The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1878-05-24
GEoRGIA's CAUSE cELEBRE.

The Story Of Jealous Wife's crime-- Sen.
fenced to the seaffold.-Will shs Hang
fAtIanta speeial to the Chicago Iinss.l
The ruling sensation in this stste at
present is the recent sentence of Kate
Southern, the Pickens county murder
ess. The history of the crime for which
she was convicted is a thrilling tale o
jealousy. During the Christmas holidays
OF 1876 Kate Southern, l.ezly married
bride, stabbed and killed s ~ issa
Cowart at public ball at J as.sr kens
county. Kate Hambright. thesdat9hter
of a weil-lo-do farmer, aud the scknowl-
edged belle of what is known as the
g mountain counties" IN the 1onkhern
part Of the state, after q long assI per-
sistent courtship allowed Mr. Southern
to lead her to the altar. Though Kate
had scores of siIitors, she was not more
popular thaIp" Bob.n Hewas handsome,
welI>formed, good d-hearted. reckless.
Young. and better 6tted sar breaking.
hearts than for any practical business.
Principal among the rivals of Kate Ham
bright was Mrs. Narcissa Cowart,
A GRASS WIDOW,
who had known and loved young South
ern, and who, it is said, was divorced
trc m her husband with the hope OF
marrying Bob" Southern. After Bob
and Kate were married Mrs. Cowart en-
ceuraged Southern in his attentions to
her more than ever. 3" Bob" being Hat
tered by her encouragement, and thinking
lightly about bis wife's complaints about
his talking to Mrs. Cowart, laughed At
his wife being jealous of his " old sweet
heart and became more devoted and
conspicuous in his attentions TO her.
The newly-maIried wife, seeing or be-
lieyiug that an old rival was trying to
supplant her in her husband ) affections
before the honeymoon had fairly com~
menced, not only gTieved in secret, but
complained frequently TO her husband
and near relatives about Bob and Mrs.
Cowart being together so much. Her
complaints doing no good she went TO
Mrs. COwart, with whom she had never
been friendly, and appealed to her not
to persist in encouraging her husbands
attentions and trying to destroy the hap
piness of her home by coming between
man and wife. This interview is reported
TO have been rather stormy. and the
rivals parted with anything but friendly
feelings. IT is said that in this interview
Mrs. Cowart id, What if ! do part
man and wife Was 1 not
DIVORCED FOR HIS SAKE
Mrs. Southern, seeing her appeal TO
Mrs. Cowart had done no good, exaeted
a promise from her husband that he
would never speak TO Mrs. COwart further
than politeness required. Soon after this
and only about three months after she
WAS married, Christmas party was given
al Mr.. Hambright's (Kate's father.
During the day Kate heard that Mrs.
Cowart had said that she intended dane
ing with Southern that night-in spite Of
his wife Kate, after this, went 10 her
husband and attempted 10 get him TO
promise not to dance with . that woman" "
as she called her. Bob" instead of
granting the request, teased her about
being jealous. After the crowd had as
sembled, Kate, meeting Mrs. Cowart in
the dressing-room, begged her not TO
encourage her husband if he made adj
vances TO her. Mrs Cowart replied
tauntingly that he needed no encourage
ment. Late that night Kate came into
the ballroom and was surprised to see
her husband and AITs Cowart at the head
set that was forming 10 dance. She
hurried across the loom and reminded
her husband that he had an engagement
with her for that set. Mrs. Cowart
spoke up, declaring that she intended
dancing that set with Mr.. Southern, say
ing something about having known him
much longer than Kate had. Kate
walked out in the yard and
WATCHED THEM THROUGH TIE WINDOW,
until the set was nearly over, Going to
her father, she borrowed his pocket
knife, and conceaIiug it in the folds of
her dress, walked up to her husband and
Mrs. Cowart just as the dance closed, and
remarkiDg, " You have danced enough, "
whipped cut the knife and plunged it up
to the hilt in Mrs. Cowart's shoulder,
seyering one of the arteries running from
the neck. She then slashed her dress
across the left breast, the blade OF the
knife cutting through the upper portion
of the heart. Mrs. Cowsrt fell dead
without speaking word, and Kate
Southern, like an inturiated tigTess,
jumped on the dead body, ripped open
the abdomen, and would have literally
hacked it to pieces, If some one had not
attracted her attention by calling out,
/ in an authoritative way, What man
killed this woman Kate Southern
drew herself up proudly, and said def
antly, " am the man that did il; and /
ought to have done it long ago One Of
the foor-managers called out that no one
must be allowed TO leave the room until
the matter was fully investigated At
this iuncture Southern stepped up TO
Kate, and putting one arm around her,
drew q pistol with the other, pointing to
the doorway, which by this time was
filed with people, and said in deter
mined way, We are going out that
door, if have to
SHOOT oER WAY THOUGH.
His brother by this time was at his side,
pistol in hand, to share his fate. The
crowd rapidly moved back, ond Bob
Southern, his wife and brother left the
house, and that night left the country in
disguise, aud made their wsy to Marion
county, North Carolina, where they
lived happily on farm for nearly a year.
During their stay there child was born,
which now shares their captivity. A
few months ago they were arrested while
,,-a r. Ioox x-sy7., fbpfs