Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-08-11
Miscellaneous.
From tho N Y, Tribune.
A VISIT TO THE VAILED MURDEREss.

SIR There is always a morbid curiosity exist
ing in the common mind TO know the history, con-
dition and appearance Of persons supposed TO bo
guilty of great crimes. To this morbid curiosity
1 am not willing to minister, aud yet l believe
there is something benoath the surface of all this,
which is not only legitimate, but praisew worthy a
blind sympathy in fact, a beat ng of the common
pulse ia accordance with one suffering, even though
guilty heart. More than this, by detailing ind.
viiual experiences some iigh, may como to US for
future application.
did not, when | went 10 Troy for the purpose
Of visiting the unhappy woman Mrs. Robinson
III her gloomy cell, design to make any public ex.
preston OF wha. 1 saw or heard, but her case lie
ono 80 peculiar, and she is evidently Of an insane
organilation-so evidently from the first, cursed
with u disjointed aud irresponsible mental aud
moral sense. that it seems desirable to analy2e her
case somewhat. Further than this, she has un.
questionahly been 'mord sinned against than sin.
ming" No hand has been extended to aid and
protect her in her weakness, while many have aid
ell in her downward tendency, and with such the
guilt must rest.
doubt much if she could have we'll been held
to the decorums of life. Phrenologically her
brain is low above The ears, and her coarse black
hair grows down upon the forehead even lower
thaK that upon the bust of the celebrated antique
OF Cli:e. She has two projections in the region of
what is called Constructivoness, extending back
ward, which of themselves would be sufficient to
throw the whole character out Of balance.
When you add to this brain a refined lady.like
form, round and compact, with "A temperament Of
the highest and most exeitable kind, it will easily
be seen that education might retard and modify
her destiny, but would hardly serve to re.create
her into a reliable or very safe character.
She evidently ia possessed Of a remarkably heal
thiul organization, capable of great endurance,
and indicating longevity. Her eyes have a look of
force and vitality, aud when not excited by an in
sane mood are really fine. She is perhaps thirty,
and though an idealist would never call her beauti.
ful, she is quito perfect in kind, and the vulgar
mind would call her handsome.
She talks h~uonty, with a ready use of langua-
&c and appropriate imagery. As l sat by her,
gathering up my feet from the floor, for the mice
were having q perfect carnival about the neatly
kept room, | could not bring my mind to think
that, this young creature, full of health, with
nerves SO delicately strung, would in less than ten
DAYS. lie an inanimate clod, and that, too by tho
hand of violence. She had talked with me so can
didly, often with such a child like simplicity,
laughing even over some bygone experience, and
then weeping like a poor, ill-treated child, that |
yentured to say as much to her.
Eyes" she replied, "a week from next Friday
nv soul will be with God; l want to die: | am sick
of this cold wicked world, where | cannot trust
anybody. Oh l have found people cruel; they
have made me wicked when my heart was good
Uo gave me drugs, and | went mad, more than
once went mad. Oh long to 60 home to,
God"
could not look harshly and coldly upon the
l'OOl NNNHAhh @iN6t''NH' = 'NA HOA 'NNN I"S
hand in mine and wept with her. AS yet she had
talked perfectly sane. She seemed like q very
~excitaole woman, but not in the least like an in
sane one.
One thing was noticeable in my interview. She
was reclining upon the bed and | sat also upon
the side OF it. Her plain white dress, or robe ra-
Their, was fastened at throat and wrist, thus con-
cealing her whole person, while a large dark-blue
vail was thrown over her head, hiding her face
partially. When her mood was gentle or religious
.-o. - H. n.
cendant, her fingers moved uneasily about her
neck. She would pull the collar away from her
throat and swallow. This was very touching.
But l have come to see you and to help save
you from the final penalty, and in that case you
would be willing to live"
"No. no; l want to go home to my God; l am pre-
pared for death now. The mode is nothing to me
now that l am at peace with God. He is more
merciful than men. He will forgive me and allow
my death to atone for my evil life. No want to
die, and | long for the day to come. My dress is
all ready-very decent it is. / shall be carried
out her fingers were touching the side of her
neck and die. No one will see my face. | shall
be very still, and my Savior (lifting her eyes, will
pity me. the Sisters promise me that | shall not
be seen. They will bury me away where shall
not be taken up. They have promised to stay with
Inc and to receive my body, and all this is better
than to live and perhaps lead an evil life again
aud then die unprepared and forsaken Of Cod
Oh no, dear, do not try TO save me-"
Surely the weakest heart-the wickodest hear
that ever beat in a woman's SOM a spo
over which an angel might rejoice; a dim, s%olitar,
chamber, which might be swept and ga:nished an(
made an altarplace for the Good Father.
But if you go to a prison or q hospital and pre-
serve this frame Of mind, you can do good to 9th
ers, you can teach the ignorant, and comfort tn
suffering, and take care of the sick and dying"
81 don't know don't know; it is better for IN,
to die; | might live thirty years in a prison; dealt
seams better"
| looked ut her 1.-the, active make; and could ca
silly divine that imprisonment would be the great
er penalty. then told her the melancholy stor,
of Margaret Divine, whom l believed to be entire
ly innocent of the crime for which she is convicte,
to twenty wears of solitary Imprisonment in TIL
Newark, New Jersey, Penitentiary. A child Q
fifteen losing the best years of her life in a prison
while hardened, rufianly villains are pardoned on
This girl, so young, so gentle, so hopeless, wear
ing out her life in the prison of a foreign land, eff
fects me greatly; and Mrs. Robinson listened ant
wept, and shuddered at the recital.
What a pity" she exclaimed, "they did no
convict her"
"Tho public would not allow Of her execution. ,
'But they will let me die ?"
/ shook my head.
"They viii, they must. Oh, | am so sick Of the
world. Look here, please, my poor husband, and
do not know where I am-thcy know nothing
Of all this. My father and mother are both dead
/ have concealed my family name; while live PEG
l@ III ApN9 ~ hhP 49, AN 800
dead all will die with me. | have promised my
brother TO be very still, to die without b~etrayinl
anything, and when | am gone l shall cease t.
worry and distress my family. Here l am shu
out Of the world, Of no use 10 it, sick Of it. Oh
let mt go home to my God"
There vas a womanly courage and good sense il
this forlorR desire for death. IL shows, also, tina
the fear of it may be overcome in many ways.
"If you are executed, you will be the last wC
man who will endure the penalty in our country
1t will raise Il storm of indignant protest, whic
win compel our rulers to annul the statute at iea'
where a woman is to be the victim"
She smiled in a very sweet heavenly manner
Then I shall do some good in nag death. is nC
God very good if no will permit a sinful ereatur
like nae, not only to atone for my wicked life b
this violent death, bat may egen allow some good
grow ont of il"
"You are a Roman Catholic "
az am now. And since / have had some cue {
talk 10 nae. to tell me truly about ,nyseif, and N
dvty 60 God, / am s great deal happier. The sis
tore af Charity earoe and talk 10 me very kindly