The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-02-10
.aMis.I.cellaIll1lIyeons. NE
Execution of Mrs. Grinder
a Strange Case, Singular Courage and ID
haVi0r Of the Woman. IS.

B. Mrs. Martha Grinder who may be Justly
termed the Borgia ofmodern times, expia-
ted her enormous crimes upon the gallows,.
at Pittsburg, on Friday Inst. The murder
for which This woman pays the death PEN
atty, was comitted in Allegheny Pa, in
the latter part ofJuly and beginning of Au-.
gust. 1865. b Her victim was Mary Caroline
Caruthers, wife of James S. Caruthers.-
She was first taken sick on the evening of
! the .27th of last June, being affected with
dizziness, nausea, intense pains In the heart,
&c. DGfing her terrible Sullerings none
we're more attentive than Mrs. Grinder,
who occupied the house adjoining the one
oinI which Mrs. Caruthers dwelt. Mrs. Car
uthers recovered from this first violent at :
tack, which was, however, followedby sinll-
lar. .symtoms, and the attending poyslcian
advised her to go into tho country for
time. This advice was acted upon, and,
during her absence from Pittsburg Mrs.
Caruthers enjoyed excellent health! But
upon her return to Pittsburg, Nj RS. Grinder
recommended her kind attentions Of bring
I ing food &C., and Mrs. Cardthors was again
iseiaedwith symptoms as before. I94Her case case
was given up as hopeless and her motbor
was. sent for That lady, arrived on the
2Sth ofJuly, and eating Of the food furnish
ed by Mrs. Grinder, she, was seized with
the same illness as that which afflicted her
daughter. 0nthe Grst day OF August, Mrs.
Caruthers died. During the preparations
= for the funeral none were more attentive
and useful than the murderesS, and she
exhibited so much kindness and sympathy
to the bereaved husband and mother of the
deceased, as to completely dlsarm all suspir
cion. 7ai s9itiFi h2ih~ si''.i ~ 7o n,
% Atlength having sent bowl Of poison.
ed soup to neighbor with SIX children
who all partook Of the food and qsickened;.
suspicion was attached to Mrs. Grinder, and
ADMINISTRATION instituted. Is The body OF
| Mrs. Caruthers wasexhnmed, and achemlc..
lialanalysis Of the stomach Inexperienced
lachemists revealed large quantities ofarseenp. !.
I9ic and antimony.9 Mrs. Grinder was arrest
| ed and brought to trial, and on the Zoth
of October; She was found.guilty Of murder
| in the first degree. During her trial, ana
at the rendition of the verdict, she eSnipit-
| ed the utmost GOODNESS and eomposure,
lseeming careless spectator, rather Lnan u
prisoner on trial for her life,aa w ME 10,
cafcerated she showed great courage anu
Efortitude, and did not seem at oil impressed
1 with, the horrors OF her sitpatiop. 9ne
Mas visited almost daily by her husband.
Besides the crime Of which she was con-
| vviicted. another case was brought to light,
I that az Miss Jane A. Buchanan, employed
! ,os a. domestic in Mrs. Grinders family
She had accumulated q little money. Inc
4 llfirst attempt to poison her was made Feb
Iar,,a 18th 1864. y On February 2Stf she
,pdied. The body was exhumed August 28th
4 1865. and showed evidences OF poisoning.
| Another charge lodged against the con,
Idemnedl is for the poisoning OF Samuei
j Grinder, her hrother-in- law. 50 His body wa was
\ exhnmed and poison found therein. The
4 Union is entertained by some intelligent
Il Iueoplefhat Mrs. Grinder was amonomanlac
i IN The subject of homicides, and conse-
.lg0uehtly did not commit murder. with any
u criminal intent. In accordance with this
DEMONSTRATION a commission was appoint
ed to examine into her condition, who un-
/ q, ni n,imously agreed that there. was pp trace
/, ,nf insanity in lherdnl sff.ife9 ~ o. xgt .s.f
III ~ he sentence of the law was earned into
! afsen at fifteen minutes past one, o'clock
| Tn !, scene was sad,i solemn and deeply
1 itn,Spes ssive oDe.d The only person present
sbd & u. med to be rot ins the least afected
Iva ! was tho .mufderess herself Mrs, Grinder
vas grasd dgesA ed in q brown alapaca dress trim
4 med med, around the neck and down the fron'
kw;th ,whitGsla lace, lightly made kid slippers
Esnll white stockings. She took q seat pro
1iN;aed lssr her on the .scaifold, and remained
entirely hmmoyed while q prayer was being