The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-23
WOULD CHASTIsE
WIFE DESERTERS
COLORADO LAWS on SUBJECT HAS
pEEN DECLARED UNcoNsTITU-
rToxAL nv JUDGE RIDDLE
WOMEN HAVE ARISEN
DECLARE THEY WILL MAKE 1T
HOT FOR MEN WHO LEAVE
THEIR FAMILIES HELPLESS
AND IN NEED.


! has long tired OF the task of family
provider may now escape in this State
| so long as his wife and helpless little
ones can't find him and bring him
back.
The last Legislature made the Of
! Tense a felony. punishable with not
lees than ono year In the State pent-
tentia ~. repeating all previous laws by
which It had been ciassed as a mis-.
| defneanor.
Judge Harry c. Riddle has declared
the 1911 law unconstitutional mas
| much as 1t is "leaky." because 1t
places the punishment OF man con-
victed of the charge Of nen-support
at one year in prison and leaves the
court the liberty Of releasing the Gull
prit under bond Of 5000 on his
promise to be good and do HE duty
by hts family.
Denver wOmen--wOmen who vote
and have part In the progress of
affairs--are alarmed at the situation.
They assert that IL II becomes neces-
sary for the State to pass new law
for the punishment Of shiftless males
who deliberately walk out from unde.'
responsibilities which were of their
own choosing, they want to have
hand in the making Of that law.
When things are come 10 such a
pass that n man may go scott-free
for such heartless procedure, the time
has come for women to demand their
unused right OF sitting on juries. par
tioularly in cases Of this nature, they
say.
And woe betide the hapless dodSer
OF duty who comes before jury Of
Denver wives and mothers.
Here are the opinions Of three wo-
men who may be called as jurors
| women who for courage and intellec-
tual ability are known throughout the
State and beyond--and decide for
yourself what their composite verdict
| might be-
Forewoman OF the Jury. Mrs John
| F. Shafroth, wife Of the Governor: II
| like the idea OF the whipping post for
| man who will leave his wife ana
poor little children There Is no
| meaner thing on the face OF the
| earth. and I have always thought that
there was no punishment adequate
to the offense. A public whipping
| post, II seems to me, would be an
near an approach as anything to what
! il needed to put such men back into
line and make them willing to do their
| duty.
Wages While in Prison.
| Am I. like many women. too chick
n-hearted to wish to see a man sent
to the penitentiary, no matter what he
| might do7 Certainly not. They say
that many Of the men who are In pris-
| on arc the victims Of environment
that they never really had chance.
Perhaps not, but that doesn't prevent
us from seeing that they are danger
Gus or harmful to society and should
be placed where they can work no
BARN to others. They ought to be sent
to the penitentiary.
II do think, though, that the matter
should be so arranged that for a mans
labors while Imprisoned some wages
would be paid. to be turned over to his
family. who in most cases need the
money. Just simply putting a man In
prison because he doesn't support his
| wife and children does no good and
cannot possibly alter their unfortunate
| situation.
| 'It IL too bad that the law has been
declared invalid. We have been dis
cussins 1t and hope that the thing will
be speedily adjusted"
Mrs. Sarah Plat Decker: There
has never been any punishment severe
enough melted out to the man who runs
away from hts family I am sorry that
the present law has been declared un-
constitutional. 1t seems to me to be q
very good one. But II a man could
be brought back when he deserts. put
| to work--forced to work-preferably
in a workhouse, and his earnings
turned over to those dependent on him
I think that the evil could be checked
and possibly controlled. advocate the
| workhouse system"
Mrs. Alma V. Lafferty, member OF
the last legislature: TITS a shame that
the law has been declared invalid
| But II wasn't framed up to my ideas
at the time It was passed. The women
| wanted to incorporate clause-tried
our best to get It in-providing that
! during . mans imprisonment some
thing should be paid for his labors to
hts family. But they wouldn't have
it that way. I'll tell you the law has
I beer joke anyhow. They bring mer
back from other States. try them and
convict them? Certainly not There
isn't Judge that has or would--no
man Judge
THE time has como when women
murt sit on Juries. especially In this
sort Of cases. Justice can't be done
until they do. There IL no punish
| ment severe enough for the wife-de-
serter. and II women could have a
chance TO try him--well. wen see.9
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