The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-02
Patty Cannon.

The subject of this sketch, Lucretia p.
Hanley, Of st. Johns, Canada, who mar
ried Alonzo Cannon, of Sussex county.
Delaware, was one of the most notorious
women, perhaps, of modern times In
consequence of her evil deeds her name for
the last thirty years has been a household
word on this Peninsula, and indeed her
name and fame has traversed the entire
country. The father of this woman, L.
2. Hanley, was the son of wealthy no.
bleman, residing in Yorkshire county,
England. Although he had in the early
part of his life received liberal education,
yet in consequence of being disappointed
(by his father refusing to comply with his
request) in marrying the object of his first
love, he became intemperate and dissolute
in his habits. Falling in love with a
strong minded woman to whom he was
married, much to the displeasure of his
father, who afterwards discarded him, he
left England aud came to British America,
settling in Montreal. Afterwards he re-
moved to st. Johns, where he Joined a
band of smugglers and thieves. Being
detected in the act of killing one Alexan-
der Payne, he was hung. His widow, the
mother of the subject of this sketch, who
seems to have been at the bottom of his
plots and intrigues, was shrewd enough to
escape, and succeeded in marrying all four
of her daughters to respectable men, al
thoug she and they were all prostitutes
Patty, (Lucretia) the youngest, succeeded
in wooing and winning young Cannon,
who, while on a summer tour to St.
Johns, was taken sick, and stopping at
the house of Mrs. Hanley, who kept board
ers, she made Patty use all her arts to
captivate the young Delawarean, who had
good fortune. He married and brought
her to Delaware, and settled at Cannon's
Ferry, where they resided for three years,
when her husband died after lingering
illness, caused by poison administered BY
the said Patty, as she afterwards confessed.
After the death Of her husband she be-
came one of the most aband doned and
notorious of women, giving way to every
species of licentiousness and extravaganza,
and there was no crime too great or deed
too cruel for her to engage in, often commit
ting the most outrageous butcheries, rob-
berries and murders. After living in this
manner for some time she moved to John
sons Y Roads, on the line between Mary
land and Delaware, FIVE miles from her
old location, and here set up low tavern,
knowing she would here have a better
chance to carry on her wicked and nefa-
rious practices. She surrounded herself
with set of low fellows as accompliees,
over whom she had unbounded influence.
One robbery and murder followed another,
until at last she was found out, and she,
with several of her accomplices, were ar
rested and taken to Georgetown Jail, where
one of her band turned States evidence.
She with two others, were convicted to be
hung, but before the day Of execution she |
took poison. Before death relieved her
of her sutferings she confessed her guilt,
stating that she had committed thirteen
murders with her own hand while she had |
been accessory to scores of others. She |
died in the most intense agony, saying
that she sensibly felt the pangs and fires
of the bottomless pit. To many the story
of Patty Cannon seems to be myth, but |
she was real flesh and blood. Her skull
was exhumed and delivered to Prof. o. S. |
Fowler in 1S42, and deposited in his mu-
scum, Broadway, n. Y, where it remains
to this day.-Salisb,uy AdUertiser.