The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-01


ingiy down at his desk. After . moment
IL don't see," he said, how any dis
tinction can be drawn. There are men
liars and women liars bat have not been
soie 10 see that on the grand average
truthfulness Is . matter Of sex / have
known many instances whefs women, tes-
fifying in cases that involved husband
or q brother or q sweetheart. have COM
mitted rank perjury, and stuck 70 Il 20 the
end; and, on the other hand, plenty OF
men have committed equally rank perjury
on much more trivial p-ovocations, where
there would be no such calls upon sympa-
thy or loyalty. No. there is no distinguish
able difference between the sexes in the
matter of veracity. Il ell depends upon
individual man or woman whether he or
she can tell, Or viii tell, the truth in the
witness box"
"Do you observe any difference between
men and women as to capacity for telling
the truth when they are not personally or
directly concerned in the lssuef"
Not the least Sex has nothing TO do
With Il The intelligence of the witness is
the determining influence, and an intelli-
gent woman viii tell as accurate . story as
man of equal intelligence. The effect of
the woman's testimony upon q jury may
be little greater than that of q man. but
other things being equal, have found
that q woman is Just as credible as q wit
ness OF the other sex.
At this point Mr. Nicoll sent for one of
his assistants, Mr.. Mcintyre, and put the
question TO him. Mr.. Mcintyre replied,
without hesitation:
There Is no difference. Male and female
witnesses differ in their capacity or will
tngnes. to tell the truth, but the difference
depends upon individual characteristics,
not upon sex In my experience 1 have
seen nothing upon which to base general
and conclusive comparison between the
sexes as 70 veracity other than that no
distinction can be drawn"
But such conservative opinions are rare.
This Is question on which many people
feel strongly. Witness the following from
one Of the most skillful of cross-examiners:
When the question was put to the IA
nous little lawyer of Center street, Mr..
Hummel responded, confidently:
a woman is the more truthful every
time. Her nature is such that she Is not
inclined TO scheming for advantage as men
are, and, although there are women who
on provocaton viii commit perjury. say
empharicaliy that as between the sexes,
the women are the more yeracious."
This, OF course, is deduced from your
experience in the courtsf"
Certainly. I would rather 90 before
judge or . jury with one woman than with
hall dozen men / should be more conf
dent that the woman would tell the truth,
and should also feel pretty certain that
the woman would produce . more telling
eject upon the court"
Does this follow when the witness Is
not personally interested in the isSue?"
Just the same. You may put me down
IS believing the woman every time"
Here Is an opinion, iudicially expressed,
as becomes 4 man who has Sal upon the
bench But. in spite of lis irnpartiality.
members OF the srerner sex viii probably
ind something favorable in il. Ex-Judge
Granville ?. HAYES is the speaker:
Truth" said he, is not so much mat
ter Of conscience or fear OF punishment as
most people think. Il Is rather the result
OF civilization, OF training and Of culture.
In the lowest strata of society there Is lit
tie, II any, restraint upon the tongue. The
women IL such Class sre utterly uurruss-
worthy they will swear TO anything. For
that matter, In NV opinion, the oath has
but the slightest influence upon the declsr-
atoms of q witness The men in the lowest
ably, because, while actuated BY interest.
they are rather keerer than the women TO
Zee which way real interest lies
Among the cultivated classes the
veracity Of men and women is about equal.
The best woman Is the best possible person
in the world; the wors. woman Is the
worst possible person This conclusion
concerned with the general moral make
up of the person in question. A good
woman, cultivated, imbued with religious
sensibili.y, cannot be induced 70 sxerye
from the truth When q woman is bad
her moral nature seems 70 be wholly IN
dermined and ruined. and she will stop at
nothing TO effect what may seem advan-
tageous to her.
the most dangerous witness TO himself
and his side of the contention IS the man
who knows it all As q rule he tries 20 be
clever; he viii not swear 10 direct false
hood, but he will evade and endeayor
smarfly 70 conceal . parr OF the truth.
He is sure 70 Be tripped up. Few women
attempt this, and when il comes 70
the effect Of their testimony upon q jury
think they rather carry more weight
than men, This is probably because the
juror regard the woman's mind as simpler
than the mans; he believes that she will
tell the plain facts, and that she has no
little game in view. OF course there are
away by fascinating. pretty woman, but
they are, on the whole. rare. Il is not so
much wonan's beauty that appeals TO 5
jury as their confidence in her ingenious
ness, which confidence they are likely to
retain until they discover something that
points the other way"
And now as to witnesses who are not
women somewhat less likely 10 nsrrate an
event accurately than men would?"
Speaking generally, should say that
such would De the case. Girls do not. as
rule, receive 3 mathematical education;
that Is, their education does not involve
as much mathematical study as boys
does. The study Of mathematics tends to
cultivate preciseness in expression, and
girls do not get that training. Then. when
they have matured, their business or yoca-
tons do not bring them constantly under
the necessity OF making exact statements.
With most men it is just the reverse and
they accordingly can be more safely de-
pended upon 70 give evidence that shall be
as nearly as possible truthful"
Park Commissioner Albert Gallup looked
amused and interested when the question
was put 20 him, and he at once began TO
pace up and down his office, thinking it
over.
That's s psychological problem, isn't
it?" he asked presently. AT any rate il
is an interesting question. A mans
faculties for observation are keensr and
more systematically trained and his mind
is more logical, but. On the other hand.
woman has greater powers Of intuition
than . man, and. doubtless, II she were
more logical she would be less charming.
A woman IS considerably influenced By
her sympathies, in most cases uncoa-
sclocs4y. uOGosleSs-
"A lawyer Is always az some disaivan-
tage in examining s woman She IS not
accustomed 70 the situation; her emotions
are near the surface Just az the time
when you have brought her to the i'm
portant point she is exceedingly likely %
cry. All lawyer can do then IS TO wait;
he cannot let tears stand in the way; but
you may imagine how much chance there
Is that the most conscientious woman will
be impartial under such circumstances.