The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1912-12-22
A Cast Of Mfsapplied Sympathy.

1.-The State penitentiary at Baton
iRouge.
The crime for which Mrs. Bailey
was convicted by jury OF more
than average intelligence, was re-
sponsive to the indictment by the
Grand Jury and fully sustained BY
the evidence submitted at the trial
OF the case.
The crime is: "AtteInpting to ad-
minister poison to her husband with
the intent Of murder"
The crime was deliberate. II was
conceived with reconciliation. bal
~ called in its murderOus intent be
cause the victim rejected the coffee
latter tasting il, in which the poison
istrychnine, had been placed, and az
Though nauseated from the IrkaSr'
quantity he did swallow, Ae recOs
cred after he had received the al
ltention OF his physician.
The failure to get rid OF her nus
band, C. C. Bailey, who was an OBJ
stacle to her illicit companionship
with Albert l.. Watson, stimulated
the intent of murder which was exc
!cuted eight days afterwards by Wat
son. who has been convicted OF
murder and has been sentfH'ed &c
be hanged.
Although Mrs. Bailey MAS moi
tried with Watson for the murder
of c. C. Bailey, her husband, she
was an indirect participant in the
crime OF which she had the full
knowledge before and after the fact
Upon what hypothesis should
maudlin sentiment be wastc:l on ;
woman who has forfeited every
reasonable consideration for mercy
when she disgraced herself, first by
Ibeing untrue to her marriage vows
and became a criminal of the worst
TYPE when she attempted to strych-
nine her husband TO his grave.
II may be noted that Watson, I'M
ell after his conviction and his SEN
tence TO hang, shielded The woman
and assumed all blame for their
erimes, but in a confession 10 a rep
resentative of the New Orleans
States of November 10, he says that
Mrs. Bailey had begged him to MUIR
ider her husband.
And in the statement TO the States
representative Watson explains the
poisoning Of his own wife in the
words quoted: Mrs. Bailey gave my
wife the capsule OF stryehnine that
caused her death. My wifewas SICK
then at Flanagan; it was on the tOts
lday of June 1871. Mrs. Bailey saw
me pu. the medicine in a capsule
iShe knew what it was that she gave
my wife. She suggested the whole
awful plot and she deserves the
same punishment as door worse
for was weak and run down physi-
ealiy and in no condition to with
stand temptation"
It matters little how these crimes
were committed, but it is sufficient
to realize that Watson and Mrs
bailey are the criminals and neither
should be shielded with that senti-
mentality which is nauseating. an,
which is reflective on justice and Is
a traIesay of law and order.
Because Mrs. Bailey is a woman
is no warrant for any indulgence OF
pity She exercised no pity on the
sick wife of Watson, nor did she en-
join Or restrain the hand of Watson
when he dealt the blow which killed
her husband when asleep and there
fore defenseless.
There has been too much play or
sentiment for the criminals unde-
,serving, and it were time that each
criminal, especially after having hat
a fair and impartial trial, and shall
have been convicted by a jury OF
more than average intelligence
should be sentenced without any
scmblance Of misapplied sentiment
The penalty for the crime foI
which Mrs. Bailey was convicted is
from five to twenty years imprison-
ment. 1t was not expected that the
maximum years would have beer
melted out to her, but the minimum
sentence of only five years is not in
keeping with the crime for which
,she was tried and convicted, In this
case sentiment has been misapplied
atleast this is the candid opinion of
the Caucasian expressed respectful
| ly but unreservedly.
Prof. ID. Donovan.