Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1896-01-10
FROM TIGRESS TO WOMAN.

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When Maria Barberi killed her
faithless lover. in April last. she was
a tigress Of the streets Of New York,
an unframed creature with passions
as wild as any beast that turks in the
jungles Of the tropics. She could not
speak English or read if, o write it
but those were minor matters. She
had not the first notion Of even that
self-control which gives ordinary
criminals the cunning to conceal
crime, that they II ay escape its con-
sequences. Her lover had wronged
her in his devotion to another Won an.
Her first fierce desire was for his
blood, and she gloried iE the she'd
ding of it. She weuld have gloricd,
equally, in the shedding Of the blood
of the other woman, had not the COM
ing of the police fortunately interfered
with the full fruition Of her ven
geanCe. AS it was, Maria Barheri
gained the sympathy Of the press and
the public by the very shamelessness
of her conduct after arrest. The
press and the public could not believe
a M who saw no wrong and suf-
fered no remorse in such a crime re-
pOnsible for her act. There were eX-
tenuating circumstances, moreover,
in the conduct Of the lover slain, but
that, too, was n minor matter. The
officers of the law and students Of
c~riminalogy saw behind the bars in
the girl simply a savage young ami
NAL that had tasted ~blood-and that
might not be permitted to go ct large,
lest the taste grow upon it.
Maria Barberi was tried for the
crime of murder, and was sentenced
to death in the electrical chair at Sing
Sing. The officers Of the law might
see her plain lack Of responsibility,
as they might have seen it in any
other young animal, but she was a
human being and not insane. The
duty of the officers and the intent of
the law were plain. Maria Barberi
was taken to prison to wait for death,
and the wife Of the warden at Sing
Sing became interested in the girl
qualities which she believed we're only
dormant. Now, mark the wonderful
change. In less than six months
Maria Barberi has changed from a
tigress to a young woman of gentle
manners and refined instincts. She
has learned not only to read. but also
to write, English-and she feels. and
that keenly, the position in which her
mind has awakened to find her
placed. 1t is no new thing for a
murderer to experience a change Of
heart in the shadows of the gallows-
or of the electrical chair, if the chair
casts a shadow-but the experience of
Maria Barberi has Deer vastly differ.
ent from the repentance coming only
with the hope OF immunity from
present crime. She has been born
again in prison, and at the new birth
has received a human soul
Maria Barberi," says the wife OF
the warden, speaking Of her, sis a
simple, unaffected young girl, with
natural sense Of propriety."
The case Of the girl is pending In
the New York Coury of Appeals, but
her awakening can have no hearing
upon that. Even if it could, the girl
is not believed to be possessed Of a
sufficient sense OF policy to have
marked out such a line OF conduct
The Court Of Appeals must decide the
matter upon points Of law purely, and
in the meantime in Sing Sing prison
the soul of a human being is group
ing upward to the light that is break.
ing only as the end of its day on earth
may be drawing near.
1t is true that the appeal to the
clemency Of the Governor Of New
York is yet to be made, and for many
reasons it is to be hoped the appea
will be favorably acted upon. L
would be interesting, in view cf the
development of her new character ir
prison, to observe the kind Of life
a tanned tigress would lead put in full
fellowship with human beings. Nor,
than that there would be a nantes
unfairness in the execution of til,
young girl now held in the condemned
cell at Sing Sing. The Maria Barber
who killed her lover and who wa
doomed to death is not the same Mari;
Barberi now held for murder. 81
simple, unaffected young girl, with