The daily gazette., 1879-05-31
SECOND EDITION
TEMPERANCE TRIBULATION.
Mrs. ssJudger Watson Tells the
story Of Her SORROW and Sadness,
and Defends Herself Against
Crawford spear.

The one hundred persons, VINO llau as
sembled in the lecture room of Institute
Hail. to listen to Mrs. @Judge" Watson
speak upon the subject, s'Was l right, or
was wrong" gazed with considerable
interest upon the lady who was to ad-
dress them, when she came upon the
stage in company with George NJ.
butcher, and Mr.. Foulk, of this city, at
S:15 o'clock last evening. They saw a
middle-aged woman, little above me-
dunn height, with rather pleasing coun-
tenance, and an air Of one, who was not
altogether unused TO appearing before a
public audience. She was dressed in
black and on the bosom Of her dress was
pinned the Murphy temperance badge Of
''heavens blue" ..n. s.-
Mr.. butcher came forward without
any delay and said that the meeting was
held to establish precedent in this
country. The precedent was the discus
sion of the question whether reduced
woman can stand upon an American
platform, can be protected the same as
man, can be encouraged the same as
man, or be driven back into life of ine-
briefly. He said it had ever been his pro-
vince to advocate the cause of woman,
anu llC udd oitCil uoiio oo Oh liAO Piot-
form which he was speaking. If man
wrongs woman he is not looked upon
as very great sinner, but the poor wo-
man who is wronged is ostracised and
has the finger of scorn pointed at her on
every side. Is God any respector Of per-
sons? Does he look on woman's sin as
greater than mans? No, both stand side
by side in his estimation and he loves
both the same. The whole cause of wo-
men not being held equal with men in
lis respect was that the people of the
whole United States did not uphold the
former when they tried to raise them
Ives and lead better life. He had
harned during the past nine weeks that
woman did not sustain woman. The
prese, t question was one of principle; it
was whether q woman, fallen and re-
deemed shall conquer or that the man
who wronge1 her shall go unwhipped OF
Justice. In every great c)ntest some one
had to take the lead, and he had taken
the lead in this one; and he hoped
that it would not be over till the
public demand that q redeemed
woman, who was brought to her pre-
sent condition through God and kind
words, shall be given the privilege of
speaking in the behalf of her sex. When
the woman who sat upon the platform
with him, ,ihad asked to tell the story of
her redemption, he had said
''yes," and she was here to tell that story
tonight. He could only say, with re-
gard to expression of opinion, in the
language of the Saviour, ''Let he who is
without sin cast the first stone." He had
undertaken to defend her and had the
,, press and the people against him, many
of the latter waiting for the case to be
decided before expressing an opinion. IL
conclusion Mr.. butcher said, ''live or
die, survive or perish, shall stand by
my convert till she stands firm and
steadfast before the people. introduce
endeavor,. Remember she was a poor
Magdalen, like she who wiped the Sa-
viOur's feet with her hair"
Mrs. j. ID. Watson then arose and
advanced to the edge of the platform.
She commenced by saying that she was
in reality not able to be present tonight
having been under the DOCTORS care fortl. e
past two days, but she had thought it
better for to come and tell her sad and
sorrowful story thinking perhaps it
would be word in good season
to ONE poor man or woman.
She then gave brief synopsis
of her history. She was born on the
Scuylkill river at a place called Wood
lands and her fathers name was Robert
Devine. She had been educated in
Catholicism and had held to that faith
until very recently.
At an early age she sailed for San
Francisco, Cal, to marry Mr.. j. d. Wat
son OF that place. When she sailed into
that port on June 8, 1865, she little
thought that her lot was to bs SO fraught
with sorrow. She lived happily with her
husband for years ,and during that time
learned to be very fond of the social glass.
| After her husbands death she returned
to her fathers home in Philadelphia.
Here she could not fully satisfy her ap-
petite for strong drink, because she was
watched and she left with her little
daughter, Marion, 3 years of age. She
grew more addicted to the Intoxicating
cup after this, and finally made up her
mind to commit suicide, but fortunately
was turned from her purpose. She trav-
elled through distant lands then and af-
ter some years came back to Philadelphia,
and by this time had become such slave
to rum that she had to have 1t all the
time. Mrs. Watson here drew picture
of her degradation, which caused many
ladies in the audience to be melted tU
| tears.
The turning point in her life came on
the 4th OF last February, when, aftel
much persuasion she was induced TO &c
to heac Mr.. butcher speak kontemperancl
at the Y. M. y. A., rooms in Philadel
phia. She lett the hall a changed woman
but with the desire for liquor still tor
menting her. She kept fiom drinking
until the 10th of that month, when sh.
went to hear Mr.. ID. again, and asked hin
to come and see her. He did so and sht
gned the pledge and they prayed togeth'
er. She priced that le ige to this day moit
than any thing on earth. The next tint
Mr.. ID. called she asked him ifshe coulC
not tell the story of her redemption to tht
world, and he said "yes."
Mrs. Watson then delivered a stronI
exhortation, to all who were not temper
ance people, to sign the pledge. She sait
her mission was to raise fallen womel
and none were so low but she would as
sist them. She then spoke with mucl
bitterness of the alleged persecution
from which she had suffered during tn
past nine weeks, and which had beel
brought by a worker In the Y. M. G. A
and a leading member in church, who's
mistress she had been for two years an
a half and who wanted her back agai
for the same purpose. She would soone
jump Off the dock than 60 back to tn
old life. She went on at q great 1engt