Wilmington journal., 1871-07-14
From the Capital.
THE BEAUTIFUL MURDEREss.
Sketch OF Laura Fair.

The time is approaching very near for
the execution of the sentence of death up
on Mrs. Laura d. Fair, and unless the
Executive pardon be interposed, Califor-
MIA will witness fer the first time within its
history the ext cutlon of a woman BY hang
| ing Well mi x ht the victim excIu i'm els
| it possible tnat a woman of my face and
| firm Can ever be hung ?" Il must be con
fessr d 1t looks extreme:y y like it and 1t l.
| safe to say, should she sentence bo carried
| out, that she will not be the only one that
| will be sur prised.
TO one who lived in that community
during the war and anterior TO it, realizing
| the almost unlimited i-smunity guar
| teed to female, especially one 50 super
| latively beautiful as was Mrs. Fair. it set ms
incredible that jury could be found that
| would convict her Of murder in the first
degree I possibly can only be account
ed Tor because of tie defiant aui ude as
summed by her aft.r the deed, AID her
too openly mamie ed col fdeDce in Ht d
presumption upon that feelL E # tolerance
toward woman. no matter how culpable
she might be 50 strong IN the nature OF
every Californian. Doubtless, too, q
strong argument with that jury consisted
in the unlver, al feeling Of 8 mpathy for
he family of Cri tenden. NJ s. Fair was
very b. autifui i'll person, nor was her mind
de6cieuL in those Qualities that add to
personal charms. Without beiug educat-
ed, save as to music, in which she was most
ACCOMPLISHED, she had vivacity of man
ner and spriRhtlinesH Of intellect that IT,
vested her with a more than passing in
forest She possesst thu faculty en-
tertaining men at once, ana on seeing her
amidst several gen5lem n, and observing
the facility with which SHE could leap as 1t
were from Gurject 10 subj7ct coud not
b. 10 but realIZe that, willie she did not
possess the most compreheL sive knowledge
of the various topics, she at leasi was "a
very clever" woman. She Was one of
those persons who desired to Interest gen
tlemen only. she cared DOtll g for The
oplniou of her OVID sex, posse sed maLy
good traits of character, and lid ed Was,
b. cau- of such good qualities, euabfed to
cap1ivate such d man as Judge Critiendeu.
Mrs. Fair eight years ago Was in person
remarkable A blonde IF most exquisite
com plexion, the fairness OF her SKIN n-ver
gave room for q donbt tDst art ha aide
in any way she bad fine dark eyes, with
long dropping lashes, and fOrm Of per
feet proportions. Addol to this she pos
sessed great taste in dress 1ncl1niDg to
the subdu. d colors for the promenadss s in
the evening, the rich and elegant style
characteristic of the Weaithler and oetter
cl,ss-not that it must be supposed to
bs meant that she belonged to either. for
shs did not. While she WAS still living
With MIR. Fair, In the incipiency OF her
Haso7a With Crittendep, she visited San
francisco several times. not openly in his
company. but ostensibiy put ing up alone
at the most stylish hotel, aud creating that
f,trore which only a womsn of her elegance
and beauty could do. During these visits
sbe occasionally appeared at some of the
most fashionable balls and concerts If at
o ball, her superb apparel, magnih-
cent form and besntiful faos were the
event of the evening; if at concert she
was more observed Than the performers
Her tame vas so well kuoWn that when she
apps arsd the effect upon her own sax
could oaly be compared to that produced
by the sudden appearance OF the daring
e0rsair amidst the convoy; such a clo,iDg
mn of ranks and uumaskIng of batteries,
in order that husbands mignt be more ef-
fectually protected. Bot. alas 1t was Of
ten too evident that the aforesaid nus