Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-20
HANGING OF MARTHA GRINpER.
Confession Of her Crtme.


her enormous crime by an ignominious des;b
on the gallows. There is strong repuguanoe
IN al civilized communities 10 the erecuttoa Of
women. But the persistent spirit OF murder
developed by this modern Z" Borgian has. m A
great measure, chilled the sympathy osnallv
manifested in the cases OF female crtminals
she Is the third woman on record that has epon
executed IN Pennsylvania-the first one was
10y Twiggs, who was hung for murder a.
vile, Montour county; the second was
Snailoue Jones, who murdered her uncle, and
airy, 1855.
The murder for which this woman paws the
~ essn an ,,a eny, was committed in Allegheny,
gust, 1865. Her victim was MAJ ~. .r,1ins "a
ruthers, wife Of James =. CarutSars g.. - :,
las tnne sSK SICK on sne evening Of the 27th of
sea, intense pains in the heart, &c Durins hsr
terrible sufferings, none Were more at,ae,ta
than Mrs. Grinder, who occupied the hanse
adJolhlng the one In which Mrs Caruthars
dwelt Mrs. Caruthers recovered from tht
first violent attack, which was however. fol-
lowed by similar symptoms, and the attending
physician advised her TO 60 into the countrS
ioI a time. This advice was acted upon' an3
during her absence from Pittsburg. Mr. Ca~
ruthers enjoyed excellent health
Soon after her return TO this city, Mrs
Grinder recommended her kind attention. OF
bringing food, &c. and Mrs. Caruthers was
again seized with the same symptoms as before
Her case was given mp as hopeless, and her
2>th of July, and, eating Of the food furnished
by Mrs. Grinder, she was seized with the same
illness as that which afflicted her daughter
On the first day of August Mrs Caruthers
died. During the preparations for the funeral
none We're more attentive and useful than the
murderess, and she exhibited so much kind
ness and sympathy TO the bereayed husband
dlsarm all suspicion.
She next sent a bowl Of poisoned SCUM 70 Mrs.
Marguerite Smith, who resided within two
n OF his 49, n.
of seven persons, Mrs. Smith and SIX children
With one exception they ate of the soup sent
them by Mrs. Grinder, and all who nartooE
were taken i'll, one of the children dying The
attending physician Informed Mrs Smith that
IN his opinion the sickness of her family WAS
occasioned by poison. Mrs. Grinder, who was
present rejoined, "That man is a fool"
Suspicion at length attached itself TO this
self possessed and heartless murderess. Arti-
eles OF clothing which had belonged TO Mrs
Caruthers were found In her possession. The
body OF the murdered woman was eNhumed,
and a chemical analysis of the stomach bv eY
perienced chemists revealed large quantities
OF arsenic and anthony. Mrs. Grinder was a Z
once arrested and brought to trial, and on the
2oth OF October she was found guilty Of murder
in the first degree. During her trial, and a. the
rendition Of the verdict, she exhibited the Mt
most GOODNESS and composure, seeming a care
for her life.
Besides the crime Of which she was convict
ed another case was brought 70 light, that of
Jane A. Bucnannan, emplOyad do
mestic in Mrs. Grinders family. She had ac-
cumulated little money. The first attempt to
poison her was made February 25th, 1854 On
February 2sth she died. The body was ex-
dences Of poisoning. Another charge lodged
against the condemned is for the poisoning of
Samuel Grinder, her brother-in- law. His body
was exhumed and poison found therein.
THE EXECUTION
At exactly fifteen minutes past one O'Clock
this afternoon, the Judges sentence, that she be
hung by the neck until she be dead, was exc
cuted. The scene was a sad, solemn and deep-
ly impressive one. The only person present
who seemed 10 be not in the least affected was
the murderess herself
At one O'Clock Sheriff Stewart accompanied
by Deputy Sheriff Cluley, proceeded to the cell
Of the doomed woman, and on entering, Mrs.
Grinder remarked-"Are you coming for me 10
The Sheriff replied, 'Yes, Mrs. Grinder" She
calmly arose and said. my Saviour is coming
for me-"
Mrs. Grinder was dressed in a brown alpa.
ca dress, trimmed around the neck and down
the front with white lace, lightly made kid
slippers and white stockings She took a seat
provided for her on the scaffold; and remained
entirely unmoyed while a prayer was being
offered in her behalf. Her features wore a
pleasant smile from the time sne left her cell
until the fatal white cap was drawn over her
face. Not muscle quiyered; not an express
sion of the countenance escaped her that could
by any possibility be construed into either re-
morse or fear of death, mental agitation or any
kindred emotion. There was nothing like a
forced discrimination to appear calm and com
posed; IL was evidently natural and en-
tirely unaffected, while words were being
spoken TO her by the Sheriff, her spiritual ad-
wiser and others on the scaffod, even while
the moose was being adjusted, she bestowed on
each remarkably graceful inclination of the
head, coupled with a sweet smile.
In answer TO the question whether she de-
sired to say anything, or have anything said
to her, she replied in a mild and cheerful
tone, her face still beaming with smiles, that
she wished nothing more, but before the cap
was drawn down over her face she glanced
pleasantly around at the spectators, and then
cast her expressive blue eyes upwards.
The fatal moment arrived, and still the cul-
nrlt stood like statue, The staging was
cleared, when Sheriff Stewart touched with
his foot the spring which controlled .ihe up
right or support OF the drop, and the next in
slant Mrs. Grinder was suspended in the air,
struggling conyulsiyely with death. Owing
TO the damp weather the moose did not work as
smoothly as il otherwise would have done, and
the neck was not broken by the fall. She
struggled violently for several min utes, and az
one time her right hand caught hold of the
platform where it fitted TO the drop, in spas
modic efforts TO relieve herself.
There was ? slight pulsation at the wrist
twenty minutes after the drop fell. at which
time she was pronounced, by the physician in
charge, dead. After hanging for half an hour,
the body was cut down and placed in a neatly
painted coffin, lined with white muslin; soon
after which the cap was removed, and, 70 the
astonishment Of every person who saw it, the
face wore exactly the same placid, cheerful,
smiling expression which characterized IL on
the scaffold. During the trial, and on all other
occasions, the face looked as though she might
be in sweet sleep. There was no discolora-
ton or Disagreement save a red mark round
the lett side Qf the neck; the eyes We're closed,
but when the lids were pulled back they still
looked bright and animated. Thus ended the
career OF a woman who was fully the peer, IL
not the inferior in crime, of the world-renowned
Lucretia Borgia.
Had she been a titled lady, ike her prede-
cessor, or even walked in superior society, her
name would yet figure IN plays and romances.
All accounts agree that her character is one OF
the most singular on record; for, while, as will
be seen below, she confessed TO the horrible
crimes charged against her, still she had a
most abiding faith in the future salvation, ana
always has had.
A few hours before her execution she re
marked to her counsel, 81 know that am n
great sinner, but still know that Jesus Christ
is great Saviour" She lay on a couch in her
cell, awaiting the hour of her execution, and
no child OF four summers could display more
simplicity or calmness, or apparent thought
lessness of having committed a crime. Shortly
before being led to execution, she desired 20
have her head dressed, and was very particu-
lar in hepanstructions to the woman in aitsn-
dance to do up her hair so that il would not
come down. On several occasions during the
morning, she stated emphatically that she had
not the slightest fear of death, as she knew she
would be saved. but only exnrassad her regret