Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-03-03
Latest PunI.hmena OF The seducsr

Latest Punishment OF the Ssducsr.
Courier-J Ournal,
The seducer of woman ordi-
narily loses no caste in society.
While the woman who has sinned
generally joins the vast congrega-
ton of those not inappropriately
called "LOst Women," the man
continues his functions of parlor
Adonis, laughs down criticism, and,
when disposed, marries, settles
down respectfully and becomes, to
all appearances, a model citizen, if
not shot down in the meantime by
some aveuger of his victims dis
honor.
This is an effective method of
disposing of the vultures of society.
but it cannot be called popular,
from the comparative infrequency
of its occurrence. There trans
plred In Crawford county, Georgia,
the other day, meeting of citizens,
whose action will no doubt be taken
as an excellent precedent in other
communities, for dealing with Sc
ducers. A lawyer named Roddy
seduced the wife of another citizen
in that community, and the latter,
overwhelmed with a keen sense of
the digrace which had befallen him,
and unwilling to take the life of
the man who had wronged him,
committed suicide. An indigna-
ton meeting of citizens was then
held, at which the following reso-
lutions were adopted:
Whereas, ]. D. Roddy, attor-
ney at law, has, in our judgment,
prompted by an evil heart and cor
rupt inclination, been guilty of sur
reptitiously and dishonorably enter
ring and destroying the happiness
of a family in our midst therefore,
be it
(" Resolved, That such conduct is
unbecOming, ungentlemanly and
unchristian; the more so because
the said j. D. Roddy is himself a
man of family, and deserves to be
frowned upon and stamped with the
seal of public indignation by any
man who has a wife, a mother, a
daughter, a sister, and who feels
any interest in the purity of female
character; and we hereby denounce
such conduct and all who may in
dulge in the same, and are only
sorry that our condemnation can
not blast all such characters.
Resolved, That we, the citizens
of Crawford county, demand the
instant removal of the said J. d.
Roddy from our midst, or in default
thereof be must meet the we'll
merited vengeance of an outraged
public.
"Resolyod, That a copy of these
resolutions be furnished to j. D.
Roddy by the secretary of the meet
ing, and that the same be published
in the Macon Telegraph, Fort Val
ley Mirror and Monroe Advertiser"
1t is probable that the communi-
ty is freed from the foe to its good
name. This proceeding was un-
usual. The punishment of such
wrong-doing is usually performed
by an individual. Here a whole
community sets its seal of condem-
nation upon the evil, and the
punishment is the more severe.
1t may be that few communities
would venture upon such a
course. The widespread las
civiousness Of the age suggests
that pointed remark of the Master;
"Let him that is without sin among
you, cast the first stone" Whom
the time comes for the general ex-
patriation of seducerS, as leperS,
we will have approached the millen-
NAL age. Nevertheless, it is an en-
oouraging reflection that the people
of Crawford county, Georgia, have
dissented from the too common
belief that the woman alone is to
blame in such matters, and have
taken the new departure as indica-
ted in the resolutions.
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