The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-04-13
mRs. MAVERICKS CASE.

l
The recent promise of the British
Home Office to pardon Mrs. Maybriek
next year concerns a remarkable case
IIt moreover illustrates the value OF
Ipersistent work Mrs. Maybrick was
lconvfcted in 1889 in Liverpool of pois-
Eoning her husband, and she was SEN
ltenced to death; this sentence was
lcommuted to life imprisonment From
tine moment of her conviction her moth
Ter, the Baroness Won Roques, resolved
to obtain her pardon. The Home
lOfHce, where such matters are consid-
cred, after close examination Of the
lease, refused to recommend it. The
lcourt before which she was convicted
refused TO admit that there was any
doubt about her guilt. Some statements.
from several members of the jury were
obtained which indicated that the jury
was not entirely satisfied Of her guilt,
though they found a verdict against
her.
Repeated efforts have since been
made to obtain a pardon. At one time
the case took on international import
ance. as the Baroness Won Roques
touched the sympathies of American
women. The Federal State Department
was urged by prominent men whose
wives had been led to believe in Mrs.
Maybrick's innocence to morally in
terfere. The American Ambassadors in
London were constantly urged to use
their good offices in ''righting wrong"
as it was alleged by the Baroness. The |
opinion of the learned and experienced
judge before whom the case was tried
was entirely ignored by the convicted /
woman's friends. who were finally !
counted by the thousands. though they /
did not know her. Not in the history of
criminaf Jurisprudence is there sim !
liar case of marvellous persistence in
grand work OF a woman's efforts TO
free her own child. The Home Office
knew OF Mrs. Maybricks life before
the time Of the alleged murder of her
husband She had lived in Norfolk,
when her husband had been
AN English cotton buyer, and her do
nestle life involved her in scandal. and
furnished a motive for the crime This
evidence was not presented in the trial.
The case was retired before sympathet-
c women, who Ignored the evidence
against the prisoner. and whose judg-
nents were led by the determined
mother Of the convicted woman The \
Home ONCE has finally been wearied
tut by the persistence of the repeated
for pardon, made more
trenuous each year by the increasing
lumbers OF sentimental sympathizers.
criminal magistrate once said that
10 convicted murderer, however foul
he murder was. would ever be exc
uted If the women had their way.
When DR.. Carlyle Harris was convicted
y New York Of poisoning his young
Tife and the sentence had been AFFIRM
d by eight intelligent judges who had
eviewed the evidence, his mother. the
laughter OF a reputable clergyman.
ought his pardon. over ten thousand
Fomen. living in different states. signed T
editions for pardon on the ground that
e was not guilty.
During recent years it has been said
y many prosecuting officers that an =
farming number of murders by poison
re not detected. and the guilty are 4
ever arrested It is the relief for
lany unhappy marriages. We have no
ensus OF the weak conscfar,cas l.
ommunity- Many are born with a
ingular indifference to the value of \
uman life. The instant two nations.
ven Christian nations. are in conflict.
ne life Of an enemy ceases to have
alue; he who destroys the largest
lumber is the hero of the hour. It is
OF strange that. by analogy. individ-
iais should carry this estimate into