The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-18

whether she be guilty or innocent
wife at IL years of age, mark you F,
then a wear of domestic life followed
BY a divorce in which her husband
charged her with infidelity, and again
a IuXury-seeking, painted chorus girl
and, at the age of ~ years, a prisoner
charged with the murder of married
lover, who beat her and cursed her
the night before his death.
Almost while | watched, Nan Patter-
son. during the past three weeks. has
grown ViSibly younger in appearance.
The naughty carriage of her head has
vanished, her lips have become 9triiSh
and her eyes are softer and more curl
Gus. She is plainly frightened by the
white skeleton which represents in this
trial the body of her dead lover and
her checks become flushed when the
Victims bloodstained garments are
passed before her eyes. Can you i'm
agine a girl like this with courage
enough to kill anything but her own
soul?
The Fathers Love.
There is another phase that is not
arranged for effect upon the jury. A
nervous palsied, gray-haired man SITS
by the side of this pretty girl from
the opening until the end of each day.
session. Nan Patterson's father is true
TO his unfortunate daughter and his
thin. scraWny fingers rub End ca1eSA
Mans well-shaped hands as though he
were a helpless imbecile who, with the
absence of Il mind. toyed unconscion-
Nv with some bauble. The twelve jury
men cannot look at this scene without
compassion. 1t has had its effect upon
The men who hold Nan Patterson's life
in the balance.
In my own mind after hearing and
weighings carefully al of the evidence
adduced there is not the slightest
doubt but that Nan Patterson is
guilty. so firm is this conviction that
were | on the jury after hearing the
evidence of the two trials l would
say: 1.-The chair" Yet L have but slight
belief that Nan Patterson will be con-
victed L look for acquittal.
Nan Patterson's acauittal will be
merely re-atfirming a precedent that
has been established for some time in
such cases. Ii will have a demoraliz-
ing effect upon law and order; viii
remove much of the fear that now
keeps men or women from taking hu-
man life and the fact that she will,
in all probability. be featured as a
headliner on some vaudeville circuit.
to be stared at by multitudes. GER
tainly smacks of a tendency TO place
a premium upon immortality.
If her future held prom
Use of anything better than being
brought again before the limelight for
pubic exhibition things would assume
a different aspect My views are large
ly embodied in the dialogue which |
distinctly remember in Hall Catle' 5
Eternal City" in which David Rossi
or David Roselli, which was his real
name, said, in speaking of a siren who
had sinned--who was also the heroine
of the story:
Il reject the monstrous theory that
while man may redeem the past, a
woman never can. l abhor the jud-
ment of the world by which q woman
may be punished because she is trying
to be pure and dragged down because
she is rising from the dirt. And il
she had sinncd as | have sinned ana
suffered as | have suffered. 1 would
pray for strength enough to say
Because | have loved her we are
las one and we stand or fall together
Only a part of the quotation is APP
propos but l give it in full us / remenl
Der that it will be easily recognized
Summarized. the situation is just this
il Nan PatterSon's acquittal We're bas-
ed upon her promise that she never
appear on the stage; never write q
book or publicly exhibit herself, the
verdict would have some semblance OF
reason. But meanwhile
Spin spin. Ciotho. spin;
Lachesis twist and Atropos sever;
In the shadow, year out, year in,
The silent headsman waits forever