New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-08
HESTER VAUGHN.

1AHklSBI hAr, DCt' ts--ANO LuiAhOi "NNi'i ''"
been taken the Of hester Vaughn. No death
warrant has yet issued by Governor that no
repreve Is necessary. Gov Geary has Informed Hester
Vaughn that he will enforce the sentence OF the
Court He believes however, that she deserves some
punishment and he will ask to commute her sentence 10
a of imprisonment though, OF course, the question
of pardon Is still uader advisement Jay Cooke and VIM
G. Moorehead have pledged themselves to defray the
expenses Of return England should she be par
dOned.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 7.-Hester Vaughn made
the following affidavit on Saturday morning:
l. Hester Vaughn, inmate OF the Moyamensing
Prison under sentence for infantcide being duly swor
dep0se that during the whole course Oh my la
and subsequently thereto, when the counsel Mr. john
Gofortb made a motion for trial Tor me, and ar
ecd the same was entirely satisfied with his efforts in
my behalf and greatly indebted TO him Tor the var
uable aid he gave have read the following from
THE NEw-YoRK TRIBUNE "A lawyer came to her and
said Hester, will defend you; will bring you ont OF
this sorape clean as whistle H2% mch money naes
p0u In her innocence she replied $50 GIVE IL TO me.
lie received the money and then never came me near Teo
until he met her IN Cors the day Oh er tIa us nr
IS GOforth." And IL II not true. Mr. HOiVrtn never
visited me In my cell previous 70 my tftai n'e ~
had any conversation Win nm apouI nohe' The be
all He asked me Tor money -, Ihe e
only complaint have against him Is, that he dld not
visit in my cell before trial but he ara see me
court when brought up, before the rl anu spoao
confer about nv witnesses he ought 10 have visited
me m prison before the trial. thlnk 40 the c.hSel ol
woman In another cell visited hereyeTy day. A GgioII
Lrough forth all the witnesses had who could nave
lcped me IN my lie got all the evidence hu VI
COuld 10 lOlp me. 40 loi lblh lHV hithN''N'
me swore truly but am sorry If gave any one the lu-
preston that r Goforh dad not do all be could for me
never gave him any money gave u to an object "
Eet lawyer lOr me- anu ~ sO' '4'' HESTER vAuoHN.
Sworn and subscribed before this 5ih day Of Deem
Der, A. D. 1863. l.. CLARKE DAVIS Notary RUNE g..
The following "a the substance Of affidavit sworn 10
'i have never told any one who was the father OF my
child, but have repeatedly sad that the gehITnhh n
with whom lived Us servant at JenkutoYn was h0t tue
father; Its father not ntcn& AT ~, gut laDot
ug man; do not know II he Is married. nave noI
heard since have been here that he was marTSa,
heard Of him after he did the ac' AHo"
| nothing about him at all"
Letters certifying Mr. Goforh's faithful conduct o.
the case OF Hester Vaughn from Judge Alison Judge
ludlow the Hon W. y. Mann and Judge Pierce are also
printed Mr. Mann says: The evidence upon the trial
disclosed these facts On Saturday night, last Febru
ary q policeman was informed that child had been
killed IN house the northern part OF the City OF PHla
dcphia lie visited the house ana " the tia S
room was the dead body OF newborn babe Inc COIO
ner's py slcan, DIR. shapeeic. made p9sfm9rte" exc
violence the cause being from Injuries about the head
iSr' swsrtz. who went Tor the policeman, testified
ard buried but he felt it to De his duty to 90 TO
| the statiOnhoUse and make report; lAat hesteI
| lad lived some time In this thIrd.story room; that
hu noticed she pregnant, and that when she hau
had his little boy IN her arms he had said 90 her
Next year You WIN have boy, and she REPLIED
hone not :" that on the Saturday that the ehi.d
| was discovered he was In HestcTs room, ana ne slu
laid yau were not" He then asked her where the child
4he " had none lie sam, VIZ
find IT," lie then went OUT saying nc NohI Key pn!
clan and police officer His wife then called nun OAeH,
when Hester said she had child aua wanted nun 10 ss.
box ana bury H. which lie refused 10 40 ana went "
Mr. swartz tcstiHcd that on Friday morning. about
ing on The bed and said her, Hester. you'd better
take cup Of coffee" she then heard baby cry; sue
gave Hester the coffee, VINO tod her 20 go OUT al w
room and back a!irr while; she thc went 0n OF
fhc room aud did not come back Tor Whle caileu rs
Ktocr, and went bnck Gt ID 0cloch sdrA heeie CT
ronorated the testimony ot Ars bNarz ana sald cue
called me 10 her at O'Clock curdny htefnoohl'
tnid her inust 20 ~ stairs, that had work 10 do.
When afterward went down she told me 20 slt down;
where IL she id u wus under the head ol the Den
nsked her To let me see ii che said u had been eIo
saturday night; she said To What shall 30 e. she
an noI T, Va 70 , IL be- Known TO the people in tho
house Hester Vaughn said this; she said, III you Will
take II away will give you al have 50 that people
can't Ind il out" Size showed mel wasd dead She said
when Mi swartz and myself brought her cup OF coffee
n the morning she fell back ON her child and killed ~
She said II was nine O'Clock when the child was born She
wanted 20 take the child 1lp my room ana she would
put her clothes and take the child somewhere. so no
Mr. Mann continues Your motion in arrest Of iudg.
ment aud argument for new tra ana the persistence
! with which you chung 10 your client are IN strange
the idea Of abandonment as charged against
you, aud give You credit Tor M the Insertions Nhcn
know you have since been making TO alleviate her dls
trcss aud possibly TO ultimately effect her rSl'erance.
The Interview between the Committee OF the WORKING
womon's Association and Gov Geary Is described as
While their reception was marked with every personal
courtesy and hospitality their interference with the al
OF Justice ana tile exercise OF III ms
state plainly and p0intedy rebuked, "a IL deserved
The Governors admirable reply To the appeals othe New
| York Committee, was substantially ~ foliOws
ladies' very happy to receive You but the pur-
pose Of meeting and visit here has been ancl
pated by thousands OF phlnnthroplo and humane
people of Pennsyyau who have quietly but earnestly
acted In tho matter. having spoken III Dehat OF
this unfortunate long time ago. lie hoped
thcro would be no further proceedings their part.
IA ne believed he thoroughly understood the case Of
Hester. Vaughn, and had accordingly already made
up his mind and the fact Of his having so long with
held the death warrant should certainly have salts
fled those whose sympathies bad been excited that
sufficient reasons had been presented TO him to
| prevent the execution OF the sentence of the
Court The Governor added that he had taken great
pains To ascertain all the circumstances connected
with the lie feared the people OF New-lork were
not so well informed of all the facts The first week after
had been passed upon Hester Vaughn he sent
special messenger 10 her CELL rhe she Frankly confessed
her guilt All she has asked for repreye, aud that
might be questioned In regard TO the author OF her
shame No persuasion would induce her TO tell who was
There was no necessity for further agitation OF this
question; it might only inure the cause OF the un.
| fortunate prisoner. The people OF this state had
| taken tho matter In hand. and would see that
all would be right The Governor assured his visitors
| that he would never sign Hester Naughns death
warrant. lie hoped no more money would DO solicited
In New York 10 dcfrny her expenses IA sucl contrbu
tons entirely unnecessary Two phianthroPc gem
tlemcn In this state had assured HIM that they would
gladly pay the expenses OF voyage To her friends III
| England. in tho event OF her pardon"
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