Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-07-12
LAURA FAIRS DEATH SENTENCE

Chairman
LAURA FAIRS DEATH SENTENCE.
Moving Scene In Court Room.
The telegraph has already advised
that the death. warrant of Laura Fair.
murdcress of A. p. Criliendon, Esq,
in California, has been signed by the
Governor, and is in tho hands Of tho
Sheriff Of San Francisco. In all Judi
clal executions that have taken place
in California of late years. the Sheriff
or his chief deputy has drawn the
fatal bolt The law provides for no
special eXecutioner. but directs that
the sheriff or one of his deputies shall
perform the office. The present Sher
if of San Francisco is a merchant in
good standing, and his chief deputy is
a gentleman who had been for many
years a notary public Tho San
Francisco papers of the 9TH instant
report the scene in the court room on
the occasion of passing the death sen.
,encc. AT the conclusion of the ar
gument by Mrs. Fairs counsel on
motion in arrest of Judgment and for
a new trial, the court remarked to the
district attorney that reply was un-
necessary, ard proceeded to dispose Of
the points made in support Of the mo-
ton, and in conclusion said:
The case has been carefully tried
Tho prisoner has had every advan-
tage, in my opinion, that tho law could
give. The case, that should have
been tried inside of ten days. occupied
n month before a verdict was render
ed 1t is true. ! am convinced that
the jurors acted honestly and consci-
entiously. 1t now only remains for
me to pass
THE SENTENCE,
the saddest duty of my life.
Mr.. Campbell--Ircnew ifyour honor
please, my motion for Judgment upon
the verdict.
Mr.. Cook-I wish to have permis
sion on Monday to file my grounds of
exception. nuHc pro tune
The Court-Laura d. Fair: You
were indicted by the grand jury of the
city and county of San Francisco OF
the crime Of murder, for the unlawful
killing of Alexander p. Crittendcn.
That indictment was sent to this court
for trial. You were furnished with
an impartial jury. Yon were ably de-
Tended by counsel. That jury pro.
nounced yon guilty. Have you any
legal cause to show why the Judgment
of the court should not be pronounced I?
A silence as of death rcigned in the
court room, broken only by the sob.
bing of the ladies who sat by Mrs
Fair within the bar. Mrs Lane, her
mother, wcpt bitterly. The prisoner
who had sat with her head buried in
her mothers lap during the first por.
tion of the courts remarks, had par
TALLY recovered her composuro, and
now sat upright, with her eyes closed,
aud her face pale and emotionless as
q marble statue. She made no re.
sponse, and did not even appear to be
conscious of the question asked her.
After painful pause of a few mo-
ments the judge, whose voice trembled
with emotion, said
"Your silence indicating that you
have nothing to offer, the Judgment of
the court is that on Friday, the
Mr.. Cook dntcrrupting)-lf your
honor please, we hope that you will
place the day Of execution as far dis.
tant--
The Court (intcrrupting)-on Fri
day, the 2S'h day
Mr.. Cook (interrupting)-Wo hopo
your honor will delay the day of exc.
cution as long
The Court Gnterrupting)-That is
what | am going to do. The judg-
ment of the court is that you be re
manded into the custody of the sher.
III, and that on Friday the 2Sth day
of July next, You by the Sheriff ap-
pointed, be hung by the neck until
you are dead, and may God have
mercy on your soul.
The scene in the court room from
the commencement of tho remarks by
the judge was one of intense interest.
The room was not crowded, the gen.
eral public opinion being that the case
would not be decided until this even.
ing. AT the very opening of the lips
of the court the spectators aud the
prisoner felt that the motion was to
be denied. The prisoner watched the
countenancc of the judge with the
most intense cagorness, and when he
remarked that he could see no ground
for u new trial, she buried her face in
her mothers lap and sobbed bitterly.
Her little daughter was not with her
As the judge proceeded she struggled
against emotion, and succeeded some.
what in overcoming IT, The sound Of
the judges trembling voice was only
broken by the sobs Of the women in
the court room
A SCENE OF EXCITEMENT.
AT the conclusion of the sentence,
the court having been adjourned and
nearly all the spectators having risen
TO their feet, Mrs. Fair and her moth
er being still seated, a gray haired
man, who had been seated within tho
lobby, advanced to the prisoner as II
to gain close look at her His in
ientions were no sooner made mani
fest than he was roughly grappled by
tho officers in attendance and pitched
rather than walked out of the court
room. IL appears that he desired not