The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-05
THE BE4U1sUL MURDEREss.
Sketch Laura Fair.
[Frothe Capital.l

[Froihe Capital.l
! The time is apprehing very near for the
execution Of the seence of death upon Mrs.
Laura D. Fair; andhless the Executive par
don be interposed, !iitornia will witness tor
| the first time withiits history the execution
of a woman by hanpg. Well might the victim
exclaim "Is 1t poSle that q woman Of my
face and form can er be hungm It must be
confessed it looks eremely like 1t; and 1t Is
safe to say, should sentence be carried out,
that she will not behe only one that will be
surprised.
To one who livedl that community during
the war and anteril to 1t, realizing the al
most unlimited immunity guaranteed to
female, especially o so superlatively beauti.
full as was Mrs. Faint seems incredible that q
Jury could be toundhat would convict her OF
murder in the fradegree. It possibly can
only be accounted because OF the defiant
attitude assumed bSer after the deed, and
her too openly marAsted confidence In and
presumption upon tt feeling OF tolerance to-
ward woman, no hitter how culpable she
might be, 30 strg In the nature OF every
Californian. Doubts, too, q strong argument
| with that jury consted In the universal teel-
Ing Of sympathy forpe family Of Crittenden.
Mrs. Fair was veT beautiful IN person, nor
was her mind deIlent in those qualities
that add to person charms. Without be-
inc educated, saYeas to music, In which
she vas most accomIished. she had vivacty
of manner and spphtlliess OF intellect that
invested her with ailore than passing inter-
est. She possessedle faculty OF entertaining
many at once, and seeing her amidst sew
eral gentlemen, OF observing the facility
with Which she coulleap as it were from sub
Iect TO subject, coulhot help but realize that,
while she did not bssess the most compre-
henslve knowledge the various topics, she
at least was very Ileyer' woman. she was
one of those person who desired to interest
gentlemen only. Sc cared nothing for the
opinion of her own SZ, possessed many GOOD
traits of character, nd indeed was, because
OF such good qualies, enabled to captlVate
such man as Judd Crittenden.
Mrs. Fair eight ye;s ago was In person re-
markabe A blondj of most exquisite COM
pexion, the fairneS of her skin never gave
room for doubt tilt art had aided IN any
way; she had flne DIX eyes, with long droop'
ing lashes, and fon of perfect proportions.
Added to this she possessed great taste IN
dress; inclInlng to te subdued colors for the
promenades in thefvening. the rtcn ana ele,
giant style character tic of the weather. and
better class-not tha 1t must be supposed TO
be meant that she hlouged to either, for she
did not While she fas still living with MT.
Fair, in the incipienG of her liaisoH with Crit,
tenden, she visited San Francisco several
times, not openly his company, but oS-
tenslbly putting up lone at the most stylish
hotel, and creating hat yturore Whtca only
woman of her elegace and beauty coula ao;
During these visits de occasionally appeared
ut some of the most tshionable balls and con-
certs; If at a bail, hersuperb apparel, magnln
cent form and beautiil face, were the event o.
the evening; If at oncert, she was more oo
served than the perfdmers. Her fame was Sc
vel, known that wha.she appeared, the ettec
upon her own sex cclld only be compared II
that produced by tie sudden appearance
the daring corsair aildst the convoy; sucn
closing up OF ranks ad uumasking OF oatte
ries, lii order that husbands might be mor'
effsotually protected. But, alas 1t was Otter
too evident that the aoresald husbands rathe
inclined to strike thet eolors upon the first ap
pearance of The enemy.
In point Of persona resemblance, II Lyala
Thompson were liEle taller, more rounoec
and fuller in form, hh dark eyes and lashes
greater wealth of lair, she would oear.'
striking likeness 10 Mrs. Fair when at I'M
zenith Of her charms. Without these change
the talr Lydia closely resembles her, IN man
ner as well as person
Mrs. Fair never appeared to the writer lik'
woman who could BE- capable ofthe KINDS
OF any man, get she evidently was woman o
great determination of character, but OF
very caprcious mind. 1t seemed imposslbl
that she could ever cling so closely to an
one as to cause her to commit an act tina
would endanger her life and properly. for sa
was ayarcious. Her liaiSsn with Crittende
was doubtless the event other life lone tina
proved In many ways the most flatterlng {
her vanity as we'll az che most advantageous
pecunarlly, and. one that she would most re
Iuctantly give up.
The infatuatlon OF Judge Crlttenden In itse
shows that Mrs. Fair was more than an ord
nary Woman-that she did possess some ele
ments of character aud promptings OF neal
thet were good, else she. could never nav
had such an ascendency of him, for ne was
man OF great natural goodness Of heart, purit
of character and refinement oil manner. LID
thousand other men just as good, ne mao
hlc bluuder and paid his penalty.
The ceiling Of horror at the deed that pc
vaded that Community shows the esteem
which he was held. Possibly OF that entil
people there was zone that would not nav
been suspected sooner OF such weakne;
than Judge Crittenden. She pad strong no!
upon him long ere it was generally Aao"t ,,
the public, aud when known 1t was out W
wonder of day-the beauty OF the Woma
and prominence of the man only increasln
the interest over and above affairs OF slmua
character of daily occurrence amidst what Wa
called the highest cire!oa--
Mrs. Fair was not received or recognized,
course, BY the wives and mothers or goQo &c
ciety, but she was queen In that large nun
her that occupy the neutral ground, as II Were
of society, comprising those VINO were su
pected too much to be ENCOURAGED, Dut ~
enough known to deserve condemnation.