OCR Text |
Show The authorities of two states, Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania and Vermont, aro being deluged witli petitions for commutation commuta-tion of tlio death sentence imposed upon two women, convicted of murdering mur-dering their husbands. Tho ilrst ls that of Mrs. Kate Edwards, of Reading, Read-ing, who is to bo hanged February 10, unless clemency Is shown. The second is that of Mr3. Rogers, of Vermont, who has been reprieved until Juno 2. Since her incarceration In jail, Mrs. Edward3 has given birth to a baby girl. Both women woro found guilty of murder most foul, still tho sentiment senti-ment of the pe.ople of tho two states scorns to bo ngal.nst enforcing the death ponnlty and thousands of names are being signed to petitions asking for mercy. In the Pennsylvania case, tho governor cannot extend clemency; that has to bo done by tho board of pardons; In tho Vermont case ho can. It ls a trying situation for all con-corned. con-corned. Thoro aro no extenuating circumstances cir-cumstances according to law In cither case. The crimes woro foully committed. com-mitted. It is hard to send a woman to her death or a man either for that matter, mat-ter, still under tho rule of tho law tho fomalo sex has no rights beyond those enjoyed by men. Tho goddess of justice Is supposed to blindly balance bal-ance her scales and render unto all human beings tlio exact punishments and rewards to which each is entitled. Still wo cannot help but feel that although al-though tho mandate generally accepted accept-ed as divino: "Whosoever sheddcth man's blood, by man shall his blood bo shed," has been misinterpreted In somo manner. It may have been necessary in tho days of Moses to inflict in-flict harsh punishments, because the people who lived in those days had not tho high idoals wo hnvo now, ovqn though wo livo in a sordid, commercial com-mercial age. Wo incllno to tho belief that tho bard of Avon laid down a bettor bet-tor gospel when ho caused Portia to say: "Tho quality of mercy Is not strained; It droppeth as tho gentle rain from Heaven Upon tho earth beneath. It ls twico blessed; It blosseth him that glveth And him that rocolvoth." Don't hfing theso womon. Don't send them to Ignominious deaths upon tho gibbet. Don't usher them into tho great ante room or eternity with nil their imperfections on their heads. Rather lot their sentences bo commuted commut-ed to llfo Imprisonment. That will satisfy the demands of stern justice Just as well as though they were rotting rot-ting in their coffins In desolnto murderer's mur-derer's graves. Through tho weary years of confinement It is possible that their crime stained souls will become be-come in a measure puriiled; that tho spirit of Heavenly Lovo will touch their blcod soiled hearts and cleanse them so that when Death at last finds them In their solitary cells, Instead of wicked beings ho may find two women, wo-men, chastened and subdued, with hope born of constant Intercession, ready to face their ilnal Judge. Attention, At-tention, your Honors of tho Board of Pardons of tho great Keystone state; Attention Your Excellency of the land that furnished tho heroes who captured cap-tured Tlconderoga; that gave us tho immortal Ethan Allen. Let that compassion com-passion that animated the Nazareno when ho wroto in tho sand animate your hearts and bo merciful, for ho that is merciful shall one day obtain mercy. |