The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-08-22
BRIDGET DURoIN.s

Pea PheteSraph aud Phrenolosical Exam.
inatisn Of the Msfdsress BY = Weman's
Rights Woman.
The following letter rom Nm. Elizabeth Cakes Smith.
the famous wcmans rights lecturer detailing the
physical appearance and physognomy Of the murdersss
Bridget Durgn. who 10 70 b executed In New Jersey,
next week, w nnd IN the Grssnport tLens Island)
WatcAmGa;-
wish to New Brunswick, NJ j., Afforded me an
opportunity 70 Bridget Durgin the convicted
dsress Of Mrs. Ccrisll whose case has excited great
mind brief account OF the miserable grI may not be
without interest 10 your readers.
prisons In various parts Of the country, not nom NOR.
Dd ana idle curosity but that may the better under.
stand my own ssx n every aspect In which they may
social relation il fashionable Me base their jadg-
have sometimes discerned true, noble wonianhood
amid poverty, misery, and even in PRISON csNs
h 2, sSs nd
:sy % eoacs =! real acsioss and g have me fo5
are Dot more clearly defined than are those Of Bridget
i}slsd the g 70 the door Thor cell, where
tSink she doss this IA. secret, indoiisbis drsad-t
nay Be Of herseiI she was neat In person, her hair
conSsa cc,s 70 her nssa whoh gives me observer an
she rs large in the base Of tho bSan and swsss out ever
the ears. where destructyebess and secrevsneps
lest, ideaty, and moral sentiment s small Hor texture
temperament all are coarse hair and scanty,
forehead naturally corrugated and low concave
and square al the postrs leaving very long upper lin
she can look no one in the face for moment her
winking and wagering constantly. They open across,
not below, the ball, and the pupil Is uncommoniv small
shoud say she would be naturally dim. sighted II Is
purely the eye Of reptile In shape and expression. The
jaws are large and heavy but the mouth small think
another such mouth would not be found in ten thou.
sand-narrow gums, cat-like in shape, with pointed
teetb The whole person e heavy inclined to fun0ss,
and the hands No eom l,ow have n
dangerous oOk-for hands, well faces have expires.
son The character Of Bird GETS faco Is suen and yet
wears mixed expression OF anxiety, to distress.
The line OF the mouth, as OF tho eyeds, is obque.
There Is not character Of beauty, in the lowest
degree about the girl not ray OF sentiment nothing
genuine, hardly human except n weak, sometimes q
bitter emile The wonder ia that any housokeeper should
,na sam. n "are ~ s an cea
Office in Brooklyn and that refused 10 talk with
one SO repusive In appearance.
looked upon Bridget Durgin without prejudice, aud
describe her without exaggeraon She born without
moral responsible ity, Just a. much as the tiger the
is the duty Of wise, humane and lust legislator
in her case Thai che IL dangerous TO q CON-
I mSnsy Nigh. have been been easily seen before she
to DO permitted to prev upon IL again less evident
But whether II right tn take irresponsible morally
In making the under which she will suffer
nnd hang her by the neck Til she dead is question
for advanced civilization TO consider
in this ] observe the women are unanimous in
the feeling for 10 hardly an opinioDl that she ought
10 be hung Many believe that housekeepers will not be
safe unless example be made in this atrocious
case There is little doubt that the law will have its
course in regard to her, and perhaps 10 most cases Of
crime il 10 better 10 lei ii do and il s features
pugnant TO benign legislation, repeal the obnoxious
features
i is most probable that when Bridge. end her
pce first made their attempt At tho house OF Dr. Cornell
the object 70 rob but having been detected and
perhaps resisted by the unfortunate deceased Brdgsts
seroccus instincts At took re and she then had
no more power 70 resist them spAn tiger rolling itself
in the blood oftts prey.
consider her one Of deep ana painful interest
apd hope that we'll dehned may toad the public
mind 10 q consideration Of tire question Of capital pun
shment 10 me Il Ne cruel relic Of barbarian which
ought to be expunesd from legal code; but there
many points beside this upon which our people need
great and thorough investigation.
Bridget a naturally snlien and tacturn, and upon the
crime Of which she lie convicted totally reticent She
thanked me for some little expressions OF Kindness
and even tried 10 look in ny face, saying Ladies
don't often talk kind TO me-they say I ought IN be
hung and they glad am going 10 he hung" &c.
do not think she fully realizes hor fate. shc knows tho
fact Of her oopdemnaon. but bang devoid Of al inn
aginaton 10 unable TO bring n papably her minds
eye When the nna crsis errves and she behclds the
parapherIalia OF death, have great fesrs for her
Yours, respectfully Il. CAKES SMITH.