Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1860-04-12
Execution Of a Woman at 81.
Paul.

Execution Of a Woman at 50
Paul.
Hanging man is revolving enough, bu
publicly stranglipg a woman seems to b
the very acme of barbarism. But few ca
ses have ever occurred in the Unite
States, and none should so long as societ
can be protected by imprisonment for lif
Minnesota has recently taken the life of
white woman on scafold, Mrs. Mary An
Bilansky, convicted of the murder Of he
husband, Poiander of some wealth, re
moved from Illinois to st. Paul in 1851
She was married to Bilansky in l847, ane
in their family resided a man named Johr
Walker, with whom il was proved Mrs. B
was intimate before and after her marriage
On the 18th Of March 1859, Mr.. Bilansk,
died suddenly, and arsenic was found il
his stomach. 1t was proved that Mrs. B
purchased arsenic, and she was convicted
of the murder. The alleged motive wa
to get possession of Bilanksy's property
and enjoy it with her paramour. The Min
nesota Legislature passed a resolution Il
commute the sentence of death to life i'm
prisonment, but the Governor vetoed it,
she was executed on the 23d of March
and the scene on the scaffold-the las
act of this terrible tragedy-is thus de-
scribed:
"When the prisoner arrived upon the
platform she was led forward and kneeled
upon the drop; the clergy, jailor, and the
Sisters and other ladies, in the same pos.
ture around her. About five minutes were
thus spent in reading prayers by the clergy,
in which she seemed to take a deep inter
est. Upon rising she was asked if she had
anything to say. She spoke for minute
perhaps. There was Some repetition, but
the following Is very nearly what she said
81 die without having had any mercy
shown me, or justice. die for the good OF
my soul, and not for murder. May you
all profit by my death! Your courts
of justice are not courts of justice-but l
will yet get justice in Heaven. l am a
guilty woman, l know, but not of this muir
der, which was committed by another.
forgive every body who did me wrong. l
die sacrifice to the law. l hope all may
bejudged better than have been, and by a
more righteous judge, die prepared to
meet my God"
Mr.. Hoffman then whispered "good-
bye" to her, when she showed some agita-
tion, and said: 10, Mr.. Hoffman you prom
ised to stand by me to the last" He as
sured her that he was no: going to leave
her.
Mr.. Miller the deputy sheriff. then ap-
preached her with the rope, when she ex-
"Dr. Miller, how can you stain
your hands by putting that rope around
my neck-the instrument of my DEATH"
He assured her that duty compelled him
to do it, and she made no resistance, and
only said: "Do, for Gods sake, put on so
it will not suffocate me-"
1t became necessary in fixing the rope
to lift the vail that was tied about her
neck, when she said: "Mr. Hoffman do
cave that vail between the rope and my
neck"
He explained in a word, the necessity of |
It's being removed, when she said: "Fix |
t any way so as not to sufocate me-"
After it had been arranged, DR.. Miller
ook the black cap from his pocket, and
proceeded to put it on her head, when she
aid: "Be sure that my face is we'll coy
red"
All this took place in less time than il
7ill take to read it, during which she said
everal times :-"God have mercy-God
ave mercy on my SOUL" Her last words
7ere-"Lord Jesus Christ receive my soul"
She was requested to take step forward
n the drop, and then, everything being
repaired, DR.. Miller made a motion to
heriff Tullis, who pulled the fatal rope,
nd in an instant she fell. The fall was
bout four feet, and the machinery was
} nicely adjusted that the noise was I
'arcely heard outside Of the inclosnre.
There was scarcely any movement in the
ody after it dropped: a slight convulsive
lotion and a heaving of the chest was all
lat was observed. u
The body was allowed to hang about (
Tenty minutes, during which time prayers S
ere read audibly by the clergy, who re-
aimed kneeling on the platform. "
The physicians having examined the r
'dy several times, then stated to the sher-
that life was extinct, and she was cut t
'wn ond placed in plain black coffin 6
at be had been placed in front of the :
'llows during the whole period of the ex- a
ution. h
Her demeanor on the scaffold was excel d
ut. She was not defiant or stoical; n
ither did she shed a tear. 1t is the opiu ri
, of many that she expected a pardon Il
reprieve to the last moment. a