
should be lost upon the women of thi
] State, and one of them again become
? rebellious under necessary" chastise
: ment, l have sent this brief account t
D you, hoping that you will find place 70
r it in the NEW NORTHWEST. REX.
| Astoria, July 9, 1877.