The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1893-01-11
FEMALE CRIMINALS.
A DETECTIVE SAYS THAT WOMEN
ARE MORE CRUEL THAN MEN.


In Reality There Are as Many Female
Criminals as There Are Male, but Cir
oumstances eonspire to Shield the Wick
ed woman-Women Seldom Reform.
Theodore C. Metzler, the we'll known
San Francisco detective, has not had
twenty-six years of experience in his pro-
fession without obtaining some very
strong impressions and opinions in regard
to crime and criminals.
'As q sort of text" said Mr.. Metzler,
"for what have to say ON this subject,
l will state that in considering men and
women as criminals, between whom and
their deeds comparisons are to be made,
1 consider that, while man is undoubted-
1y, as q rule, the more prominent in
crime, woman, on the other hand, is at
once more cruel and cunning in what
she does.
"From the circumstance that con-
siderable less number Of women than
men are convicted of crime the infer
ence is drawn that in women the Grim
ludl pIODtHblllto tJG MtdhCl VI ulldcI
better control. Such a conclusion is,
however, not borne out by the facts, for
when crimes have been traced to women
it has been found in the great majority
of cases that the guilty deeds have been
committed not only with systematic
cunning, but also with a GOODNESS and
cruelty which have seldom been attrib-
uted to man.
"There are several reasons, continued
Mr.. Metzler, why so few women have
been convicted of crime. Mans natural
sympathy for her often causes him to
overlook important points against her,
and then again he is always extra care
full for fear he might do her injustice
and injury. Men in the detective pro-
| fession may pretend to have no sympathy
| for woman, yet good looking face
and bewitching smile always find q
tender spot in their hearts.
''Of course there are exceptions, but
they are very few. If there are men in
this profession who are not susceptible
to woman's plea, ], in my experience
of twenty-six years, have failed to find
them.
"Another thing: 1t is seldom consid-
cred that girls are watched more care
fully than boys and are under greater
restraint. Neither is it taken into ac-
count that older females spend more of
their time at home, while males of their
own age are ON the street or mingling
with persons whose habits are not al
ways the best. Many of the temptations
to crime come from business complica-
tions, in which women have little or no
share, as they spend most of their time
at home with their children and female
companions. Most homicides, you know,
are the results of anger excited when
persons are away from their homes and
/ families, as violent quarrels generally
take place III the street or barroom, and
not in the parlor or sitting room.
"Now as to the cruelty and delibera-
ton of the female criminal The history
of crime shows that most of the murders
committed by women are those perpe-
trated by the administration of poison.
They show careful preparation and great
deliberation. In almost every instance
treachery is employed, the victim being
invited to partake of refreshments by
one who is presumed to be a friend.
"Murder by the administration of poi
son is considered the most foul and the
darkest of all crimes, but it is the one
that women have been addicted TO mere
generally than men in all ages and
countries.
"Another very remarkable fact,' con-
tinued the detective, "has recently been
mentioned in q London paper by the
chaplain of Clerkenwell Jail. 1t is that
some criminals are practically incurable.
From table prepared by him it was
shown that during last year there were
committed to the prisons and jails of
England and Wales 1885 men and 9,764
women who had been convicted no less
than ten times previously. You see the
force of the comparison,
"a partial explanation of this strange
state of things may be found in the fact
that women are more thoroughgoing in
all things, good, bad or Indifferent, THAI
the men. They do nothing by halves.
Be the matter the construction of
shortcake, the making Of crazy quilt
or the poisoning of rival, woman de-
votes all her time, knowledge and talent
to what she has in view.
"Then, again, II woman has less chance
of reforming than n man. The latter
can go to strange or distant place,
raise whisllers or shave those he had, as
sumo different name and commence
life anew. He can generally find en-
ployment, but with the woman it is
more difficult Disguise is not so easy,
and if she goes to u different place some
one is liable 10 recognize her.
"A strange woman is always looked
on with suspicion, as it is presumed that
she would prefer to live in the town
where she was brought up and where
her old acquaintance are. A man gets
credit for his enterprise if he goes to q
new country and engages in u business
for himself, but such is not the case
with woman If she is once discoy-
FRED her own sex are the first to point
their fingers at her, turn up their noses
and refuse to associate with her, the re-
tult of which is that she becomes hard
ened and callous, and is again driven to