Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 288, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1916 — Delphi Woman Is Sent To Jail In Canada. [ARTICLE]

Delphi Woman Is Sent To Jail In Canada.

A Winnipeg, Manitoba, special says that Mrs. Joseph E. Komell, a young married woman, native and home resident of Delphi, who went to Winnipeg about five months ago, was sent to jail for contempt of the king’s bench court. Mrs. Komell was summoned as a'witness in a murder case and before testifying refused to kiss t;he crucifix. , The Delphi woman is said to be a Catholic but pleaded not to be forced to kiss the crucifix, saying she r '*#nted to the Jfible like Americans did back home. The court, however, ordered that she be sworn according to the rules of the church. But she persisted that oifiy would she to tell the truth on the Bible. After being committed until she would purge herself by swearing on the the woman did so, but not until she had been In prison for four hours and a half. The incident, which created a dramatic scene in court, and which is unprecedented in manitoba court records, has provoked widespread discussion, in fact a riot was barely avoided at the time the young woman was taken to the prison. Only for the fact that extra police were called were the authorities able to hold their prisoner.