WOMEN JURY ON LOVE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3454, 7 April 1920, Page 7

WOMEN JURY ON LOVE.

JUDGE UPSETS THE SO'U[4-M;;\TE THEORY.

The summoning of a jury of Women i to decide one of the eternal “triangle cases’? has just been the unusual feature in the police Court proceedings at Cleveland. A married Woman and the lover for whom she had deserted her hus-g band were the parties before the magistrate. At the -opening of the case the woman defendant protested; against atrial‘ by it male judge, say-; ing that only Women could understand» :1 Womansmotives in leaving her husband and children on account of the “greater love-she bore another, man.” Accordingly a jury of women] was empanelled’ to advise the judge’ on the workings of the teniinine heart. ‘On the conclusion 01' the case Women retired to discuss the evidence round a huge box of candy sent in by a local manufacturer. In the end they found the woman guilty, but re~ commended her to mercy. For the man they recommended the full penalty of the law. But the judge took a different view. “That’s all very well,’.’ he said. “But! on the evidence I think the woman. merits the same punishment as the) man. I sentence them both to. three} months! imprisonment and fine them both £4O each, the sentence on the ‘woman to be suspended if she will reiturn to her husband” The woman refused to do this and it was then that the judge began to hear the Feminine view—point in earn‘est The jury rosewto their feet as one Woman “Do you think you are serving societygby trying to force this ‘woman to return to the ']H.l.~‘:Dall(i she does not love?” deniandcd one. “I admire her for selecting to go to the Workhouse” declared another.

The judge, unmoved, spoke forth again, and with scant rog:xrd.for the theories of the jury. “This woman violated the law,‘_l’ he said blunixly. “She tries to excuse her offence by calling it love. Some call it romance. some call it" soul-mating. I can it vicious panic, and the law calls it a crime.” With these relnal-ks he ended the proceedings.