The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-01-31
A SENTENCE WHICH Is FULL OF
GOOD SENSE.

1
shoot Mrs. Link because of her refusal
to marry him, are sufficiently well known
to the readers of The Pilot. At the last
term of court he was found guilty as
| charged and the language used by the
Judge in pronouncing the sentenceis here
given. 1t is something that should be
read by people generally, and properly
animadverts upon the conduct OF those
people who think woman was made sole
" for mans enjoyment. Unfortunately,
there are many women whose conduct
justifes the opinion of these wretches
who treat woman as property and who
think she should interpose no viii IN OPP
position to- their desires. Judge ellison
is no sentimentalist and thinks crime
should receive its full measure of pun
ishment. He pronounced Daviss SEN
tence as follows:
JOHN DAVIS You have been charged,
tried and convicted of a criminal assault
upon Rosa Link with loaded pistol with
the intent to murder her. The court can
not disturb the verdict of the jury as it is
fully justified by clean, positive and con-
vincing proof of your guilt. The pun
ishment to follow is the direct result of
your evil passions and wickedness, Gull
minating in a wanton effort to destroy
the life of one who had done you no
wrong. You testified that you loved
and had been the accepted sutton of this
woman. This she denies, and no doubt
truly, for she appears to be chaste and
modest woman who would instinctively
recoil from your repulsive pretensions of
love. There is little question, however,
that you have persistently followed and
logged this little woman with your Of
fensive attentions and solicitations until
! her life was made miserable. She scorn-
ed you like many other women who have
been prosecuted and subjected to untold
insults from the same class of unprinci-
pied and conscienceless ruffians as you
u6t0Si tutiI
Decency and good manners in private
life, on the streets and in public convey
ances and the security of families will be
improved, when men are taught to
thoroughly understand that insulting,
offensive or threatening advances toward
a woman, brand the man guilty of such
conduct as properly belonging to the
criminal classes.
You sought to compel by intimidation
what you could not win by love in an
honorable manner. The object of your
attentions preferred another, and in do
ing SO she acted wisely. For this fancied
offense, you deliberately sought to ~
her life. Her future husbe1d had the
sagaoity to divine your purpose and the
courage tc seize your arm in time to turn
the pistol from its deadly aim, thereby
saving the life of an innocent woman and
probably your own which is of far less
value to the world.
1t has become too common in all con-
ditions of life for rejected or jealous
suitors, devoid of sense and honor, to
attempt to brighten into subsection by
lawless methods, the subjects of their
pretended affections and failing in their
design, to kill the woman they have per-
secuted or who has declined their atten-
tions and then end their own worthless
existence in suicides grave, the COW
ards refuge.
Thanks to the noble and manly cour-
age of Rosa Links afianced lover and
one worthy of her love. this dc-oble
tragedy has been thwarted :: n vour case
and justice, stern. snre and swift has
w Il as it should and will all
o''ioiS Ike you. You have invoked your
good character and services in the army
of your country as shield against this
charge but the facts proved on the trial,
struck such shield to the ground and
show you to be ali arrant, craven coward
who would kill defepseless woman.
A true, chivalrous soldier is under all
circumstances the courteous and cour.
ageous protector of woman. even to the
sacrifice of his own life; you are not that
| type of soldier,
I am sorry that you have not maintain
ed unsullied your honor as citizen and
| I L l. l. H. 4
must suffer the consequences that follow
| criminal acts.
I hope the punishment imposed will
be wholesome lesson to you and that
hereafter You will not try to kill any
woman who does not see fit to admire
you but will most scrupulously respect
her right to be let alone and to make her
own choice.