The Washington times., 1922-03-30
KEEP PAST To
YOURSELF, GIRL
IN JAIL WARNS
Shot Husband Because She
Was Laughed at Trying to
''come Back"
BY LEOLA ALLARD.

/ "s sSCSbFh
CHICAGO, March 30.-Men who
have fallen from grace may regain
their footing In the world and the
respect of the world-but can a
girl come back?
"NOw
Flossie Taylor makes this answer
to the oft.asked question-and Flos-
sic speaks from exp perience. Nine
years ago she was the first priso-
ner arraigned In the then new
morals court Of Chicago. light
hearted, light headed light of love
who became suddenly serious when
confronted by a prison term. The
other girls in court demanded
jury trial, but Flossie pleaded for
a job and a chance to "go straight"
The astonished judge granted the
plea and got the girl job at 50
week.
Now In Jail.
Today Flossie Taylor, now Mrs.
Rose Abrahamson, is in JAIL charged
with the murder Of her husband.
She killed him, she said. because
tlt ldub At Iti III ~ pdoy' {"
puny mite Of humanity that died
soon after birth. And from the
depths of her degradation she die
cussed the chances of girl who
has started wrong fighting a way
back to respectability and happi-
ness. With acrid philosophy, the
woman who was Flossie Taylor
said:
You can't do 1t II you marry a
man who knows your past. No
girl ever did 1t successfully. be-
cause man can't respect you when
he knows your past. and where
| there isn't respect. there can't be
| love. ! know!
Tried TO Be Worthy.
II had my first chance when |
was married. That was four years
ago. ! had gone back TO work for
SO a week. after ] was brought be.
fore Judge Hopkins. What can one
eat with SO week? couldn't
make the grade.
But the idea that man would
marry me and let me walk with
my head up and not hide from the
police? Ii was like a dream TO me.
I think I prayed for the first time
when ] got that chance. and never
from the day I married have l done
anything wrong.
II can't tell you what feeling
COMES TO a woman with a past like
| mine when she finds herself listed
with respectable citizens.
My husband didn't ever have TO
wait one minute for his meals. I
went TO work in a factory to help
out with the income. I worshipped
him. Then there was a baby COM
ing, L couldn't believe that. Think
OF me with a home and a baby.
said. Dear God, I'll try to be
worthy OF all this But / fell in
the factory one day and was hurt.
The baby was dead. And he-he
| laughed.
Practiced With Gun.
My hate started then. 1t grew
and grew. really wasn't re-
spectacle. couldn't ever be. He
despised me for my past. was
have thought I was nobody. too.
could never come because he
wouldn't help me. He didn't care.
He told me what child Of mine
would be like.
so ] bought the gun, and for
six weeks / told myself:
| Don't weaken. Do lido IT,
Don't be a coward. He deserves
| it
II practiced firing the gun. Then
II hid II in my bath robe pocket.
then under the mattress, then un-
der my pillow for six weeks. Final.
| ly one night l said, Now is the
time; do it now before your courage
fails. He will only let you go back
to the old life. Why save him
he won't save you?'
II couldn't have fired a second
shot but / did light a match so
could see where he lay and shot
him. Then I grabbed my clothes,
dressed and went away.
IT am happier with my con.
science here in jail than ] was
with him. MY hate is still strong
| I can't be sorry. I tried to be
good. There wasn't a hand to
help"