The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-09-22
Women Jurors and Prison Keepers
BY ADA PATTERSON.

| A. woman acquitted OF an attempt
to Kill her husband has said that she
| wished every woman charged with
crime would be tried by jury OF
her peers. that il by persons Of her
own sex.
/ Al nearly the same time we vead;
I The Prussian authorities have de
cided 10 open In Berlin in October,
a wonen's prison. exclusively man
aged by women. Not only the guards
and waxdans but the superintendent
land directors of the various labor
departments will be of the same sex
as the prisoners.
j There Will be thirty-six women
inspectors and number af teachers
/ To instruct inmates in useful and
rsnumerative occupations,
1T is the theory OF the authorities
+ that a womens prison exclusively UNI
der feminine management will bring
about 4. more Intelligent and sympa-
thetle treatment Of prisoners
/ wish the word sympathetic were
not used SO often in connection with
the affairs managed by women, tn
derstanding" IL word that would FAR
better At the case. A wnnans ludg-
ment of a woman 10 not sympathetic
{ in the xsense in which thai word 10
often 4hed---the sense Of sentimental
! lily. of "mushiness, of the heart gal
/ Looping off with the head 1t Is men
who think this OF women. Women
know better.
The woman who is \ Greek puzzle TO
J her lover or husband can be read as
I they run by all her sisters and cousins
and aunts, and her mother knows
what she will do before she herself
/ thinks of doing II. Woman Is no
enigma TO woman She 10 axed
! quantity. She can be calculated by
/ the rules the woman applies to her
! self Men think women are all alike.
/ Women know that there are several
eypes of her, but they know the other
/ type almost "a well as their own A
woman cannot fool q woman. There
/ ore IL ! were untustIy accused OF
crime I should want to be tried by a
| Jury Of women Women would un-
derstand the motives In the course
Sof conduct they were examining. II
those motives were fine I should exult
| In them. for wormRn's fancy In quick
tiy infamed by noble deed. Be-
sides. women have q passionate sense
10 that sense every jurywoman OF
them would become my advocate.
But IL were guilty should pray
| the authorities to grant me jury
| OF men. Like the cousin of the fish
that clouds the water about 1t 30 that
| 1t can hide In the cloud and escape
sec uursuer would try to hecloud IN,
| case with masculine sympathy 80 al
Ito Y rape righteous Judgment.
| would weep and look impioringiy into
/ the twelve faces OF Judgment. and Il
1 one Of those faces flushed with SYM
/ pathy or paled with pity / should
see that face a. the open door OF
escape, That man viii cause tbs
jury to disagree" should hopefully
| say to myself. And I should 30 or
with my tears and my pleading looks
/ This clquding OF the issue .py ,sym-
| pathy ! would not attempt with Z
woman jury. They have in iasssi
| matters clouded the issue In this sams
| fashion themselves That's an old
| trick Of woman to weep herself out Of
| corner In her affairs and there
| could not he chosen for the Jury q
! woman 20 blind or deaf or dumb Al
i not to know II. @sss-s
Understanding h ths keynote Of
! wemeH,s dealings with each other
TIE prisoners III tlfs BerIin women,
fail need not expect what II they
spoke AsnericaAee0 they wouiA cal
! snap" They Vim - made to wcri