The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-12-24
Mrs. Lou Allen Case.

1t may be said that unexpectedly,
at least to her attorneys, If not to
the public that Mrs. Lou Allen was
transferred from the parish Jail on
Friday morning 10 The $3.50 train,
her destination being the penIiten-
tiary al Baton Rouge.
over This acI surprised may be
and has been expressed. since it was
believed that the proceedings insti-
tuted by Mrs. Aliens attorneys
would operate as a Stay until the
plea. involving her mentality had
been determined by the court. In
the petition submitted to Judge T..
+. Bell. il was asked that Mrs. Allen
be brought into court for The pur-
pose OF an inquiry into her sanity,
This was Thursday. IT is true that
Judge Bell dcmurred but he rcserv-
cd his decision. which he reached
late In the day, which in brief is
that as Mrs. Allen had been legally
Tried and convicted and had been
sentenced to the penitentiary he had
no authority to intervene.
This decree was not filed until
Friday in the regular course of
proceedings and yet Notwithstanding
the sheriff had Mrs. Allen on the
$3.50 train Friday morning going to
the pen before Judge Bells decree
or opinion had been filed as requir-
ed hy law.
Why This haste?
As fact il is stated that The sher-
iff apprised Mrs. Allen before 10
o'clock Thursday night that she
must make ready 10 go 10 Baton
Rouge on the 1880 morning train.
II is also understood that The
sheriff had Informed one of The al
torncys Of Mrs. Allen that she would
not be transferred TO The pen before
Saturday.
Again W. may query why this
haste?
Il is not questioned that Judge
Bell had no authority 10 interfere but
il is asserted on lhe best and most
reliable authority that the pro-
eeedings by the attorneys Of Mrs.
Allen had been suggested by the At
torneN General. The purpose Of the
inquiry was simply To determine" if
Mrs. Allen is of sound mind. IT she
il d lunatic she should be assigned
to The insane asylum and moi 10 The
PEN
Ia so Far as the Caucasian is con-
eernp,I Il has no sympathy for
criminals and Ill would not waste
d partitle of false sentiment in the
case of anS legally convicted after
a fair and impartial trial but here is
a woman who. as reported by ply
sieians. is almost a wreck and possi-
bly, Of deficient mentality and yet
she has been FASTENED from the par
ish jail to the penetentiary where
for the time being she may be be-
yond legal relief
The crime committed by Mrs. Al
len is extremely odious and no good
citizen especially fathers or mothers
OF children can sympathize with one
who had planned deliberately TO ex-
tort money on The threat Of abduct-
ing a child, but il will not be sue
eessfully gainsaid that Mrs. Allen
should have been given the oppor-
tunity of establishing her mentality.
Having secured the conviction of
Mrs. Allen under the most trying
and perplexing Of conditions, the
states attorney secured the most
gratifying concentrations, to all OF
which he was entitled, but in the
last stage OF the proceedings justice
and law having been fully vindicat-
ed, should have been tempered with
at least particle of mercy, in Civ
ing to The culprit the one chance
in legal determination of her
mentality.
REdllt We dldN 1utIS WHY WdS WI =
Allen fastened to the pens before
Judge Bell decision had been filed
as the law warrants, in an official
capacity and order.
A delay of day or two could
not have impaired the general trend
of Justice, since she could not
break out nor be abducted from the
Jail.