The Detroit times., 1909-04-01
DR.. 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
DIR" 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, a l7-year-old
Canadian girl. by means of a criminal
operation. OF which she was found
guilty by jury more tnan month
ago. 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 IL
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 Il 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 a minimum period OF two
years. with the recommendation that
she be released at the end OF that pc
riod, 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 10 years. and the first in
four years to be punished for crime
involving death. The last one was
Martha Scott. whom Judge Phelan sen.
fenced on Oct. .. 1902. 10 four years In
the house OF correction for killing
Henry Harrison. an aged Negro. She
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.. d. J. Seaman, of manslaughter in
connection with the death of Emily
Hall and sentenced to 10 years in the
house OF correction
The case OF Nellie w. Pope. sentenc-
ed 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 10 the house OF cor
rection soon afterwards and is there
today.
When the court asked DR.. Landau
If she had anything TO say why SEP
tence should not he passed, the mess
age had to repeated To her by her at
torney.
I'm not guilty didn't do that,
she almost screamed.
Mr. Sayles made am earnest plea
for clemency. pointing out that the
evidence was largely circumstantial,
but Judge Phelan was unrelentiNg:
Il regret that I am compelled to
send woman of Mrs. I-andaus adj
vanced years 10 the penitentiary. he
said. but | must do my duty. II |
paroled her, or imposed a fine, the
state would have no guarantee that
she would not return 30 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.
1T Is indeed a sad commentary on
life that this woman stands here alone
with her 6S years bearing down upon
her shoulders: that there is no per-
son TO reach out a 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 to
Detroit. and then FASTENED back 10
her home in Ontario relying on the
doctors assurance that all would be
we'll