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Women's Police Court Letter

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Emily Murphy, Women's Police Court Letter. Courtesy of City of Edmonton Archives

Women's Police Court, Edmonton Dec 7th, 1917

W.J. Loggie L.L.B. Wetaskiwin, Alta.

Dear Sir:

Your letter of Dec 5th has been received. In a conversation with Mrs. C. since her husband left she has stated her entire willingness to return home, on the terms we arranged while her husband was here. She will remain at the Hospital until after her confinement. She was very nervous that day and smarted considerably under the reprimands given her in his presence.

For her part, she has agreed to attend strictly to her household and to the children instead of gadding unduly among the neighbours. She is also to permit no interference from her sister, who seems to be an active person rather than an amiable one. She is to do her best to promote peace and amity in the household.

[Mr.] C. is to see that she gets a set of teeth. She has only two teeth left in front. He is to open an account for her in the bank and place $10.00 therein each month to her credit. She can do what she likes with this as it has nothing to do with the household expenses or the children's clothes. C. acknowledges that he has only given her $9.00 in twelve years and that he has never bought her a coat. She had to borrow one from a nurse to come to the court. He is also to refrain from sharp criticism of his wife.

Mr. P.H. Tucker, Chief Clerk of the Department of Neglected Children, has undertaken to send out occasionally an official of the Department who will visit the home as a friend and adjust any difficulties that may arise.

I am of the opinion that Mrs. Carlson is a stubborn woman and below the average normal intelligence. She will probably never be older than 15 or 16 mentally. On the other hand, Mr. C. is unusually hard-headed and finds it difficult to tolerate her slack ways. I am pointing out to him under a letter of this date that he must make up his mind, in the future, to act towards her with the tolerant attitude of a father, entirely apart from their marital relations.

I have written you fully so that you might know our findings here and thus be better able to advise Mr. C. when any future difficulty arises. He is certainly a hard-working man, and worthy of any assistance we can give him in keeping his home together.

Yours very truly,

Police Magistrate, Province of Alberta

 
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