The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-19
gOrmented by the Wies Of Rival Deter
mined TO Lure Away Her Husband.
Il DO NOT KNOW II | KILLED HER?
Thrilling Description of the Tragic Finale
to an Evenings Merlment
PUBLIC SENTIMENT DEMANDS MERCY,

Being Gesarous OF obtaining from Kate Southern's
own lips the story Of the killing OF Narcissa Conort,
Tor whose murder she is convicted and OF the causes
that led thereto and of seeing how she stands tho
death sentence, your correspondent set out three
days ago Tor Jasper, the li,,o mountain town, tho
county seat Of Pickens. Riding to Marietta by rail,
j then took buggy for Jasper, passing en- route
thereto through a country exceedingly rich III
minerals house-a log hut-ornamented
with fine marble chimney, the marble beng as glossy
and perfect the best that used in tombstores 1t
Is xaliye TO Pickeas and lies in immense quarries.
Reaching Jasper late In the evening" did not see
the jaior twho is also the Snenff) until tho next
morning. Then, presenting my cfedentials,ol was
warmly welcomed, but was notified that could not
zee tho condemned woman Immediately, as the
daughter OF the Sheriff had gone OF with the key OF
the cell in which sne was confined. Sitting down
TO contemplate the pleasant prospect ahead OF Mrs
Southern in the Jail should be fred while the
key OF her cell absent. awaited the return
of the Snerf's daughter. AT last she buxom,
tripping lass and at once ushered into the
Jail proper. The county building In which the Jail
Is located Is plain, but sturdy affair. Tho lower
story Is devoted to tho use OF the Sheriff, who re-
sides therein with his family. There two rooms
in the upper story, one OF which il the common
prisoners room and is merely n square. log room,
with a heavy oaken door. The next room contains
Tho nlurderer's CELL
soUrHERu's
In this Kate Southern is confined. The room IS
sixteen feet square, the centre being occupied by
closely barred iron cage eight feet square, in
which tho murderers kept Poering through
these bars entered the room, could tho
murderess crouchi ing the bed, which rested the
further ends OF the cage. The grated door was
thrown open and entered. on tho bed. roughly
mado OF poles resting between the bars Of the cage,
sat Kate Southern, the woman whom the atten-
tion OF all Georgia is centred, holding her paby
In her arms. She spoke pleasantly when
! entered, and after my mission had been
explained by her counsel, Colonel Styles, who had
been good enough to accompany me, sho consented
TO tell story her life and the details OF tho
terrible tragedy with which 1t was stained. Her APP
pearance, she began the thrilling story furnished
below, was very striking. She was thinner even than
she was whom tried, and her lace rightiuly pale.
neat brown dress fitted closely to her slender
and graceful frame and buttoned about the throat.
Her hair, very heavy dark and soft, fell about
her neck in wavy clusters Her eyes, large and ex-
pressve, deepcnod the paior of her Taco rather than
relieved H. and her mouth, her best feature, twtched
ncrvousy during tho narration, as II through some
constitutional disturbance
CONDEMNED woMAN's
She told her story rapidly and intoliigenty, being
guided here and there by suggestion from her law
yer or query from your correspondents She had read
the account OF her crne trial. &C., reported In tho
HERALD, and said:-"You make too much OF mo in
there. am nothing but plain country girl, without
amy education or anything else worth writing about.
have worked steadily all my life, and expected 10
have work all the rest OF my days AS to tho kill
ing OF Siss Fowler toll you nothing oil that DO.
cause know nothing; but can tell you the crcum-
stances OF my life and my connection with her.
She married some time ago to
named Conort Alter she bad lived with
him short time she loft hin, ana alter
that lived a Wild and reckless iio. All sorts Of bad
stories were running around the country about her,
1t said that she caused man giving his name)
leave his wio. After this transaction sho fell in
love with "Bob' (jouthernl. This before wo
were married Bob was a sort OF careless fellow and
he lived with her in secret way for some time.
did not know this then. When he courted mo told
hm loved MIN and married. The fourth
night alter We married he was out until about
three O'Clock in the morning. questioned him, OF
course, TO where ne had been and he would
not tell mo. IL worried great deal
und commenced trying to nnd out where
he was that night ! soon found Dub from Two
girls that he was at party at Fowlsr's that night
and that they got him to drinking that no and
siss won't OF together aud stayed out until about two
O'Clock. went TO HIM with what had heard, and
he then told me he would toll me the whole story.
lie then told Inc that before hc married me no had
been living with Sss Conort but that me- OF course
intended 10 marry her just few days before
were To be married she met him and told him ho
Ssr o' rsIusoa Z, 0us rr eea' 10 bs ana sns
then told him that she was going
10 become mother. and that II he didn't
marry her she would 20 into court and have him ar
rested Tor basiardy. He was very much worried by
this but auieted her somehow or other and lett nor
he had no iurtner trcuUc with ntr until thO iourth
day were married. She met him that morn
iug aud tod hun he must como 10 her house that
night to sort party tney were going to have. lie
snid hc would not come and she told HIM u he
didn't there would DC the biggest exposure ever seen
Ia the moun tains and a law SUIT TO boot lie then
came afraid that she would do what snc threatened
anu agreed 10 come.
RECKLESS womAS's WILLIS.
When ho reached the house that ngnt she took
possession Of him, and got MIN TO drinking. lie got
excited aud hall tight, a7d sue then took MN on 70
then came home TO me. You can imagine what my
feelings aero when he toc me this story. then
heard " various threats that she had made she saii
that II Bot southern had married mo 1--WE should
never live IN peace together She abused me all over
the country, and started story Of my having been
ia ''thc bag swamp" with a man late tho day.
This story was lie, aud was proved TO be one
hood with her ! was AFRAID she would burn
my house down or insult mo ~ churc IA
gr IN some other puDhS place; lam. and men ,sa,
Tho had my husband knew he was afraid Of
,er, and that II she had taken nim from tho rst
scck OF marriage sho might do 50 again. There
many terrible things heard she said Of me- and
my husband ana myself nnaliy determined 10 move
out Of the ncighbornood just TO yet rd OF her dcs-
perate prosecutions. We did so, going about fifteen
miles. tfnis, IN tho Mountainous country, y an
Utmost impossible d!stsnceJ We lived there
quietly aud happily together Tor some time !
al last discovered that was soon going 10 become
a mother TINS fact made mo very nervous and cxclt-
able and AS ! vas threatened with epilepsy, Bob ad-
vised to let i'm take mo 70 my mothcr's where
could get her treatment aud advice. agreed, anu We
therefore returned into tho neighborhood ia which
Siss Fowler lived. The lrst thing 4 heara when
reached home was that there was going 70 oa 'o.o
nj our house that night and that SIss ROVER was
going TO DO there. THIS vas OF course very dsauet-
ing news 70 mo; II made mo ieei awful Know ,hat
she would use overy means to get her hanos on BOD
again.
the RIVALS AND THEIR FATAL MEETING.
When the folks had assembled We found that tney
had brought fiddler VITA them. aud were gonk
10 dance Father opposed this al urst put nnay
consented. did all, or take part IN any
81 the games | sick anu tired, and would nave
gone to Ocd except that the house was crowded ana
could not do so 1 Tx TO SIT up so lato.