The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1909-03-27
TRANSCRIPT FROM A
WOMAN'S DIARY.
[Originai.l


with me In the ameloration of the con-
dition of women. We had long dis
cussion on the subject, during which
he asked me If / believed in women
serving on juries. ! told him that
believed in woman performing any
and every duty a man performs except
certain manual labor and the duties OF
a soldier. Then he said that women
had been tried on jury and he had
been present at a trial before such a
Jury. l asked him where, but he cut
me short by telling me the following
story:
"The prisoner, Thomas Adolphus
Sweetword, was 4 mild hammered, OK
eyed individual with a red head and
freckled skin. thought him the home
Hest man | 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 l heard a woman behind me
say, isn't he handsomeT The jury,
twelve true 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
looking at them. Six jury women felt
Of their back hair, evidently expecting
to find it loose and ready to come
down, while the other six adjusted
their hats. They listened attentively
to the indictment accusing the prison
er of marrying five women. saw in
the face of every woman on the jury
a 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 arSt
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 like a tame bull before the
toreadors in Spanish arena.
"Wife No. 2 told the story Of how she
had been deceived betrayed, ruined.
/ glanced at the jury as they listened
to her. Their eyes were flashing. their
facial muscles were working but thay |
were restraining their wrath nobly. |
Wife No. was at a disadvantage, haE |
appearance being against her. She
was surely very untaStefully dressed.
"And SO the recital Of betrayal went
on till the Eve women had told tAsir
narrowing tales. The other tive a1a
not appear was very much iAtsF-
ested in watching the expression #
the jury women. The prisoner might
better have been subject to the claws
Of twelve hungry llonesseS. Being the
first time they had sat on a jury. all
were, of course, ignorant Of the foRms.
AS soon as wife No. 8 had given her
experience-she was the most attrac-
tive and her case was the most heart
rending Of all-up jumps the forswO-
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 verdict would not be in
order till evidence for the defense was
in and the case summed up, where a
upon she sank back into her seat, fan !
ming herself violently and muttsring:
ale can put in any defense he likes. {
He can't change my opinion
"Some of the men in the room tittseSA,
but the judge glared at them and the l
prisoners attorney arose. he sam
moned but a few witnesses to prove
that Mr.. Sweetword's home with his
first wife had been a pandemonlum;
that this had driven the poor man 10
seek another and another till he had {
tried five without getting that conAu- |
bal comfort that any man has = right
to expect. When the advocate came 10
sum up he skillfully contrived to throw
all the blame ON the women In the
case, making no mention of the va J
rious attractions of the law Of the {
land. he drew picture of the hOr- {
rors Of married life with wife Ne. / I
and insinuated that wife No. 2 hAa
been no better than she should have
been before her marriage with Sweet
word. Wife No. 8, he claimed, was toe
vulgar for any man to live with. Wife
No. 4, who had angled for him, had :
shamefully neglected him, while Ne. :
was hard drinker ,
Here is case ladies' he eoncluA. ;
sd, where a man comes to sriof /,
through his desire to have 4 happy .
home. Unlike the pampered clubmaA ;
who selfshly decries marriage, spend )
Ing all his income on himself instead :
II supporting some good woman, the :
believing in the sanctity of !,
life. makes FIVE Intellectual |
attempts to build nest for the i
lear innocents that are to come He
hen pictured the dreadful punishment +.
he law inflicts on this poor hunter for =
while the selfish bachelor
yoes free. His last card, a glimpse Of
prison life, was very etfectual. He
.losed by saying that he left his eli. /,
,nt's case in the hands of those he :,
vas sure were good, merciful Christian
women. :
'rhe jury retired after definite In h
tructions from the Judge, which aoRs >,
+ them listened to. Nobody cOnald-
red that the prisoner had the slixht.