The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-06
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN COURT.

y
20 MAUD Oliver was convicted at the Worces
er Assizes on Wednesday of the wilful muir
ge Uer oi her husband, Joseph Oliver. at Dudley.
ported
The Clerk Of Arraigns then in the usual
lorm, asked the prisoner If she had any rea-
soh to urge why sentence of death should not
pc passed upon her.
Pr1soner-I am not guilty, by my great
4 Ipod! May be allowed to explain the rea-
i son why that letter Ca communication that
mad been used in the course of the trial as
evidence against the prisoner) was sent to
MN If | may he permitted to state for my
self the reason, my lord and gentlemen, as
my great God witnesses for me, if 1 speak an
#untruth, o God (here the prisoner clasped
A4er hands soemnly, and cast her eyes up
&Tards), take my breath from me, and let me
dle before my enemies. The prisoner then
made an incoherent statement, which, so far
as could be gathered from her imperfectly
articulated expressions, and from the confu-
sion which prevailed in court, was to the
%etfect that Burgess had been put into the
county court, at Wolyerhampton, for some
money; that he had received some money
s from his mistress unknown to his MASTER
Who had latterly found it ont, and was going
send him to jail; that to raise G2 to save
i'm from being sent to jail, prisoner had
fawned a black silk dress, and raised
she gave to him; and Mrs. Whitehouse could
testify to the truth of this statement. Burgess
#fhad sent to her husband to say that there was
TO be an exhibition to be opened at Wolver-
q hampton, and if they were going over he
HWould go with them, but she had written to
him as well as she could, to say that her nus
band was dead. The prisoner continued
But as for administering poison to my hus-
band (hore she raised her voice and again
clasped her hands, great God, answer for me.
KIhou lnowest | am innocent Heavenly
d Father, of the charge they have brought
3&against me. And why dost Thou leave me in
this terrible hour of need? My God, | have
ftrusted in Thee. / have been wild and
wicked. / know; but. Heavenly Father, give
me strength. / never possessed such strength
3as have possessed since / have been cast
into prison. / never knew the power of my
Saviour until then; and although death is
TO be passed upon an innocent woman, Lord,
feceive my spirit; and although | am
found guilty by an earthly judge and
= Jury (here she raised her voice deiantly) my
great Judge and jury who are in heaven
'they will receive me to their home. L am
innocent in the sight of my God, and fear
pot what man can do unto me. What even
Though you should put me to death to-mor-
4 row, l would receive it cheerfully, my God,
y hs it has come from Thee: for now 1 am left
falone; my home is gone, my friends are far;
~ have but one, and that is He (pointing
hpwards). Lord, do not leave me in this
terrible hour. Lord, prepare me to meet
this trial. Thou knowest | am innocent.
Murder! 1 loved my husband God, Thou
lnowest | loved him. Yes, and he loved
me. Call his friends; call them who were
with him when he died What is the reason
this has been brought against me, o
God? (The prisoner here made another
rambling statement about her husbands
of ~
her husband because she could not
get some money that belonged to him. My
Sister sent me a letter to say that the best
Vthing | could do would be to leave my house,
for his mother intended to take half that [
had. After that l left and went to my fa-
theirs. On the day the inspector came to me
1t was at night. The girl came to me and
said there had been three persons after me. A
\ sergeant asked me, ''Is your name Mrs
4 oliver" and L said it was. He said, ''Are
+ YOU the widow of the late Mr.. Oliver?' (Here
kthe prisoner burst into tears. l said l was.
''Well," he said, II want to speak to you
said, '"Ihen go into my fathers house. He
said, 81 want you to be at an inquest on the
body of your husband, for there is doub;
about his death" ''What! a doubt about
my husbands DEATH YES" he
said, 'there is doubt, and
There is to be an inquest, and they
want you to be there" l said, IF you vii
find me a bed 1 will go with you tonight, fol
| have done nothing" And as l had a sister
there | went at once; but if it were now to
save my life to say had poisoned my hus
band, God forbid. These last four years
Nave had nothing but affection. have had
three doctors with me for nine months to-
rgether; one doctor paid G10, and my hus
Band paid G2 to DR.. Bart Davies, of Birming
ham, within the last twelve months. We
khad deal to pay to put some windows in
And we have had one expense after an
4other. My husband had an uncle, Mr.
James Oliver, of Dudley Port. He wa'
&receiving the rents, and could not ge
Ethem; and when l went to gather them ther,
- $were twenty five weeks due, but the people
- said they owed only three The none.
is gone and my husband had been i'll lonl
time Although he has been stated here t.
have been a strong man, he was not stroni
man, and was under the doctor-him that i
dead and gone now-up to the time that h
died He has been under DR. Cochrane an
two or three doctors in Birmingham, an
nnder DIR. Freer or Dr. Stewart of Wolvel
hampton. He was not a strong man, an
: Rlsed to take medicine, and his mother know
r jit. Now, if my lord is pleased to pass ser
tence of death upon an innocent woman,
- shall receive it as a blessing from God.
have no friend here to care for me but dea
- father-(here the prisoner burst into tears
which prevented her from continuing her re
marks further).
Mr. Baron Pigott, having assumed tn
black cap, addressing the prisoner, said
III Fanny Frances Oliver, you have been cor
Victed of the crime of wilful murder. 1t
at any time a very bad crime The murde
of buchaT1 &c tba pf which M