Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-11-22
Tragedy in California.

the following particulars of the assassination OF
Judge A. p. Crittenden, in California, one of
the ablest lawyers in that State -
Judge Crittenden had crossed over to Oak
land to meet. his wife and daughters, who had
been East for several months, and was return
ing with them and his two sons to this city in
the ferryboat Ell Captain when the tragedy DC
CURED. Mr.. Critteadcn was seated outside
of the saloon on the upper deck, with his back
against the wheel-house, his wife nestled
closely by his side. Close to them was their
little son, and few feet further back was
seated Miss Crittcnden, young lady of about
eighteen.
To the left, with her back to the saloon,
aud facing Miss Grittenden, sat woman alone
by herself, dressed in loose snit of black
with long cape hung from her shoulders,
under which she carefully concealed her hands.
There was, besides. THICK veil over her face,
large muller which concealed her mouth
and chin She sat there almost unnoticed
and unobserved by any one. although two or
three remarked that she must be an invalid
from the way she was bundled up and thought
it strange she should be sitting outside in the
cold, raw air of November evening. The
boat had scarcely reached deep water when
the sharp crack of pistol was heard, which
brought everybody to their feet 1t was
frightful scene. There on the floor,
scious of all that surrounded him, lay George
Crittenden. His wife had tainted away, and
his daughter was on her knees, with cusped
hands, crying out bitterly, Papa. speak to me;
oh, speak to me once more You will not
die, will you, papa 2" But lie did not answer;
only low, gurgliug sound was heard, as if the
wounded mau gusping for breath. He
st.,fa
when lie died.
The murderess Mrs. Fair, is a tall, slight
woman, and there are traces in her face which
indicate that she was once beautiful. She
advanced upon Mr.. Crittendeu with u nerve
and GOODNESS worthy of Wilkes Booth, placed
the pistol within two feet Of his breast, fired,
dropped the pistol upon the deck, and rau,
getting iuto the crowd Of passengers.
The ball entered Mr.. Crittcnden's right
breast under the nipple He sat for Il few
seconds as if nothing had happened to him,
aud then rose and fell senseleSS to the fl nor.
1t was done so suddenly that neither his wife,
nor son, nor daughter, who were near him,
could realize what had occurred until they saw
him PROSTATE and bleeding before them.
1t was fully five minutes before the MUIR
deress was discovered, and then she was found
standing in a cool and collected manner amon,
the crowd usually on the evening boat. On
being charged with the deed, she admitted it
Immediately, saying, L did it, certuiuly.-
Yes, / did it. I was looking for the clerk Of
the boat to give myself up
Parker Crittenden. the son. who was on the
lower deck at the time Of the deadly attack; on
being informed of it. he said Immediately, Il
know who did it; knew it would come to
this" He was terribly excited aud when he
came face to face with Mrs. Fair it was with
difficulty he could be prevented from wreaking
his rcvcngefu wrath upon her. Mrs. Fair
was arrested and was conveyed to the city
prison. Here she become violent that it
was necessary to send for Il medical man TO de-
wise some means of quoting her. lie admin
| istcrcd stimuIents, but they rather increuaed
than lessencd her rawlings. At one time u
! glass of water was given her, when she took
the glass between her teeth and crushed it to
pieces a large piece got into her mouth, and
had the physician not been very quick she
would have swallowed it; but he cought her
by the throat and forced the glass from her
mouth.
Mr.. Crittenden is nephew of the late Hon.
J. j. Crittenden, of Kentucky, and was one
of the most prominent citizens of this city
AS lawyer he had few equals and no supe-
riors among those practicinS i'll San Francisco.
His opinions upon any question were generally
considered to be the law.
The woman whose desperate deed has star
tied the community is one whose character is
we'll known to Californians. Her maiden name
is said to have been Lane. and the first known
of her in this State was when she became the
wife of Colonel William i. Fair, at one time
sheriff of Sacramento county. a gentleman of
| ack nowledged accomplishments and of consid-
cradle wealth. So infatuated was he with her
that every caprice and within of hers was graf
flied, and in few years she had squandered
his splendid fortune. But when he Became n
bankrupt she cast him off and took up with
another man. Fair was Il man of tender SEN
| sibilities, and so deeply did his disgrace wear
on him that one night in 1858 he entered the
! Office of DR.. Murphy. an intimate friend, aud
| after remaining few minutes, took out pts
tol and shot himself dead. After this Mrs.
! Fair married again. was divorced, married
again, and left the State.
The relations Of Crittenden with Mrs. Fair
we're no secret in his family or among his nu-
merous friends. They were often seen to-
| gether in public places, and the fact of their
intimacy was notorious. For several years
! they appeared to have been uninterrupted,
| but at last he seems to have determined to
| break it eff. When she married with Snyder
! he and his friends thought the trouble was
| ended, but after the divorce she seems to have
! determined to renew her relations with him.
He remained fixed in his determination to get
rid OF her, and counseied with some Of his
friends as to the method he ought to pursue.
He was advised to rcpeI her at once and for
over II seems to have thought she would
in that event, kill herself, and unpleasant dis
closures would ensue: She threatened to
commit suicide if he left her. He even went
away from his place of residence to avoid her,
and she was told not to come to his Office
All his efforts to escape from the tolls were
fruitless. Even the night before the tragedy
| .Lo,, ,r,-a - oonh o,Lar'c nnmr,uv Ha tolE