The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-01-13
Rev. E. 1. Stoddard Would
Treat Brutal Husbands On
the Homeopathic Plan
THRAsAlAa DAILY, FASTING
-nR THIS PRESCRIPTION HAD
BEEN ADMINISTERED He
THINKS THEY WOULD GO TO
THEIR WORK IN A PEACEFUL,
CHRISTIAN FRAME OF MIND.

Rev. Dr. Sroddard, rector of st. Johns
Episcopal Church, has strong ideas upon
the subject of abandonment by husband
and fathers, and wife beating.
He and News reporter spent an in
teresting hour eogether a few days ago
discussing the problem of hom to deal
with these offenders and yet spare their
families additional suffering.
"Why is it, Dr. stoddard asked. "that
so many husbands areApermitted to be
at large and shirk the responsibility of
supporting their families!'
Usually because the wife refuses to
permit the officers of the law to Jail
them,' he was told.
But have a dozen cases in my par
ish where the men have been arrested
and have been ordered to pay alimony or
money for maintenance. but fail to do so.
In many instances as soon as they got
free of the court they left the State and
the women and children were thrown
upon the parish for support"
"Were they required to furnish
bonds?"
"No, they were poor men and could
not get bonds"
':Then they should have been sent to
jail for year and day or until they
procured a bond"
''But what good can they do their FAM
lilies in jail? What benefit does the
family derive from locking up the bread
winner?"
That is the argument that makes it
easy for wife beaters and wife and chill
dren deserters to continue their brutal
ity." replied the reporter. "A year in jail
breaking stone, might cure them of the
habit, but as soon as the court imposes
sentence the woman relents and begs the
brute out again. The judge suspends
sentence against his better judgment,
but what judge could resist a crying wo-
| man, especially when she usually drags
| four or five half starved children to court
with her each day to strengthen her APP
peal? The man writes from Jail that he
| - .o,1an+o,,+ ,rd ,,rop, irac ~ ly, ha+to,.-
the woman believes him-she prevails up
| on the Judge and-when the brute gets
out he is worse than ever. The first time
| he gets drunk he remembers the few days
he spent in Jail, because of his wife's
complaint, not the months that he escap-
ed because of her forbearance, and she
gets the evidence of his natural brutal
! ity, plus the interest due for having hal
ed him to the police court"
.sBut if they do not secure their re-
lease asked DR.. Stoddard, 'sare they not
| in greater danger when the men do get
out? Is it not fear rather than belief in
sincere repentance that causes the wo-
men to relent?'
sIt may be- but such cattle are better
/ in prison. A man who while at liberty
| will not work for his family does not
relish a year at breaking stone for the
county and he is apt to hesitate before
he repeats the dose, while the man who
escapes scot free usually grows steadily
worse. There would be no hanging OF
| Murdica this month if it had not been
/ dica was arrested first for abandonment.
His wife begged him out and he prom
ised to support her. He was next
brought before the court for wife beat
ing.s Again she begged him off, pleading
that she and her young son needed his
support. He stopped work then. his
wife worked and his seven year old son
got a job on a peddlar's wagon. Two
weeks later he nearly severed his wife's
| head from her body. Perhaps the wo-
| man is better off as it is-at least her
troubles are ended-but such incidents
are not good for the community. MUIR
| dica's case is an extreme one, but there
are hundreds of brutes who play upon
| the feelings and fears of women and es-