The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-12
FRIDAY. APRIL IL. 1912.
NO CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR WOMEN

The Beattie trial and its result raised in
Virginia a sort of academic discussion OF the
merits and dement's of capital punishment 1t
b not desire to so into this matter either
from the sociological or the religious point of
view. Almost anything can be bolstered by
ISOLATED Bible precedent: the Book OF Books,
being at once an encyclopedia and philosophy,
naturally lends itself to any argument II only
the pleader search with diligence. From time
immemorial. 1t has been the practice OF men
70 cut on the heads, or otherwise put out the
lights, Of other men who have transgressed
human Law. Latterly. the law has been whitfield
70 the point where the only excuse for the legal
taking OF life is the fact that 1t has been taken
There 10 an entirely different presentment
when the culprt 10 q woman Equal suffrage
and other theories to the contrary. the public
mind revolts at the idea OF a woman being car.
St0d to either chair or gallows. Mans suprem-
10y - an Intelligent factor may be Questioned
his usefulness as II depends upon his protection
ma his chivalry are beyond doubt To execute
. woman in Virginia Is despite isolated prece-
dent. against instinct
The woman in the case Ia a negress She
xas tried. convicted and sentenced for brutal
murder. She has confessed the crime. bringing
70 her aid the useless efforts at extenuation which
suggest themselves to those both ignorant and
guilty. What is to be done with her? She
may. for all we know. be nothing more than
the female species Of murderous type of
hfute. She may be an imbecile, or the product
~ That strange sort OF uncomfortable passion
which links genius with degeneracy The point
=: Are we ready. in this State, at this time. to
sxecute woman-any sort of woman?
OF course. this is a matter for the Governor
In similar banning crises he has proved himself
capable Of looking alone to the public good.
The case must rest with him. We must and will
eAeerfully bow to his decision. At the same
time. 1t occurs to US that to take the life of
woman would be to exert upon public sentiment
exactly the opposite effect which is sought to
" created through the solemn function Of TAX
ing human life. We take life only upon the
idea that 1t will elevate the public mind to a
conception Of its sacredness. But say what
you will, sex makes a difference. The woman is
the instrument of creation and perpetuity. To
Interfere arbitrarily with such an one Is no
lsss that to exalt society" above creation.
The fact that this woman is negress. igno-
rant and vicious, only goes to emphasize the
danger OF an action which may work untold
harm. II undertaken We think that the extreme
pnnishment would Of itself defeat ITSELF that
1t would create reyulsion against law al
trady sufficiently grim and cruel; that the legal
taking Of the life of the most debased of
women could only result in that sort OF revul
SIGN OF feeling which makes OF the law, when
inadyisedly executed. the Indictment to law
breaking.
negro woman who kills her employer Is not
3. matter Of particular consideration: we trust
that abe will have Communication, II only on
he ground that TO give her the ordinary sentence
would result in more sentences OF the same sort