Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1905-01-26
MRS. ROGERS CASE.

: We are opposed to capital punish
2 ment. While it is two-sided subject.
: with many strong, honest and earnest
I minds on either side, we feel that the
weight OF argument, as well as the
dictates of the heart, demand its
I abolition.
But. while holding this view, and
while regretting that the law we have
makes necessary the taking of any
= human life, we have no sympathy
with the special pleas being made in
behalf of Mrs. Rogers These are OF
two kinds; first, that she is a woman,
and SO should escape the legal penalty,
and second, that on account OF her
age, condition and environment she
was not fully accountable for her
crime.
We do not believe that there should
be two kinds of law for the two sexes.
A crime committed by a woman is
just as bad as the same crime COM
mitted by a man. And no form of
reasoning can make it appear that
both are not equally criminal. No
mistaken theory of gallantry to the
fair sex should extend so far as to
soften the penalty for an awful crime.
Because the spectacle of strangling a
woman has in it elements that appeal
more forcibly to our feelings than |
when a man is the subject, only argues
that we are all creatures of sympathy, |
and the Trailer the subject physically
the more we sympathize. The fault
is in the application of the horrible
penalty to any criminal. Instead of
being less responsible than men, we
believe that women, in whom the
seeds OF truth and honor, right and
justice, are naturally sown deeper
than in men; whose temptations are
less and whose condition in life :
generally throws about them mantle I
OF protection should be held to the {
same account as men, for the same /,
offence.
As to the environment and moral 1
of Mrs. Rogers, nobody s
claims that in numbering her husband
he did not do what she knew to be
IN awful crime, with full conscious 1
less of the fearful penalty. That is t
nongh. She was responsible. 1t is "
impossible In every case to
Weigh the effect of all the conditions
hat have bearing on the COM ,
Mission OF crime, but when the d
uestion, Did this person know the 81
lght from the wrong and understand v
be nature OF the crime ? can safely be y 7
in the affirmative, it is un- d
eeessary to 90 further. n
The fact that Vermont has COM in
luted the sentences of other muir y
erers, including several men, and n
efused to do the same in Mrs. Rogers II
ase, while it appears inconsistent. n
oes not afford much ground Tor h'
lea IN her behalf. In none OF the ~
ases' if we except Mrs. Marsh. was 81
here anything like the degree of pr
remeditation and responsibility as ~
the ease of Mrs. Rogers, and Mrs. ~
larsh was saved only because it did
OF seem right to hang her poor dupe, to
uzzell, and did not seem fair to oa
the man and not the woman. -
nd even granting that the practice a
dealing with murderers has not -,
cen uniform OF late, the law is still ha
angling, and whoever commits muir ooii
err opens himself or herself to the "a
III penalty.
Capital punishment itself should re
ass out as the relic of an age of ol
-utality now departed, serving no r,
irpose at all commensurate with the m
ills and dangers it invites. 1t is Re
r that reason and that reason only mr.
at we should like to see Mrs Rogers va
we'd from the gallows. 1t will be nv
disgrace to hang her, not because lei
e Is woman, or because she wasn't W.
lily responsible, or because she has Iu
" other special plea for favor. but nj
IMPLY and solely because hanging We
I'd capital punishment are disgraceful en-
i'd dangerous. do
he
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