The Washington times., 1927-06-16

QeDaueneQ, 3 murderer, Zoo.
How cruel some people can BET
Even the cold, bloodless law. itself,
allows an appeal and reserves its
final verdict until such appeal has
been given consideration. But sup.
posedly warm. FLOODED humans are
not as charitable and just even as
the law-they will not consider any
appeal and will not tolerate the con-
victed defendant attempting one.
They don't want me to go into
theories and motives-they throw the
deeds back in my face and say I
must stand on them. Well, even
that same law takes considerable
stock in motives-motive is the very
gist of the crime under which am
convicted; without it my sentence
cannot stand.
Motive is matter Of fine stad.
ings. As understand the word, it
has to do with what was inside the
heart of the accused. Surely no one
has any better INSIDE" information
on that score or subject than / have.
Why not let me talk about it? No
one needs to believe it. Not being
believed would be no new experience
to me.
But l don't see why they get so
angry because 1 tell great many
things that / was not permitted to
tell when / was on trial.
That trial didn't cost me much
only my life!
Doubts III She'll Be Believed
So If want to say something after
that decision, may at least plead
that ancient privilege of the con-
demned who Is always asked, rs
there anything you want to say be-
fore the sentence is executed?" Am
l asking too much il / take advan-
tage Of that respectable and estab.
lished courtesy?
In the first place (which I still
don't think many believe, though l
told 1t on the stand and retold it in
these chapters more fully:
/ did not kill Albert Snyder, 1 did
not corrupt Judd Gray, ] did not
commit any crime punishable by
justice Of the law except that I did
not warn Snyder and the police OF
Gray's murderOus intentions and
that / did try to shield and cover
Gray after the act.
A Fool, But Not a Villain
These mistakes and misdeeds I
committed because of certain cir
cumstances and impulses. The anal
ysis of them, as / can see them in
reviewing every hour and every
thought during my almost two
years association with Gray, con-
Vinces me that i was q fool, but not
villain.
I was a fool to take into my own
weak hands and my own simple
brain the task of outfighting and
outwiting conditions-fate, l sup
pose.
Who was I, TO struggle against
what life was handing me? l had
never done anything or been any
thing. Yet 1 challenged organized
society to try to work out wild
desire for happiness that was not
meant for me.
When / was married and found
out that / was not to be happy Oh
even cOntented, l could not accept
that, as / should have, as millions
of other women have and do and
must again.
Were / queen or a genius, there
might be some sense in my saying,
81 will not have it so. 1 will assert
myself and resist. The odds are
not too great for me.
Public Masses to Crush Her
But 1 was Ruth Brown, which
means I was nobody.
/ went in to tight lions with d
pea.shOOter.
All civilization says, at least for
the Ruth Browns, that when life
shuts out happiness against them,
they must sit back i'm a corner in
the dark and not whimper-surely
not lift a finger against the ire
siStible verdict from some myster,
iOus power which has so decreed it.
III she has the gumptiOn or the
gall to refuse that command, all
civilization will mass itself to crush
her and defeat her. Society, law,
all the machinery.
IF the one man is a pftiful mis-
take, she must not dare think OF
another.
If love, the biggest thing in life,
is denied her, she must not dare
try for it.
Should Be Stoned to Death
II the man does come who could
love her and whom she could love
who could redeem her, she must not
go to him. If she does, the world
will see that he destroys her, and
will punish him almost as com.
pletely and. il possible, to the full
extent.
If she sins, she should be stoned
to death, and those who throw the
first stones must wear upon their
faces the exalted expressions OF
avenging angels OF righteousness
protectors of purity, arms and
miniOns of orderly decency.
If she raises her eyes to look
toward the sun or star and away
from the cold and colorless spot on
earth assigned her, she must be
blinded by the glare of an angry
fire blazing with fury at her revolt,
/, of course, knew all this. Every.
one does. But was tempted.
was young and fOOIhardy. L was
romantic. No outlet for my spirit
had ever come 10 me before. i
could not face the future knowing
that it would 20 on and on thai
way to a dreary end, my whole life
wasted.
So l Ieaped.
Spirit Was In Command
A million bayonets. pointed and
naked, were there, waiting. up,
turned. But for a while / did not
n