The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-17
RECTOR IS
OUTSPOKEN.
He Severely Scores wife Beat
ers for Such |nhumanity.
ALSO APPEALS TO LAWYERS
He Urges Some Athlete 10 Whip Daily
al Least One OF Such BrulaI
Husbands.

New York, May IA letter from Rev.
Il. l.. Stoddard, rector OF st. Johns p.
Il. church. on Jersey City Heights. was
printed yesterday in a newspaper of that
city. in which DR.. Stoddard asks:
rs there not some athletic and large
hearted friend who will give this hus-
band a thrashing just before breakfast
every morning for week or two?"
The husband DR. Stoddard refers to
is, he says. wife beate. The letter
is addressed TO the Jersey City Woman $
club. The doctor writes:
My blood has boiled and my soul
has been made sick by the sufferings OF
innocent and defenceless women at the
hands of their brutal and usually evil
husbands In - cases out OF 20 | have
found that an appeal TO the courts has
brought no relief"
lie specifics the case of a girl whom
he has known since she was a baby.
She has hardly known happy day since
her marriage few years ago. Her hus-
band works most of the time and does
not drink. He has compelled her to live
with his family. TO whom ne has given his
wages, his wife receiving none.
she has not had the price of a dress
from him In more than three years" the
was born she had to go out to work TO
provide clothes for It, Meanwhile she
is abused continually by her husbands
family, called all manner of vile names.
and from these persons has been obliged
TO ask for every cent she finds IL is neces-
sary to spend. That Is, she must not only
take her own food at their abusive
hands but must ask them for milk for
her baby.
"Shc now expects a second child, ano
that has apparently infurated them all,
for her husband. who has always been
selfish and unfeeling, Joined in the
abusive attacks OF his family upon her
when the fact became known.
"A few weeks ago he threw a boot at
her which knocked her down: turned her
out of doors in the middle of the night
and she went with what clothes she had
on her back to her mother. a poor woman
who can't afford TO support her.
she appealed to one of our petty
courts. | wrote the court letter tell
ing what / knew 10 be the facts in the
case and there were other witnesses
ready to testify had they been called.
Then. though the court knew that this
wife did not dare To so back 10 her hus-
bands hme, he took two weeks to make
up his mind
"Tf she had had no mother to go to
what. meanwhile, could she have doney
Finally, when the time for the decision
came, the court told her to go back 10
her husband, who meanwhile had writ
ten her insulting letters; told her there
was no redress, and that IL her hus-
band would give her room and board
she could claim no more"
DR.. Stoddard says the poor girl is
heartbroken and does not know what to
do He is about to leave town and ap-
peals TO philanthropic women TO take
up this case, which is typical. he says
of scores I'm Jersey City. and see If there
is not some remedy for state of
things which would disgrace China"
He asks IL there Is not criminal
lawyer who will look into the matter or
an athlete who will thrash the husband
before breakfast every morning.