Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-02-26

pretty She also showed herself very wo
man; for, in going to Mrs. Turner for thu
poisons, she also bought love-philters of her
to cool the love of her first husband Essex
and to inaame that of her second husband
Somerset, which articles consisted of en-
chanted papers, and puppets, piece Of hu-
man skin, and black scarf full of white
crosses"
She did not need them. She had the best
ofloye-philters in her beauty, egotism, and
unscrupulousness. What picture could be
painted of that scene that chamber oi
mobiles; Essex furtively watching her, and
glowering at the wretch Somerset, whom she
loved.
Another very interesting lady, in our own
virtuous New England, was hanged, and be-
haved very picturesquely on the scaffold
This was Bathsbeba Spooner, nee Ruggles,
a brilliant, handsome, unmanageable crea-
ture, the favorite daughter of old Brigadier
Ruggles, who has left in his turn, no envia-
bic reputation as wel-governed parsonage.
Bathsheba grew up amid the rather extraor-
dinary luxuries of her fathers house, for the
old brigadier was a colonial aristocrat. a
pack OF hounds, park Of deer, and other
unusual signs Of wealth and luxury, sur
rounded the mansion, wherein were accumu-
lated such uncolonial luxuries as gold ser
vice, handsome mirrors, pictures, sets of
mahogany furniture, and the rareSt of mxu-
ries, spinnet.
General Timothy Ruggles was great man,
in his way, and stiff Tory. He had large
family, and quarreled with his wife. Batn-
sheba was his beautiful, favorite. willful
daughter, and it is strange that ne allowed
herto marry old Joshua Spooner, much Older
than herself, and entirely beneath her in
every respect. Perhaps the internecine war
made the house disagreeable. Perhaps she
did not like the cookery at home for Mrs.
Ruggles, in a rage, once served up to the
brigadier his favorite dog for dinner.
Bathsheba lived with Joshua twelve years,
and proceeded to kill him in the most in
artistic manner. She had fallen in love with
young man named Ross, whom she had
nursed through an illness. The neighbor-
hood long remembered how handsome they
both were as they dashed by on horse
back.
She hired TWO common soldiers. who, after
the fashion Of that disturbed period, had
sought lodgings at her house, to kill Spooner
and she persuaded Ross, much against his
will, to assist in the disposition which she
proposed to make of his body.
They clumsily knocked the poor fellow on
the head, and threw him down well-''by
which process, said one of her frugal neigh
bOrs, "she lost husband and spoiled a good
well of water"
After the murder she divided poor Josh
ua's effects between his murderers. His
watch, silver buckles, coat, waistcoats, shirts,
etc, were soon discovered at the nearest tay-
ern. where the soldiers went to get drunk.
They were easily traced, and soon captured.
When Bathsheba heard that the dead body
of her husband had been taken from the
well, she approached, put her white hand on
his forehead, and said, % Poor little man 3"
She was arrested, and convicted as an {" ac-
cessory before the deed" Nor did her his
tory end here. We might dismiss her sim
ply as a monster; but, from the moment of
being found on; and condemned to die, she
begins to behave with such courage, forti-
tude, and picturesque magnifcence. that We
must follow her puzzling story.
She made a strange, bold, affecting plea
for her life. She claimed that another and
an innocent life would 90 with hers. But
the judge and jury, and, worst of all, 4 jury
OF matrOns. who, after the old fashion, had
been convened to tres.t on this question, all
disbelieyed her story.
Then she gave up hope, and summoned
courage She dressed her handsome person
in richest brocade and lace, put on all her
jewclry, and looked like Copley picture as
she stepped out of the county Jail. Her
health was 50 feeble that she could not walk
80 she was driven in her own chaise.
IIar friorIs ,d raT.,bhnra bal I'll .n,p. q.
zee her hanged, and she bowed to them sinil
ingly, acknowledging the attention.
They even hanged her poor lover, Ross,
first but she did not blench. As her turn
came. 4 violent thunderstorm broke over the
scene. She crawled on her hands and knees
up the fatal Ia dder, too feeble to mount 9th
erwise. The thunder and lightning incr eased
in intensity. The prince OF the powers of
darkness had come to claim his daughter, the
people thought She did not blench, but
died with Z : nile on her lips.
After the b ody was cut down and examin,d
BY the surgeons, her statements was found
to be true: a Id, as her historian, Chandler,
says, 'the annals of Massachusetts, iurispru-
dence were stained with barbarity which
thew never le armed from ancient Rome.
Al this happened in l7SS, a troublous.
unsettled, and dark period in our history. |
recommend to any reader who desires the
most extraordinary story in criminal juris-
prudence to read it, at length, in Chambers
- Criminal Trials" The point that derive
from it, is, that women do their wicked work
with their left hand awkwardly, and in the
most bungling manner; but that, when they
come TO die, they proceed to do that part Of
the business wond rous well-sOme bene
iicent angels help them.
We are not told how the general bore the
hanging of his favUrite daughter. lie had
been obliged to fee to Noyin Scotia excess
siyely unpopular from his Tory principles
and died there, in the year 1875, agcl ,aghty-
four. Undoubtedly his unpopularity worked
against her at her trial, else her peculiar plea
might have been listened to. She was guilty
enough and base enough to be hanged doz-
en- times but one cannot help but throw
back look OF admiration at the beautiful,
brave figure as it stands surrounded by the
lightnings of heaven, awaiting calmly the
ignomnious punishment of men.
The story of her lover and victim, Ezra
Ross, is exceedingly pathetic. Hewas n boy
Of sixteen when he first came under her in-
huence, and wss but eighteen when he un-
NllAlusly NOuSCuttI W Hti y IiuiLci het mus
band. One can scarcely read without tears,
at this dists nee of time, the petition of hi
aged parents for his young lie. They call
him - child of sixteen, ard the clergy
man of their parish joined them in their pc
titions. They had given three sons to their
country-young men whe hac fallen in hon
orable warfare ; but it avsiled them nothing
Ross was baptized before going to execution
and died prayerfully, poor fellow Bathshe-
ba should have been chr isteneti Delilah. Just
before the moose was adj usted. she took the
sheriff by the hand, and. said g My dear sir
am ready. In littl time expect to be
in bliss, and but a few years must elapst
when | hope | shall Sc you and my friends
again" She seems to, have believed in the
future state and the orgiveness of sins. She
needed the hitter. if ,ver criminal did, pool
wicked woman.
CATHOLICISM IN ijrw ENGIAND.-Ml thu
New England State have heretofore beer
Z t,1 with n Jineesa of New