A SUFFRAGETTE'S HUSBAND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10443, 24 April 1912, Page 2

A SUFFRAGETTE'S HUSBAND.

W. W. JACOBS AND HIS WIFE

Among the women arrested for smashing windows in London was Eleanor Jacobs, 31, mairied, of Feltham House, Lough ton, Essex, wife of W. .W. Jacobs, tho author of " Many Cargoes," " Beauty and the Barge," and scores of other works. She was brought up before Air Fordham, PAL, at West LonAfr Barker (Wontner and. Sons) prosecuted for tho Commissioner of Police, and stated that the defendant broke tho window with a liaimner. A\ lion seised siic said, " I havo done this to (to the defendant): Do you admit this?— Yes. , ' What have you to sav?--1 have done this because I think it is my duty asthe mother of live children. Air Fordham: What! \onr duty as a mother of fivo children to smash u,p property'{ Defendant: Yes; that is the only way we can protest against the action, or rather tho inaction, of the Government in refusing justice. Mr Ford ham: Your statement is so absurd that I think -I ought to have you remanded to havo your state of mind inquired into. Defendant (smiling): Oh. my mind is quite sound. I have done my duty to my children for twelve years. I think my daughters, when they grow up, should liavo equal rights and responsibilities and duties with my sons. Mr Fordham: I shall remand you for eight days for the doctor to report on tho state of your niiuil. On tho hammer Hpnd in the defendant's possession was a label bearing the words, " To .Mi' Lloyd George.—A protest from a Welshwoman against repression." Later in tho afternoon Mr Leslie Smith (Oswald Hanson and Smith) made an application to Air Fordham respecting the defendant. Ho stated that he was instructed by Mr W. W. Jacobs (who was present in Court) to ask that Airs Jacobs might be allowed to go out on bail. He Smith) was instructed to say that tho lady's mental condition was quite right, but, probably through the influence of the ringleaders cf this propaganda, she had conceived tho idea that tho action of herself and others in thus bringing their supposed grievances to the notice of the Government- would be ultimately of benefit to the country. Mr Fordham : Well, really, the breaking of windows alone is somo evidence of want of mental balance. Mr Smith : I do not agree, sir, with this agitation at all, but I am bound to say that there are largo numbers of persons who do hold this lady's views. Mr Fordham : There are a number of mad persons, then, who ought to have been locked up. Mr Smith: Mrs Jacobs has never had any suggestion against her. She is a devoted mother to her children.

Mr Fordham: I need hardly say. I am very sorry for her, and still more sorry for her husband and her people. Mr Jacobs here came forward and said, "I wish to say that T am bitterly opposed to this movement."

Mr Fordham: I am afraid, Mr Jacobs, I cannot hear you yet. Addressing Mr Smith, his Worship observed that, .since he was assured that the lady's mental condition was unaffected, ho was prepared to deal with the case summarily.

Mr Smith said that was Mr Jacobs'd wish, and tho defendant was thereup.jn brought back from the cells and usher ed into the dock.

Addressing her, his Worship said, I remanded you this morning because I thought from what you said that you were demented, and I think ft is nicet unfair that any demented person should be punished. I did not think that any women of well-balanced mind ccm'd have acted and spoken as you did. lam assured now by your husband's solicitor that you aro not mentally defective, and I have been asked to deal with tho case."

Defendant: There is 110 reason at, nil to suppose that I am not quite sane. Mr iordhani: Well, you know, it is a common experience that lunatics*never think themselves insane, but I'm assured in your case that there is no ground for supposing that you are not in your right mind. I must say that this morning you appeared far Irom well.

Defendant: I have slept very badly lately because 1 have been worrying about this difficult and expensive step I havo taken, but I am (perfectly sensible and in my right mind. Mr T ordham: I should like to hear what husband has to say. Would you liice to say anything, Mr Jacob;? Mr Jacobs thanked his Worship, and said his wife had taken up this attitude because she conceived that it was her duty to her children that she slioukl support this movement. IJo asked his Worship to consider that for a long tinio persons like his wife had been under the influence of tho two leaders of the movement, Mr and Mrs Pothick Lawrence—tho very great influence, lie might add. Ho could not speak too highly of her as a wifo and a mother. He hoped that his Worship would extend leniency to her, and would not inflict on her the hardships which, very properly no doubt, had been inflicted on many of these misguided women. His wife could not stand hardship, and if she were called upon to endure it hor health would be permanently affected. She did not realise what she was doing. He •wished to say that if tho Government had not played with tho question his wife and those other unhappy women would not have been brought to their present position.

Mr Fordham : I think that what you have said i« very proper. I am thoroughly isorry for your husband, Mrs Jacobs, and I am quite suro that you aro both of you devoted to your children. The fact is you have been led away—over-persuaded. I have been asking myself why 1 should deal more leniently-with you than I should with a vagabond who breaks a window because, as he would say, ho wants a night's lodging. You have been encouraged by the foolish leniency—as many of us deem it—extended to persons who have been doing this sort of thing for years. I think if they had been given to understand that what they did was not a political offence at nil, and had been punished like anyone else who commits wilful damage, we should never have seen all this damage in the last few days—damage amounting to thousands of pounds. By the encouragement given by tho«e in authority, these woinm, who, 1 believe, are not as we should wish them to be, would havo been punished in the first instance, and this trouble would not havo arisen. 1 believe it has been tho rule and practice the last few days to pass an invariable sentence of two months' hard labour. T don't pass that sentence on you. but 1 sentence you to one month's hard labour.