New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-04-28
THE STORY or LAURA FAIR.

THE SIOBI OF Lid UNA RAM
Never were forty minutes better spent than
nv the twelve men who, in San Francisco,
Wednesday afternoon, decided the guilt OF the
woman who calls herself Laura Fair. For
careers less loaths0me, Borgia and Brlnvllhers
are SYNONYMS of womanish atrocity. We are
no believers in the practice of hanging, but
so long as that method is adopted as the
highest expression of the justice Oh the age,
we see no reason why a rational woman
who does deliberate murder should not suffer
the penalty equally with her fellow-man. But
we note the universal land creditable) shrink
ing from the hanging Of a woman as one OIL
the strong arguments against prescribing 10Y
this crime punishment that cannot be en-
forced Are we to hold that deliberate muir
derers of the male sex should be
hung, while equally guilty ones, who
being women, have fallen lower to
reach that depth, should mott Is it
wise to bring law into contempt by disregard
ing it7 Or is it wise to have law the exc
cution of which, in a case like this, will shock
the sense of the civilized world, and
make even good men hate ltf Guilty as
is Laura Fair, she is woman. She may pos
siby be brought to the gallows-thOugh we
greatly doubt it; but her presence there will
make more clear to all the barbarism of hang
ing-the need of some punishment for murder
that does not make the chances In favor OF
escape for such as her 80 enormous.
The lesson from the career OF this woman
cannot be emphasized by minute details of
her crimes, hence the full record OF the
trial has found no place in our columns.
Her life, however, is too strongly suggest
i've to be passed without glance. She
was born in Alabama and, through poverty
and neglect, reached wOmanhoOd without
knowing the wholesome atmosphere Of home.
The family removed to New-Orleans when
Laura was sixteen, and here the girl re-
solved to enter the world under new
circumstances. Bright in mind and ex-
ceedngly comely in person, she soon
found full investment for her capital
She caught rich husband. She was eighteen
and he was eighty. His senile jealousy drove
her to the remedy of divorce; but while the
action was pending the dOtard died in deIirians
tremens, and the adventures found herself the
mistress of an ample fortune. She married
within month, and in less than three was the
widow of suicide. With the semblances of
decent sorrow fresh upon her, she took another
husband, Col. Fair, and the fortune of the
first running low, she emigrated with this one
to Virginia City, Nevada, where she set up
hostelry styled the 81 air House, The anna
bic Colonel made way for some one else by
blowing his brains out and the ineorrigible
widow, stated with her matrimonial ventures,
essayed fame and fortune on the San Fran
cisco stage. Hers were the arts, however,
which do not show to full advantage on the
mimic scene, and her first appearance as Lady
Ieasle was also her last. One conquest she
made was the final cause of the present scandal
She captivated the susceptible heart of A. P. Crit
tenden, an ex-Judge and an eminent lawyer
Practicing all the arts of a matchless cunning,
she lured him from wife and home, robbing
him meantime of all she could get. With his
money she pensioned her mother comfortably
and reestablished herself in the Fair House in
Virginia City. While still intriguing with
Crittenden she met some one else possessed
of money and made herself his wife. Without
identity or apparent purpose this fourth " hus-
"band. fits aimlessly across the hide0ns
scene. It suited the within Of Jezebel to re-
move this Naboth that she might make her
way into a neighbOring vineyard, so she shot
him. This, at any rate, was candid; but even
Nevada Justice frowned at it, and the enchant~
ress was brought to trial. She was defended
by Crittenden SO eloquently and ably that the
Judge seems to have forgotten the law and the
Jury the facts, for she was trumphaAtly ac-
quilted.
The favorite Of fortune and favored OF JUS
tice supported her melancholy widowhood a few
months, and in 1868 made new marriage
feast, taking TO her arms a man OF douDtiui
morals but undoubted wealth, who figures OH
the scene as Snyder" She looked upon ony-
der's money, Us it was good; she looked upon
Snyder, and thought that Crittenden was pe''ei'
Tired of the sanguinary method, she gave
SNYDER the choice of q divorce, ana ne ann
able man, furnished situation WHICH, wien
brought into court achieved legal Separa-
tions within a month.
Crittendep during these matrimonial Trans
6gurations still maintained his tatuous devo-
ton IN the adventures. He gave her some
thing like $4,000 altogether. AT the time OF
the SNYDER episode he, however, seems to
have realized the part he was playing. lie
.ent for his wife and family, and meantime
informed Mrs. Fair that he could have moth |
inc more 10 do with her. She flooded him |
with letters and denunciation. She threat |
ened I'm exposure of his relations with her. |