New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-24
WOUEN on JURIES,

Owing to q recent failure of a jury to convict
a woman on trial before it because. it is alleged
she wept oopousy, the claim is being loudly mace
that women should serve on Juries. Ihe ldea Is
we believe, being pushed chiefly or wholly by
women themselves We" say these women
advocates of ury-wOmen, would not have been
moved by the hussys tears. She might nave
wept till the judge and the dstrict-attorney hau
TO send out for goOShes, but we'd have convicted
her if we thought she was gullty-and OF course
she was-I knew that as soon l read about
the case in the papers last winter. AS TO
whether women want women on juries or not we
have nothing to say-indeed it is something winch
we know nothing about-but we believe thae
we express the sentiments of men-or at least OF
men who are about TO he tried, or who have reason
to suspect that they may some day be tred-wheh
we say by all means let us have women jurors
The men, it is said, acquitted the woman be-
cause she cried may not the women acqult the
man because he cries Take, for instance. the
peculiarly red-handed murderer who, after con-
ycton, is usually selected by women to be honored
with flowers and other attentions-it seems al
together likely that had these same women been
on his jury the poor dear man would have
been acquitted On the first Of next June, OF
course. when women assume trousers and round
about coat they may cast of such weakness with
their skirts. but we are speaking of the present
Suppose n man charged with burglary After
the female jury has been selected and the other
eleven members have decided that the fOrewomans
dress fits crooked in the back and that she was
seen TO be openly trying to fiirt with the Judge;
after these little preminaries incident to female
iuries we repeat, the adrOit prisoner bursts into
tears and between his sObs says: Jedge, done
il. but needed the money fer terbacker!' Then
Inc weeps afresh. Poor man." we seem to hear
the jurywomen say after they retire. poor man,
il was hard on him to be without tobacco. Let's
acquit him this time, anyhow
Let us take an actual case. The popular and
able Chauncey NJ. Depew is on trial among others
on account Of his connection with the board
Of directors of certain railroad which was SO
unfortunate as to have an accident happen ON it's
line We have nothing to say as regards Mr..
Depcws guilt or innocence. AS one of the jury
has confessed to never having heard of him no
doubt he will have fair trial. But let us fancy
a woman Jury in Mr.. Depew's case. Now, it is
uncomfortable that man who has so often made
others weep with his brilliant oratory cannot weep
himself, and whether guilty or innocent If he knew
that a few teams would settle the Immediately
and allow him to get away TO Europe on his annual
vacation, the temptation to use them would prob
ably too great 10 Wlthsldnu. MI Depc" "oIu
sob gently on the bosom of his counsel See,' ex-
claims the forewoman of the jury, the poor,
dear Mr. Prisoner Depew is crying. It's too bad.
| don't believe he built the fire in those car.
stoves. anyhow lie doesn't look like man who
would get up early in the morning and build n
ire any place And the consequence is that
Mr. Depew is acquitted the strength of his tears
On the whole. it seems 10 US that female juries
should be experimental with cautiously. at least
until after next June. If all men who were tried
wept. and all who wept were acquitted, there
would soon he bad state of affairs. Perhaps
the difficulty in the of pretty and fearful
woman on trial before jury composed of
might be obvated by having the fair but moist,
one sit behind screen, out of sight of jury,
with court officer to occasionally announce in a
clear voice, Gentlemen of the jury, the prisoner
is still quite dry -