The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-28
WOMEN WHO EARN MONEY
Something About the Female Lawyers
and Doctors of Washington.
The Four Lady Members of the Bar, and
How They Do Busine ss-The Lady Ply
sicians, and How They Flourish.


is highly respectable theme, as all will ad-
NIT, in this enlightened age; and yet the first
women of the gray-goose quill had to endure
not only ridicule and contunely, but actual
danger and persecution. The first women
who learned to read did SO secretly, and
were considered in disgrace when it was
sometimes discovered. The very same charge
that is made now every time woman dares
step beyond the prescribed limits was made
then. Strange that an upward course should
be attributed to a downward tendency, but
such is ever the case when some men discuss
women (not the best men, thank God, for l
naturally love good manly. Ignorant plod-
ding women are always virtuous, according
to those who would be philosophers, not
withstanding the records. which prove that
99A per cent. of all the lost women come
from that class; and Strong minded" women
are always the reverse in spite of the fact
that only one of all the noble army of them
has ever been directly charged personally with
such Weakness and that one proved how in
nocence can care all things, suffer all things
and grow strong
In this letter 1 will tell the readers of the
Journal somewhat of the lawyers and doc
tors belonging to that weaker sex. The theme
is not so respectable now, perhaps, as my
former one, but century hence it will be;
so you see we, the Journal and J. will be just
a century ahead of the age.
Four ladies have been admitted to the
bar in this District One, colored woman,
whose name has escaped me las names and
dates generally do), went to hang her shingle
out elsewhere years ago; Mrs. Belva Lock-
wood, who has been admitted to practice be-
fore the Supreme Court; Mrs Marilla Rick
er and Miss Emma NJ Gillett, both of these
latter recent appointments, and both OF them
having the honor of outstripping the men,
who are supposed to be so much more brainy,
by making the largest average in their re-
spective examinations
Mrs. Lockwood has a good general prac-
tice, besides doing a thriving business in
the patent and pension agency. She never
undertakes claim unless she is first salts
fed that it is just, and she never fails to get
it through; if she is defeated the first time,
she only files it again, and again
and again, if necessary, say till
it is taken off by being allow ed
just so far your correspondent of the 18th
inst. is right; but not much further Mrs.
she is of medium size only, with sweet face
and snowy hair and the most perfect manners
When she goes to. the Pension Office, as she
does almost daily, and finds Colonel Dudley
engaged, 1T is true she never waits; she is far
too busy a woman to dangle on the sofas
waiting the pleasure of even the President,
but she goes quietly to some of his clerks
who can attend to her, says her say and is
gone II like to transact business with Mrs.
Lockwood, " said Secretary Lincoln, because
she always knows her business, attends to it
expeditiously, and goes, without wasting her
own time or mine" "Time is money!" saws
the old saw, and Belva has made money by
remembering that fact. 1t is also true that
Mrs. Lockwood voice can be heard distinctly
when she speaks. She acquired this good
quality when school-teacher in the city of
Boston, and has cherished it specially in her
present business, since she has noticed the
fact that mischief is usually meant when an
attorney whispers to the judge. AS for the
impoliteness charged to Colonel Dudley by
this correspondent Mrs. Lockwood herself
exonerates him; she says he is too
gallant man to tell any woman
to leave the room, although she does not
think he is particularly fond of ladies in
public life and, as for the scene so graph
ically described by this correspondent, it
never occurred as far as she is concerned
Mrs. Lockwood has one big claim which she
has long regarded as her bonanza; she has
worked on it for seven years. paying all ex-
penses out of her own pocket; and now when
it has come to a bright promise of
speedy fruition, male firm of this city
steps in and will reap the benefit
if they can. 1t is the Cherokee
claim, and she was appointed nearly eight
years ago by the Indians themselves in open
council as their agent; but when the work
bloomed out for an abundant fruitage a
law firm of the stronger sex proved their
strength by trying to wrest it from her
through a power of attorney granted bv
single man who came here some time since
Secretary Teller has, however, allowed her to
call on the Interior Department for informa-
ton, and if two calls cannot be allowed on
the same subject, as l believe, cannot see
what is to GUST her now. Women are con-
stantly told to be content, that the men will
represent them, and this is the way they are
generally. represented: the men represent the
money, the women the work Who dares
say the thing is not divided, after all?
A short time ago Mrs. Lockwood was sur
prised at the receipt of letter from some
ladies in Utah. The women of Weber county
had held a mass-meetng and voted resolu-
ton of thanks to her for her speech before
pAiO oShhtC NOiuihietCO iasN NibtSl Oli Vic Qio-
franchisemenJ of the women of Utah. A
copy of the same was inclosed in the letter
a short, transformations statement of the fact
and also a check of 500. The speech was
published in Our Herald, of Lafayette, and
was by no means in favor of polygamy, as
some folks who probably cannot read have
stated. Belva took the check and paid her
taxes-never once thought of buying dress,
a ribbon, yard of lace, or bang.
Marlla Kicker has but lately been admit
ted to the bar, but she was previously pretty
well known on account of the interest she
has taken in the welfare of prisoners visit
ing the prisons and suggesting many reforms
for their benefit. She further distinguished
herself in her examination for the bar
in much larger per cent of
excellence than any of the fourteen
gentlemen examined at the same time