The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1908-08-01
TRANSCRIPT FROM A
L WOMAN'S DIARY.
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tOrisinal.]
Herbert Ringiand called Tuesday
night for his answer. told him that
wished my husband to be interested
with me in The amelioration Of the con-
dition Of women. We had long dis
cussion on the subject. during which
be asked me II I believed In women
serving on juries. told him that
believed in woman performing any
and every duty 4 man performs except
certain manual labor and the duties OF
q soldier. Then be said that women
had been tried on a jury and be had
been present at q trial before such
fury. I asked him where. but he cut
me short by telling me the following
story:
"Ths prisoner, Thomas Adolphus
sweetword, was a mild hammered. OK
eyed individual with red head and
freckIed skin. thought him the home
Hest man 1 had ever seen and, since
he was to be tried for bigamy, wonder
ed how he had ever persuaded one wo-
man to marry him. not to speak Of two
when I heard a woman behind me
say, "Isn't be handsome?" The jury.
twelve trus and good women. were
sworn and took their seats In the jury
box. They seemed to be conscious that
every one In the spectators seats was
locking ct thsm. Six jury women felt
Il their baek hair, evidently e pectinS.
tS- iM L 5eoss and ready to come
down, while the other six adjusted
their hats. They listened attentively
to the Indictment accusing the prison
er Of marrying Ave women. saw in
the face Of every woman on the jury
q terrible premonition Of the wrath to
come and thought how hard 1t was on
a man to be tried for such an offense
before women.
"Wife No. gave her Testimony flrst.
It was simply form to establish her
position. She looked pityingly upon
the prisoner, while he looked at her
with no expression at all. The other
wives were present. and he stood be-
fore them Ike a tame bull before the
toreadors In a Spanish arena.
"Wife No. 2 told the story of how she
had been deceived. betrayed. ruined.
1 glanced at the jury as they listened
to her. Their eyes were flashing. their
facial muscles were working but they
were restraining their wrath nobly.
Wife No. 8 was at disadvantage. her
appearance being against her. She
was surely very untastefully dressed.
And 10 the recital Of betrayal went
on till the i've women had told their
narrowing tales. The other two did
not appear. was very much inter
ested in watching the expression Of
the Jury women. The prisoner might
better have besn subject to the claws
of twelve hungry lionesses. Being the
nrst time they had sat on a jury. all
were. Of course, ignorant of the forms.
As soon 40 wife No. s had given her
experience-she was the most attrac-
tive and her case was the most heart
reudinR Of all-up Jumps the forew0-
man and says, or, rather, screams:
"'Your honor, we don't need to hear
any more Of this case. We are ready
to find a verdict without leaving the
box
"The Judge bowed politely to her and
told her that a verdict would not be In
order TILL evidence IOr IQe QeIeusc Wdb
In and the case summed up. where
upon she sank back into her seat. fan
ming herself violently and muttering:
"'He can put in any defense he likes.
He can't change my opinion
Some of the men in the room Uttered.
but the Judge glared at them, and the
prisoners attorney arose. He sum-
moned but a few witnesses to prove
that Mr.. Sweetword's home with his
first wife had been a pandemonium;
that this had driven the poor man to
seek another and another till he had
tried i've without getting that connu-
bial comfort that any man has right
to expect. When the advocate came to
sum up he skillfully contrived to throw
all the blame on the women in the
case, making no mention Of the va
rous infractions Of the law of the