The herald., 1897-04-11
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/ THE WIFE BEATER )
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written for The Herald.

Written for The Herald.
There were only a few cases on the
docket that morning. With a compla-
cence awakened by the prospective
shortness of his durance, his honor"
the police justice, passed a silk hand
kerchief over his legal front, mumbled
instructions to the beardess clerk, and
he in turn to a sleepy bai.iff muttered
mething, and the curious crowd knew
that the Justice shop" was opened for
the business of the day. His "honor"
gazed refiectively at the gathered
crowd, then helped himself to some ice
water from a pitcher on the desk.
1t was world-old story. In the trash
and driftwood of the city there was a
century Of study. The sordid miscel-
lany passed in review before the justice,
and the story of life, its hopes, its mis-
cry and its fears were told over again,
as they had been more than million
times.
The first four cases were called and
proved almost without demur Three were
plain drunks." The fourth, a soIed
flower of womanhood, was pushed for
ward, charged with being an inmate,
whatever that may mean. The hand of
the law dealt kindly with her, and with
tipsy Indifference she passed from the
courtroom into the MONDAY glare of
the sun, and from that all-seeing eye
she hid her face.
A slight commotion in the vicinity of
the bull pen "a small room where the
prisoners are kept while they await their
turn to appear in the dockeD, and the
attaches of the court knew that the
wife-beater was being brought before
his honor"
He was a man of 38 years, with pow
erful frame, broad shoulders and small
head set in a square neck. His eyes
were swollen and blackened, while sew
eral cuts and bruises showed on his
scalp, which was shorn of its hair close
to the skin. A bristle of inky black
beard adorned his heavy chin. and his
soiled blue shirt was open and showed
the hair on his chest. His massive arms
/. were crossed, Napoleonic fashion, over
his breast. AS he was pushed into the
dock by staggering policeman he
faced the justice, looking defiant and sui
len.
The wife told the story. He was
switchman by occupation, but for over
year he had not worked. She had
gone to the store where they were in the
habit of trading when money was COM
ing in each month. Friday she went to
the shopkeeper and asked for credit,
and K was refused. Then sine returned
home, hungry and miserable, because
she knew Jim would come home from
the saloon where he was in the habit of
spending his days and be angry because
there was no supper ready for him. He
came home angry, as she expected he
would, and he beat her frightfully. She
was a frail little woman, very pale, and
she defended herself as best she could
with a child's ruler. The officer that
travels the beat was notified, and, to-
gether with citizens, followed him. They
found him in saloon a few blocks
south. He defied the officer and de-
oil hof xunrtId OF a a
There was a fearful fight before he was
finally subdued. AS evidence of this
the policeman showed proof of his brute
strength. Before he was conquered they
were obliged to use clubs and the butts
of their revolvers. Two or three times,
while waiting for the patrol wagon, he
renewed the assault. At last the patrol
wagon came and he was brought to the
station. He refused to talk to any one
or to excuse his conduct He simply sat
morose and silent in the cell assigned
him.
II haven't anything to say" was all
that could be got from him in reply to
the questioning of the magistrate. He
had nothing to set up in extenuation of
his crime-no defense to make. The
court was not in doubt as to what course
to pursue. A brief consultation was
held, and then the woman was asked a s
to what she wanted done to him. She
shook her head and began to cry and to
plead for clemency in behalf of the man
who, twelve hours before, had tried to
brain her with one of his great fists.
The justice listened in silence. He did
not seem to have any sympathy for the
timid little woman who stood before him,
accusing and pleading in the same
breath. He was not surprised to hear
the usual supplicasions and tears of her
kind. But if he did not see room for
sympathy further than that of discharg
ing the husband, there were others in
the courtroom who saw in the supplica-
ton of the beaten wife and the grim ST.
lence of its perpetrator one of those
tragedies where poverty consents to
crime and pride places tight locks on lips
that might tell story of wrong, mis-
fortune and desperation.
w. G. MAC RAE.