Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-12
SICKLY SMILES
GIVEN STACKPOLE
SLOPPY SENTIMENT CHEERS
ALLEGED MURDERER
Morbid Curiosity and MIsdlreeted
synpathles Of Scores Of Females
Disgust Many Directly Inter-
ested In the Trial

Ir an effort to avoid the crowds of
women who daily throng the trial and
to hurry the case as much as possible,
attorneys representing Eugene q. Stack
pole, charged with the murder of Joel
Scheck, have agreed with representa-
tives of the district attorneys office
to hold night sessions in department
one of the superior court next week.
The morbid curiosity of the woman-
hood of Los Angeles has fairly dis
gusted many of those interested in the
case, who have daily witnessed the
caressing smiles bestowed on the ac-
cused by women attendants at the
court room.
Smiles for StackpoIe
AS though the trial were a matinee,
with Stackpole being tried for his life,
the women daily have given their
sympathies to the alleged murderer
No matinee idol of the l-cal stage has
received as much attention.
The accused man has begun to feel
his own importance in the trial, and
during the past few days he has
changed his plan of procedure.
Formerly he cringed at the sight of
the dark faces of the men around him,
showing white through their skin gave
the only evidence of their inward strug-
gle to keep their hands off the alleged
slayer of a good man and husband.
But thi changed and the women
appeared in the scene. They smiled at
the prisoner and he smiled back at
them: Women who are supposed to be
at home tending their children or look
ing after their household duties, were
the first to arrive at the trial. In the
morning when Stackpole is handcuffed
at the county Jail and made to march
across Temple street to the court
house, there is always a string of wo-
men watching for him.
Just for One Glimpse
Small groups of them are always to
be found at the side entrance of the
court house, and many Of them en-
deavor to get close enough to the ele-
vator to ride up to the third floor of
the building with the prisoner.
At that landing Stackpole is hurried
tc the witness room, where the hand
cuffs are taken off him. On the other
side of the door, every feminine eye in
the court room is turned toward that
door, for they know that at certain
time the prisoner must appear
A tap on the door and a wiggle of
expectancy goes through the crowd.
Then the door swings open and Stack
pole with a sort of ''bless- -youmy-
children" air marches to his seat close
ly followed by the officer. Every gar
ment is carefully scrutinized by the
women. They remark about the pris-
oner's small feet, they note the change
of roses in his buttonhole, the change
of necktie or the slight scratch occa-
stoned by a, careless barber, and Stack
pole seems to enjoy the scene.
Prisoner Poses
Most of the time he poses, either
with his head well back and his eyes
carefully looking at his jurors, or else
with his hand to his forehead and his
head bent slightly as though in deep
thought.
Frequently he holds up book or a
pencil in such way as to show the
spectators how steady his hand is,
and they always make remarks about
his GOODNESS.
All through the long day the women
remain seated and endure untold pri-
vations in order to satisfy their morbid
curiosity. Often they miss their din
enrs to be able to retain seat for the
entire performance. Most of them re-
move their hats and some bring re-
freshments
Those who are not so lucky spend the
long hours of the day standing up, a
privation which would earn them de-
cree of divorce were they compelled to
undergo it at their homes.
Even those who are sitting are COM
PEELED to sit so quietly that they suffer
hardship. The slightest move calls a
reprimand from the bailiff, and as they
dare not move or speak they sit in
open-eyed wonder, and, with theil
faces drawn with excitement, listen tc
the evidence and all the while watch
ing the prisoners every move.
For One SickIy Smile
When Stackpole is taken back to the
Jail at the noon hour many women ac-
company him. He is hurried to the
judges chambers by the bailiff an6
then snaked down a back stairway
but the women all know that he must
pass out the side entrance and score
of them are always there, and they
never fail to bestow a smile on Stack.
pole. He smiles back at them ano
with head erect he marches through the
crowd.
81 wonder whether these women have
any husbands or parents who allow
them to act in this way?" was the re.
mark of one of the court officials or
Friday night of last week as he wit.
messed the women rushing pell mel
for places of advantage to view the
prisoners return to his cell in the Jail