The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-30
A TRUE BUT TERRIBLE STORY.
The History and Career Of a Fcnale
Adventures.

embraced in the life aud history Of Mrs.
Laura D. Fair, recently sentenced to be
hung in San Francisco, for the wilful
/ murder OF Judge Crittonden. We con
dense the most salient features, as time
and space admit, of the terrible story:
1t the age Of sixteen Miss Laura. u.
Hunt was called the most beautiful girl in
Alabama
At this time the family, consisting Of
Mrs. Ilunt, widow, her two daughter.
and son, removed to New Orleans
where they lived in r,ducod circumstan.
ces
Within year Laura charms won
husband, wealthy wholesale grocer. by
the name of Strong, from Massachusetts,.
old enough to be her grandfather.
Matters went on from bad 10 worse nm.
til a divorce threatened 10 bring some
startling disclosures in regard 10 the be-
cuIiar relations existing between Mrs.
Strong and her many sympathising gem
tlemanly friends, prominent among W HON
was remarkably handsome Young man
by the name Of Grayson. Public curiosi-
ty, however, was never satisfied, for death
stepped in just before the suit was brought
to trial, and in the guise Of that mild
monster dclirium trcmens- removed
the grocer to another sphere. leaving the
beautiful Laura by no means a disconso-
late widow ..
II was then that Grayson, infatuated
by her charms, proposed ultimately to
marry her lie placed her at convent
in Louisiana, where she remained for one
year. There she became anexcellentmu
sician, and was enabled to add the super
iiciaI appearance OF education to her 9th
CT attractions. She then married the
handsome Grayson The first night of
their bridal trip to Nicksbmg, per steam
er, the gay aud festive bridegroom had so
violent an attack Of mania a potu, that it
required two men to take care Of him.
Two weeks the bride nursed him at Vicks- |
burg
They returned to New Orleans where
Laura tlirted and intrigued while Grayson
drank and ganbled until dive rec sepa-
rated the wretched couple
This separation was precipitated by the
artful management of Laura's mother.
whose malign influence has had much to
do in making the daughter what she has
been, and is.
Laura was but nineteen when she went
with her mother and brother to Califor-
MIA. The sister meanwhile had married
a friend of Laura's first husband, and was
estranged from her estimable relatives.
who opened boarding house in Virginia
City, Nevada. This was in 1856.
The same year, W. d. Fair, 4 lawyer
Of Siskiyon, fell Il victim to the charms
of the adventures. He sought the hand
of the handsome but unprincipIed woman
who thus became Mrs. Fair. Afteryears
OF infatuated devotion he committed sui
eide from sense of shame for her de-
PRAYED and shameless conduct.
In 1860, the year of her husbands
death, Mrs. Fair under the " protection"
of wealthy California, visited Mexico
and Lower California. She next made
her debut on the stage at Sacramento,
and afterwards appeared in San Francisco
and several places on the coast Return
ing at last to Virginia City alone, rich
with spoils, she formed similar alliance
with Union man and they opened ho-
tel
In 1863 Mr.. Crittenden went to Viz
gina City, and remained until 1865.
boarding at the Fair hotel. it was dur
ing the height Of the rebellion, and Lau
IA showed her Southern proclivites in
various ways, at one time by carrying
the Confederate flag through the streets.
Bitter words often passed between her
and the Union man with whom she was
living, and one day when the latter en-
devored to nail the stars and stripes to
flagstaff Laura shot him on the spot.
Ia the trial which cnsued. she was so
ably defended by Mr. Crittcnden, that
verdict Of acquittal was rendered From
that time commenced the dsgraceful
liason which terminated in the assassi
nation Of her victim .I .... 3D..
In 1866, Laura Fair arrived at the
New York Hotel She had property
amounting to 81 900 with her, and this
fortune was all invested in gold bearing
bonds, and placed under her exclusive
control ..
Rcturning to San Francisco, she soon
married a wealthy gentleman by the
name of Snyder, with whom she lived
but six weeks When divorce set her
free once more. She then renewed, or
perhaps continucd her liason with Crit
tenden.