The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-26

A PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEM.
The Strange ThOrmahien Case-A Widow Falsely
Accuses Herself of Poisoning Her Husband
One Effect Of the Beecher-Iilton Trial.

The Strange ThOrmahian Case-A Widow Falsely
Accuses Herself of Poisoning Her Husband
One Effect Of the Beecher-Tiiton Trial.
From the New York Mercury.]
A few weeks ago the Criminal Court OF
Hamburg decided one OF the strangest
cases perhaps ever brought before a
tribunal. Ann Eliza Thormahien, wild
ow OF merchant who died last year,
was tried for the murder other husband.
The terrible accusation was founded on
her own confession. she said that she
had 1ailen in love with one Sehelenz,
clerk in her fathers drug store. Her
parents urged her TO marry Mr.. Thormah-
len, then a wealthy merchant. She had
become Thornahlen's wife in 1870. In 1875
her edded lie became intolerabie, and
she resolved to poison her husband III
order to become bchelenZ's vile. For
this purpose she had stolen from her
fathers uLug store an ounce OF morphine
which she administered to ThormahIen.
| She minutely described the doses, as
| we'll as the symptoms produced, and
gave an especially vivid account OF the
death of her alleged victim. The presld-
ing Judge subjected her to q searching
I,cross-eXanlnaJiOn, which she under
went with nerve and consistency. Soon,
however, the Court announced that her
.ihole tale was q tissue OF falseAoods,
which she had invented. After Thor
limahlen's deaJh, her oontrition for not
nav greei pf0cabed his s'atfection became
| so intense that she became a monoma-
liniac on the subject, especially as she
l,had, at that very time, attended the
sermons ola sensational preacher, who
lihau delivered a number OfterrIble fulml.
nations on tine -Beecher-Tilton case.
Sue mad frequently prostrated .herselI
kupon her husuand's grave, and frantic.
ally called upon Heaven to strike her
Ldead. AT last she had told her pastor
bnat she had poisoned her husband, and
he Informed her that, it she were truly
| penibent for rtheheinous crane, she was
lin duly bound To confess it to the
authorities, ana suffer the uue penalty
therefor. !tsM HaJ WI ltthaJ penalty be?'
sue asked. seine -scuffold!" he answered,
/ IimpressIvely. Far from being fri gh eneu
| by this dread prospect, she had hailed it
almost enthusiastically. She hau
| mas ned to the 'Uhiefaof Police, and had
tod MN about the murder OF her hus-
band. A few Witnesses were asked by
sne PresiulDg Judge about The facts
referred to by the prisoner, and all her
assertions were -fUuud to be utter TN
founded. 'Prisoner," "Said the Judge to
her, s;your sci accusation is evidently
/
"Y es, am" sire shrIeked in mingled
| tone or aiarm and rage. Il am a
| murderess and adulteressW "No, you
are not; and we, the Court, instruct the
ljuly TO acQuit you'll" The prisoner now
lell on her knees, and impiored Che jury
not to acqu'it her. at you do" she
cried. with streaming eyes, 'syou will be
almost as guilty. as L ami" She was
acquitted, and the Presidrng Judge told
Iner she was free. But she refused to GO.
"No, nov, she shrieked, III don't want
to be free! want to be beheadet'! Send
me TO the brockl Cut my head Oft That
atone will enable me to expiate my
crime!" The Court offiGers were
Obliged to drag the struggling, sobbing
woman from the court room. In the
street she begged the assembled multi
tude TO lynch her. II am guiltyl' she
exclaimed. ~ ought to die! Pray kill
meW