Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1906-01-02
EAdL.SR JUSTICE
W0AAN BRANDED MURDERESS
WHOM ALL KNEW INNOCENT
BUT LAW REQUIRED THAT JURY
BRING IN VERDICT OF GULL
TY AND THAT JUDGE
SENTENCE TO DEATH.


publication here of the cabled report
of Joseph Choate's speech at the Lotus
Club, New York, wherein he expressed
the opinion that British law was supe-
rior to the homemade article and bet
ed to a striking demonstration of its
asinine qualities. With black cap on
head, a British Judge has solemnly
pronounced sentence of death on an
old woman for the murder Of her hus.
band, whom she did not murder, and
to complete the farcical tragedy u Brit.
ish chaplain has solemnly invoked the
mercy Of God on her guilty soul"
which was not guilty. And all this
with full knowledge that she did not
commit the crime for which she was
convicted and that she will never be
hanged for 1t.
In condemned cell, the aged victim
OF legal cruelty, whose sad plight has
evoked expressions Of deepest sympa.
thy from all classes, is awaiting the
exercise OF the crowns prerogative OF
mercy After a brief period OF i'm
prisonment she will probably be re.
leased to exc out what remains OF her
wretched existence branded as muir
deress. Judge and jury are agreed that
she should never have been convicted.
But they had no other recourse than
to conform to an antiquated law.
Mrs. Marian Seddon's story is one Of
the most pitiful that has ever been
told In the grim Old Bailey Court. She
was 65 years old and her husband was
rs. They had been married twelve
years. After their marriage they start
ed a confectionery shop at Staines. For
time they were fairly successful.
Then trade fell off and they moved
to a shop in Mortlake. There things
went from bad to worse. The hus-
bands health failed. When quarter
day came round they had not money
enough TO pay the rent. Death or the
workhouse seemed to be the only al
Tentative open to them and they chose
death, but the husband alone found It,
I'VE decided" said Mrs. Seldom at
the inquest on his body, that we had
better both leave this world together
After passing a sleepless night worry.
ing over their lot black despair grip
ped her.
Il can't stand this any longer" she
said to her husband Rising from the
bed she went to a cupboard and took
from II a bottle containing a liniment
composed of belladonna and aconite.
which had been used to relieve her hus-
bands pain. II waJ marked poison"
She drank half its contents. Then she
said to her husband: There is moth.
ing for us but this or the workhouse.
Are you gazing to take your share?"
Yes" replied the man. and snatch
ing. the bottle from his wits's hands he
drained what remained Of the poison
Mrs. Seldom then sought her sister
ln-law, who lived In the same house,
told her what they had done, and be.
sought her 10 see to It that they were
saved the ignominy OF pauper burial.
Then she returned to the bod and lay
down by her husbands side ~ die with
him. she thought. But the poison
workad slowly AS In duty hound. the
sister-in,law told the police. what had
happened. The police removed the
couple to the workhouse which they
had so dreaded There the dla9tors did
their best to prevent them escaping
from 1t by dea1h. rs In duty they were
bound to do. They saved Mrs. Sed-
don's life. but her husband succumbed.
There followed, of course, q cor
oner's inquest. The jury brought In a
verdict of suicide while temporarily
insane. Then the police arrested Mrs.
Seddsn and charged her with the muir
der of the man who, according to the
coroner's jury, had committed suicide.
ParadoXical as ii sounds, the law justi-
fed that charge. For the law declares
that II two persons conspire to com
init suicide and one survives that sur
viyor is guilty of murder.
The evidence at the trial made II
clear that IL was not a case of murder.
But the law was equally emphatic that
It was murder. and the Judge told the
| jury that they would have to stand by
the law. The Jury reluctantly brought
in verdict of guilty, adding strong
recommendation of mercy The Judge
reluctantly sentenced the woman to
death. He said it was the saddest case
he had ever tried. His opinion of the
law which compelled him to impose a
sentence that was utterly abhorrent t.
his notions Of right and justice he
kept to himself, for In a court OF jus
tice the most stupid law must be treat
ed as something sacred.
eve did not want to find thu
woman guilty" said one Of the jury
men, after the trial was over" but after
what the Judge told us we could MOI
do otherwise. OF course, we knew thai
the woman would not be hanged, and
of course, the Judge knew it. too, wher
he pronounced sentence of death upor
her."