The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-08-04
MEN PROTECT WOMEN
AGAINST LEGAL JUSTICE

forget evidence against . woman which
might seal for her . tragic fate-willfully
forget because Of sentiment toward 10
male Cain.
The lawyer chosen TO defend the woman
who has slain her husband VIII invariably
ignore the law Of our land In his appeal
to the jury for his client. spending his
full energy on heart-stirring sentiment
He gives the fact that the prisoner be-
hind the bar II q woman infinitely more
attention than he gives to the evidence
that has been produced.
A partial list of murders committed by
women in 1911 totals three-score. Very
few were punished at all. and none paid
the death penalty.
And the reason 10 that the criminals
were women. and It IL against the chival-
rous instinct which is born in man to
believe q woman unjustifably guilty.
When Frances Shaugnessy, of New
York City, was arrested Tor the killing
Of her husband she declared that she
did 1t TO save his soul" but she made
no denial Of her act. yet she was ac-
quilted.
Was Glad She Killed Him.
When Mrs. Lucy Matheson. of Fort
Worth. Tex. was charged with the muir
der Of her helpmeet, she did not deny 1t.
but declared that she was glad she had
killed him" She was acquitted.
Mrs. Rose Fulton. OF Bevier. Mo-, went
into her husbands room while he slept,
put a pistol to his head. and iblew out
his brains. When tried for her life she
admitted II and described how 1t was
done. yet the jury gave a verdict Of mot
guilty."
Mrs Anna Gaffner. OF San Francisco.
killed her husband because he squan-
dered his wages. and the court Justified
her action. discharging the case.
When Mrs. Frankie Dickerson. of St
Louis killed her husband she was ex-
onerated.
OF sixteen women held by the law as
accountable for their husbands deaths
during the past eight months, but nine
Of them have come to trial and these
nine have been acquitted. Because Of
the sentiment Of the public, prosecuting
attorneys have refused to bring many
cases before Judge and Jury, while coro-
ners turies have acquitted others.
Other Noted Examples.
Mary sudaIl. OF San Francisco; Laura
Stannard. Of ontoanagan, Mich; Ger
trude Patterson. of Denvar, and Alma
Pugh, of Denton. Tex, are other notable
instances in which the women who have
sworn TO '1ove. honor and obey" have
broken the eighth commandment and the
men who have tried their cases have
pronounced them mot guilty." purely
and simply because they are women.
When a prospective juryman Of the
west-a farmer-was asked IL he be-
iieved in capital punishment for women
he said:
.'Wahl. women have got a right TO go
into business same as a man; they have
got a right to own property, and now
they have got a right to vote. SO can't
see no reason why they amt got a right
to hang
Here is certainly one man whose senti-
ments comedies with the contention that
woman's progress In the worlds work
and affairs Of state will eventually break
down masculine sentiment and chivalry
toward her. but his view Of the matter
10 not substantiated by facts.
Without discussing the question Of JUS
tice in the matter the sentiment OF Amer
lea has been repeatedly proven to be
against capital punishment for women.
Whether she is OF the upper or lower
strata Of society has not seemed to alter
mans protective instinct toward her.
Lesson Men Never Forget.
Judges, witnesses, lawyers. and juries
alike have been taught when they were
little tads to believe in the nobility of
womankind; to have faith in her gentle
ness, love, and finer sensibilities. They
have been reared to manhood in the be-
lief that theirs was the duty Of protec-
ton toward all women, in the name of
their own mothers, and they never forget
the lesson.
Woman has come into the business
world to stay. She will some day be
an equal factor in the political world.
When the latter transpires It will have
no more effect upon mans protective
sentiment toward her than her relation
with the business world has effected.
A manly man will protect a woman UNI
der all circumstances. He always has
done this, and as long as there are moth
ers of men their sons will be chivalrous
and lenient to other women.