The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-01-23
Women Who Have Been
Hanged.
Mrs. Swisshelm 8 ote-Book. |

Mrs Swisshelm Notebook.
The first white person executed in
Minnesota was 4 woman. AS an H.
lustration of her class Of intellect, it
was told that when she wen. into
the Territory she took with her
from Central Illinois a bucket of
butter, kept If in her state-room on a
tirst-class boat and carried it III her
hand to first class hotel (the Mer.
chants') J, keeping it by her side in the
parlor and her bed room, while leav-
ing her other baggage to be handled
by porters. She had heard that but.
ter was scarce in that part OF the
country, and had brought her supply.
This aud her general appearance and
behavior led to the belief that she
was 4 person OF weak mind. She
married man who treated her cruel
ly and died with symptoms of pois-
on. \ chemist thought he found
arsenic in the stomach, and q drug
glst had sold her some OF the drug
to poison rats There was no at.
tempt to dispute the chemical tests.
This expedient was discovered lately
Tor the benefit of woman who had
outliyed the charms which once
drove rival claimants for her hand to
the verge Of suicide and madness -
Beng old, unattractive and, none but
the ladies' of St. Paul took any speci.
al interest in her case and those
could only beseige the Governor tor
a pardon. His wife led deputation
Of them, knelt at his feet, and with
tears and passionate entreaty begged
executive clemencv but the ugly
woman was hanged by the neck IN.
I'll she was dead
4 poor German woman was execut-
ell near Philadelphia about five years
ago; and her confession in her brok-
en- English, was ons OF the saddest
things ever read. Her man had
peat her, so much, made her
work in the field when she vas
SO sick aud tired; peat her for not
keeping up; beat her tor stopping to
nurse her baby ; made her work in
the house while he rested aud smok,
ell, and peat her il she was not ready
to 60 out to work when he was! She
was SO tired; could never get no
rested; she wanted to leave him and
90 away, but he take the children
from her. she have four little children
he peat them too; she could not leave
her children she was Sd tired she
gave her man stuff; she sorry she
kill her man; but she no know what
to do, she SO tired.
The dailies made occasional news
items out Of the case, and the poor,
old, worn out slave was universally
voted a monster of iniqnity. The
majesty Of the law was vindicated
by sending her from the sallows to
the unerrlng judgment, where her
toll worn hands are tortured and soul
mus. have been very white compar.
cd to the bejewelsd fingers OF the
charming monsters who slip SO grace
fully through tho elastic meshes Of
our man made-laws.
Mrs. Sugart now under sentence
of death in Butler County, Pa, who
is to he hanged when the present
treatment in the Rixmont Insane
Hospital shall have SO tar restored
her reason as to make her sensible of
the soIemnity of the OCCASION, is
gray haired and a grandmother, and
IN personal appearance the opposite
of charming.
Mrs. Grinder, who was executed
at Pittsburg, some eight years ago.
had studio the art of poisoning to
the neglect OF that Of pleasing. She
was not charming, and such charms
as she had were reserved tor her hns.
band.