Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-02
SICK AND IN jail.

| Friends She Has None"
On the 2sth day OF December, 1878, Emma
Wells, a cyprian, took her departure from st.
Paul. The next day it was pronounced flight,
for s. F. Bailey l. Co., discovered that she had
sold $50 worth of furniture, on which the firm
held a chattel mortgage. The telegraph wires
were called into requisition-the lightning
struck her at Worthington. She was arrested
and brought back, arriving IN time to pass New
Years Day in Jail.
! S. F. Bailey & Go. recovered their property.
Since New Years Day she has been in Jail.
! None of her numerous-the girl is very hand
seme-friends have appeared to go her bail.
Friday her case was called in the district court,
| and the end was reached yesterday morning.
| The jury went out the night before at
o'clock, and wrestled with the important ques-
ton all night. Their vigils extended beyond
| the hour when full risen day dimmed the gas
! light-beyond the hour of breakfast. Then
they came in with verdict of guilty, assessed
! the mortgaged property sued at 1925, and sup
plemented their conviction with recommend
| alton for mercy.
| Word somehow reached the outer world about
10 o'clock that the jury was ready" By that
same token the court was notified; the prisoner
| summoned. With the carrying of these mes
! sages, it became noised about that the Jury had
Wells case. Quite an audience assembled to
await the coming of the court and the incom-
| ing of the jury. Speculation was rife as to
| what the verdict was-the opinion. from SYM
pathy, being pretty general that the midnight
six, who stood out for acquittal, had won the
! Others over.
First, the prisoner, Emma Wells, came in
escorted by Sheriff King. Fairly escorted, for
she was so agitated and alarmed that she could
not stand, let alone walk, without assistance.
She was placed in chair. The jury came in;
her head was turned towards her judges and
her eyes fairly cleaned through the folds of
her black veil, anxious to read her
fate. The court came in and as
cended the bench. While the clerk went
through the formula of roll-cal and the in
quiry about verdict, ETC., the little woman
| shook with a chill and plucked nervously at her
shawl.
Guilty
| She heard that and nothing more.
Her counsel moved for immediate SEN
| tence. 1t was granted.
| Some one told her three times, before she
comprehended or even heard, to stand up.
| She stood mp.
| The court then said that she had been recon-
mended to his mercy by the jury. He was led
1 to the belief that this recommendation was
made because Of her youth, unfortunate con-
| dition, and because she was woman, and pre-
sumed to know little about business matters.
| Lie COuIU 4Clu 1uCllIlcu " udThcu 10 ILLS ap-
peal for mercy in her behalf. He believed
she could not pay fine, that
she had no money, and as the statute permit
| ted him to accord imprisonment alone for the
offense of which she was convicted, he would
sentence her to sixty days imprisonment in
the county jail.
During the judges sentence the girl swayed
to and fro as if she'd fall, but finally nerved
herself to stand the ordeal by Selling the side
of her chair.
! ''Sit down. was whispered two or three times
| to her, after sentence was pronounced.
! After it was all over she was conducted over
| to her new home-the only one she has-in the
| county Jail, and the count adjourned.
The GLOBE wastes no sympathy on the un-
fortunate young girl. Hers is a story not un-
like an hundred others who have committed
| the objectionable sin. But for all that she is
| an object of pity, one well worthy of the at
tempt to reclaim her. She Ia so young, and
has been for SO short time
| stained scarlet with the sin, that all woman
! hood has not been lost, all good in her de-
stroyed.
Que year ago this unfortunate and miserable
girl was as good as the highest lady in the
land, - she was virtuous, beloved of many, adj
| mired by all in the Wisconsin village, where
her aged parents now reside. The temptation
came and the weaker vessel was shattered by
the stronger. There was no hope for her at
| home, the village folks all knew, and the fire
of their scorn scorchod and inhamed her soul.
She fed from home, came to st. Paul. She did
strive to obtain work; she was unsuccessful.
Home moorings having been broken, she drift
ed out.
A very tame story, but what an experience
for girl, not yet Is years old!
The GLOBE doesn't presume to find fault with
! the jurys decision. They recommended mercy
with the full knowledge Of the offense, they
thought her fit subject for clemency. They
assessed the property she sold-and
the extent Of the ''mis6emeanor," the court
presumed she did not know-at 1926. Evidence
was submitted on the trial that she had made a
| cash deposit of 1875 at the time of purchase,
and followed it with weekly installment Of
SIS. Her trial in the municipal court, the in
quiry before the grand jury and arraignment
in the district court have cost Ramsey county
very near $3.50.
The result; miserable, sick girl in Jail.
Once her trial was postponed owing to her
sickness. Her great disgrace-she is not lost to
its full appreciation-and the shadow of the
long sixty days, have aggravated her illness.
Christian people, this is bright Sabbath
morning!