Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1873-05-22


Susan Eberhart, of Webster county, Georgia,
who assisted L. f. Spann to murder his bed
ridden wife, Oh May 4th, 1872, was hanged on
the ID inst, at Preston, Georgia. despatch
from Preston says:
Spann engaged the services Of Susan Eber-
| hart, who was prepossessing girl, thea under !
| eighteen years OF age, TO help his wife In the |
house. Spann became enamored of the girl, |
and soon gained strong influence over her. |
Being u deacon, he represented to Susan that IL
| would be wrong for them to live together while
| his wife was living, and that therefore their
plain duty was to help the poor woman enter
that world where the weary are at rest and the
wicked cease from troubling. Spann made sew
eral attempts 10 kin his wife, one Of which was
frustrated by Susan. He finally, however, pre-
vailed upon her to assist him in choking hor to
death. They placed cloth around Mrs.
Spann's neck, inside the chord, thinking there
would be no mark 10 tell the tale.
They committed the murder in the evening.
/ The next morning there was al ivid mark around
the victims neck that grew deeper the more
: they tried to eilace it, Spann and Susan fed in
terror from the scene Of their crime. They
were captured, tried and found guilty. Spann
L was hung some weeks ago, and ON the I'd inst.
i Susan Eberhart was hanged on the same gal
! lows and with the same rope that suspended
l Spann. There were about seven bundre1 per-
sons present, half Of whom were negroes
None of her kindred were present. Much
l. sympathy was expressed for the unfortunate
girl, and the Georgia papers say it was the sad
Is dest day ever known in Preston.
The following confession and account of the
l. hanging is from the Louisville Courier-Journal
al At her request a statement of what she did
" in connection with the murder was written, and
will be published. In it she says she did nothing
It, except being present and handing Spann q
handkerchief when be called for it to fill his
IS wifes mouth. She states that she arose from
til her bed and accompanied HIM, being held b,
be the hand, at his command and compulsion ant
IL through fear, aud that she begged and entreatet
him not to kill his wife, He said he would, i
nd he were hanged five minutes after, and he force
is her to do what she did. lie also forced her Il
ne 60 of with him. She begged hun with tears il
lie her eyes to leave her, but he said:
et "If you don't go,!I will pick you mp and cal
| ry you OIL" And all tha journey she begge
TO- him to let her go back home. She said sh
I'd, made no such confession as her captors swea
to- and she believes that If only the actual trut
Did had been given in the testimony, whatever migl
rot have been her punishment, she would not
lie hanged But, considering her condition, sh
thought it best for her TO die now. She was pc
fecLly willing: she did not fear death. She b(
lieyed that she would be better off, and that
IL would be better fc r her kindred When she WI
als. first brought TO Jail she determined earnestly
led seek Gods forgiveness and salvation. Some 81
CT months ago she found peace, and now regarde
death as a deliverance rather to be desired tina
So dreaded.
AT IL o'clock a guard of forty men assemble
act at the Jail, and, forming hollow square, marc
to ed TO the gallows. The prisoner rode in the ce
sits ter of the square with the Sheriff. The mini
md tiers walked. Miss Ebcrhart was neatly dressC
~ in white, small figured cambria Her fine loI
liz, hair was plainly arranged i'll two long plaitt
md pfalds, enc on each side OF her head, with u
ope ends tied together and pendent on the back. 81
bell had GA Il calico sun-bonnet. She told the she
,mc ill., rs they rode along, that she did not drei
he death in the least, but felt happy atthe prospe
ory of soon being better off. She alishted and took
oily sea, on the steps of the gallows.
un- The Rev. Mr.. Cawood read to her the SO
ov. and l30th psalms, and addressed her 1,
rty words of comfort. The venerable George 81
,gs: plet6n of Jefferson county, led in prayer. nj
on Eberhart took leave of her friends She 50
int she had no fear, but was able to rejoice in Il
for hour She thanked her friends for their kir
we're ness. and freely forgaye all who had wroi
Y. ed her. She felt in her heart she loved all ma
nails KIND. She desired TO meet her friends in pea
rial in Heaven.
more As she ceased speaking, the Sheriff asked Ii
tier "Susan are you ready" She replied, YES
iehl am ready and walking firmly up the ste
can. stood on the platform of the gallows. Not
the tremor shook her form as the sheriff adjust
sign the rope ana the Dlack cap. she quietly SAID
this Mr.. Matthew's, the snernl, liiat lne rope was
5 of tight around her neck, adding, Il don't want
pub- be cioked to DEATH The rope was then loos
lays ed slightly. Susan, put your hands beh
you.' She did so, and he tied them. He ag
the asked her if she was ready. She replied, ~
Pins ready and willing The platform dropped I
= Inc cisely at thirty minutes after eleven. She
vhen FIVE feet and struggled but little. She was
d an nounced dead alter iliteeh minutes explratl
The She was cut down in nineteen minutes.
front neck was not broken Inc doctors male
Stat effort to revive her by an electric battery,
with failed.