The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-02
Or" LANDAU SENT
UP FOR TWO YEARS
Woman Caused Death of Young Girl
By Means Of 0peration-Weeps
When Sentenced.

With feeble step and with her with
cred hands trembling violently, aged
DR. Eliza Landau entered Judge
Phelan's court leaning on the arm of
an officer, Thursday morning. To re-
ceive her punishment for causing the
death OF Elite Sowler. l7-year-old
Canadian girl, by means of q criminal
operation. OF which she was found
guilty by jury more than n month
$50. Mrs. Landau was absolutely
alone except for her loyal counsel.
George NJ. Sayles, and her grief was
pitiful when she was told why she
had been sent for When the attorney
almost shouted In her ear--for she is
very deaf, that she was 10 be sen
fenced. the aged woman gave way To
violent sobs. Up to the last minute
she had hoped that she might escape
Imprisonment and get OFF with fine.
oh. I'll drop dead she cried in
desperation.
When the court later ordered her
committed to the Detroit house OF cor
rection for minimum period OF two
years. with the recommendation that
she he released at the end of that pc
Rod. she bore up with unexpected for
titude. though she continued to weep
silently.
Mrs Landau is only the fourth wom-
an sentenced TO prison for high
crime from the recorders court with
in the past IL years. and the first In
your years to he punished for crime
involving death. The last one was
Martha Scott. whom Judge Phelan sen.
fenced on Oct. >. 1902. To four years In
the house of correction for killing
- he
was charged with murder. but the jury
found her guilty of manslaughter. The
next preceding the Scott woman was
Alice Lane. found guilty along with
DR. ID. j. Seaman. OF manslaughter in
connection with The death OF Emily
Hall and sentenced 10 10 years in the
house OF correction.
The case OF Nellie w. Pope. sentenc
cd TO life Imprisonment in Jackson
penitentiary June 4 1895, for the muir
der OF her husband. is still fresh in
the memory Of many Detroiters. She
was transferred To the house OF cor
rection soon afterwards and is there
"today.
When the court asked Dr. Landau
II she had anything TO say why SEN
tence should not be passed, the mess
age had 10 repeated to her by her at
torney.
I'm not guilty didn't do that"
she almost screamed.
Mr.. Sayles made an earnest plea
for clemency, pointing out that the
evidence was largely circumstantial,
but Judge Phelan was unrelenting:
II regret that | am compelled TO
send woman OF Mrs. Landau's adj
vanced years TO the penitentiary," he
said, but | must do my duty. IL
paroled her. or imposed n fine, the
state would have no guarantee that
she would not return 10 her old prac-
tees and the poor unfortunates who
drift to the doors of people who en-
gage in this kind OF work would have
no protection.
IT is indeed "a sad commentary on
life that this woman stands here alone
with her IS years bearing down upon
her shoulders that there is no per-
son 10 reach out hand or speak n
kind word for her except her counsel.
and his loyalty Is To be commended.
Judge Phelan had no word OF re-
proach for the mother OF the dead girl.
expressing the belief that she did
what she considered was for her
daughters good in bringing her 10
Detroit. and then FASTENED back 10
her home I'm Ontario relying on the
DOCTORS assurance that all would be
well.