The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-12-23
Sad Story Of an Unfortunate We
man.

| nc sto's vi tfeSter uu@nan, the 0n-
happy woman who now lies in a Philadel.
phia prison under sentence of death, was
related on Tuesday evening at Cooper
Union, n. Y, to large and respectable
audience. The Sun of that city says the
touching circumstances in the case, the i'm
probability of her guilt, the horrors of her
situation and pitiabie condition called forth
earnest appeals for sympathy in her behalf,
and united'eforts from every side to save
her from the terrible fate to which she has
been sentenced. The history of this poor
girl is briefly told: er
| She was born in Worcestershire, Euc-
land, was married, and came to this ,coun-
try. Only twenty-three years old, she has
a glrlish figure, sweet, intelligent face,
laughing brown eyes, earnest mouth and
loving lips, the very picture of Innocence.
Her fathers name is Vaughan, aud his
affection for her did not end by her. mar
Ifiase and departure to another country.
She arrived here with her husband. Henry
Harris, in 1866, but found tina, he belong
ed to another, and she went, in her distress
and Loneliness, to Pottsville, Pa, and pro-
cured place ns servant girl ard then as
dairymaid. Soon crisis came in her lie.
She fell q victim, not TO her own weakness
or passion, but to the brute force and
devilish lust Of a bad man. A short tinrc
utter she went to Philadelphia, and in the
depths of last Winter. in lone room,
without mother, sister, friend or attendant,
gave birth to a Child. She suffered the
agonies of her condition for hours together
and although she would cry for aid, nome
come to her in season. She found, as soon
as strength came to her, that her child was
dead. z, .'t
Some German woman in the house, after
forty hours, discovered her situation and
attended to her wants. The authorities
were called in, the coroneris physician do.
clared that the child had been killed from
the marks Of violence on its head, and tho
woman was arrested, tried, and ON The evil
dence was found guilty OF murder and sen:
fenced to be hanged. For ten months sha
has lain in prison, five of them under the
dread sentence of death. All this time no
friend went to see her, no one took any in
terest in her, nor n,i1istured ~ lac, wants.
until Mrs. DR.. Smith, OF Philadelphia,
hearing of the peculiar circumstances of her
case, befriended her.
More recently the New York Working
Women's Associations attention was call:
ed to the situatian Of the girl. and the
meeting at Cooper Union was held 10 her
behalf Horace Greeley presided. Vice
presidents--ex-Mayor Hoffman, Mrs:
Greenough. Madame Demotest, Mrs. Will
der, Mrs. CFoly, Secretaries-Mrs Phelps,
Mrs. Sackett, Miss Lugire.
The meeting was opened BY short ad-
dress from Mr. Greeley. He said that he
hoped tile object for which they had as
sembled would not be prevented. 1t was
exceedingly necessary that We should sep
arate all abstract questions ofcnpital pun
ishment from this individual case. It
seems clear that friendless, feeble person
is under sentence for crime which may
not have. been committed by her. He
thodght that an appeal to the Governor of
Pennsylvania would be effectual. Zap
plause.l sFm ~ ~
Miss Anthony read some resolution of
the Working Woman's Association, in
effect: 81. .5a0 s5
l. That women shall 10 tried by their
peers.
2. That the death penalty, hideous
enough when inflicted ON man, becomes
loubly SO in the ease of woman.
8. That capital punishment should not
be tolerated, and the gallows be forever
banishcd. {Applause.)
A memorial was also read, addressed to
Governor Geary, of Pennsylvania; praying
that either a stay of proceedings be order
ed in the case Of Hester Vaughan aud a
new trial ordered. or that she he uncondi-
tionally pardoned. fApplause)
The first regular speaker was Mrs: Eirke:
She gave detailed account of Hester
Yaughan's case as given above, and closed
with q fervcnt appeal to women to urge
forward to their proper position in tho
community. Here remarks were loudly
nppianded.
Mrs DR.. Lozier followed, and gave her
professional opinicn on the condition of
the woman, and stated that her defence at
law was stability conducted, and that no
plea of puerperial mania was entered by
her lawyer. 1t was not certain but that
tho child was born dead; the girl in her
struggles after the birth might hese in
jured the child unconscionsly. The-spcak-
or was fully satisfied Of the girls limo.
cence.
Mrs. Stanton read a well written speech:
going over the facts of the case, and claim-
ing, in conclusion; every right for woman
that man enjoys.
Parker Pillsbufy made q strong and
pointed address OH the woman question.
as did also Ernestina L. Rose, who advo-
Gated the abolition of capital punishment
A collection for Hestes Vaughn, in cas6
she is partloned, WIS taken up, and the
amount collected was over $500.
The resolutions and memorial were unan-