The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-16
THE DEATH SENTENCE.
A Moving Scene I'm Court Room
Laura Fairs Death sentence.

California, has been signed oy the Gov
ernor, and is in the hands of the Sheriff
of San Francisco. The San Francisco
papers of the 9TH inst report the scene
in the court room on the occasion o
passing the death sentence AT the
conclusion OF the argument by Mrs
Fairs counsel on motion in arrest o.
judgment and tor a new trial, the court
remarked to the District Attorney thai
reply was unnecessary and proceeded
to dispose Of the points made IN support
of the motion, and in CONCLUSION SAID
The case has been carefully tried
The prisoner has had every advantage
in my opinion, that the law could give
The case, that should have been tried
inside OF ten days, occupied a month
before a verdict was rendered. 1t Il
true, | am convinced, that the juror
acted honestly and conscientlousIy. 1t
now only remains for me to pass
THE SENTENCE,
the saddest duty Of my life.
Laura D. Fair: You were indicted by
the grand Jury of the city and county oil
San Francisco of the crime OF murder
for the unlawful killing of Alexander z.
Crittenden. That indictment was sent
to this court for trial. You were ably
defended BY counsel. That jury pro-
nounced you guilty. Have you any lie,
gal cause to show whythe judgment OF
the court should not he pronounced?
A silence ofdeath reigned in the court
room, broken only by the sobblng OF the
ladies who sat by Mrs. Fair within the
bar. Mrs. Lane, her mother, wept bit
terly. The prisoner, who had sat with
her head buried in her mother $ lap
during the first portion of the courts re-
marks had partially recovered her com
posure, and now sat upright with her
eyes closed, and her face as motonless
as a marble statue. She made no re-
Spouse and did not even seem TO be
conscious of the question asked her.
After a painful pause OF few mo,
ments the judge, whose voice tremb!ed
with emotion said: Your silence III
dicating that you have nothing to offer,
the judgement Of the court is that, On
Friday the 2Sth day OF July next, you
hv the Sheriff appointed, be hung by
the neck until YOU are dead ard may
God have mercy on your soul.
. The scene in the court room from the
commencement of the remarks hy the
Judge was one of intense interest. The
room was not crowded, the general pub
lie opinion being that the case would
not be decided until this evening. At
the very opening Of the lips OF the court
the spectators and the prisoner felt that
the motion was to be denied. The
prisoner watched the countcnance OF
the judge with the mos! intense eager
ness, and when he remarked that he
could sec no ground for ncw trial, she
buried her face in her mothers lap and
sohbed bitterly. Her little daughter
was not with her. As the Judge pro-
cceded she struggled against emotion,
and succeeded somewhat in overcoming
it. The sound OF the Judge : trembling
voice was only broken by the Sohs Of
the women in the court room.
a number OF the friends OF tie pris
oner remained near her and Offered
their heartfelt sympathies She rcceiv-
ed their condolences with evident apprc-
citation, aud with great compo,urc
1t WAS with difficulty that tie court
room was cleared. The difficulty hav.
Ing been overcome the deputy sheriff
signifed his readiness to depart with
the prisoner, when she refused to be
taken to the county Jail, and gave a. her
reason that the jljlor, Kelley, had said
he could have her hanAcufrrd and
chained to the floor 1t was not until
Sheriff White had been sent for, and
had personally assured her that 10 such
steps would he taken, that she consent
ed to 60 without opposition
TO THE JAIL.
The news bad spread like wild fire on
the streets. a carriage having been
drawn up at the Washington street en-
trance, a crowd OF hundreds surrounded
it, eager to gain a glimpse Of the wretch,
ed woman. The hallway. were So
densely blocked that force was required
Tor the melancholy procession, which
consisted Of the prisoner, Deputy Sheriff
Knox and other officers, Mrs. Lane and
n number Of the friends Of tie prisoner
TO Gain cgrcs-.
The curious crowd at the Washing
ton street door were greatly chagrined,
for instead Of the prisoner being taken
out at that exit, she va conducted
down to the Montgomery street door, to
which point carriage rapidly wheeling
up received Eer, the officers, her mother
and another lady friend, (Mrs. lIigbce, }
and rs rapidly drove away.
She was placed in the cell which she
has occupied since her conviction. Her
mother and Mrs. Higbee were allowed to
accompany her, each, as well rs the pris.
oner, being carefully searched by the
matron Of the jail for assurance that
they bore no means which she could
use to end her life No one will be adj
mitted to see her except by order OF
the Sheriff, and every one 50 admitted
will be carefully searched
Mrs. Fair still maintains strong hope.
II the Supreme Court sustains the ru.
ling OF the lower court, she will still hoyc
for the exercise OF executive c!emency
Manuring Land.
a Nnmnn nSl:s thn Pur,I "