The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-18
IMPRISONED FOR LIFE
Sentence Of the Court on
Kate Cobb.
DEMEANoR OF THE PRISONER.
81 Am Innocent Of the Crime With Which
Have Been Charged
NORWICH, Conn, Jan. II. IS


large crowd in attendance many of them women, to
hear the sentence of Kate NJ Cobb Soon after Judge
Culver took his place the bench Mrs. Cobb. ac-
companied by her mother and a lady friend. was
brought into court and assigned seat in the middle
of the room facing the judges. She exhibited the
same calm exterior she had shown throughout the
trial and which is the wonder of all who
have seen it. New. before in the history of
crime in this State has such remarkable
endurance been shown by person accused of crime
and trial for his life In every respect Mrs. Cobbs
demeanor and bearing in court were admirable. and
in conversation with the HERALD correspondent
States Attorney Waller said. just previous to the
conviction. you have said nothing in Kate Cobb's
behalf which was not more than deserved" But
such is the wonderful bitterness against the woman
in this community that even her manner and espe-
cialy her sefcontro construed into evidence OF
guilt. No greater outside pressure could have been
brought to bear for the conviction Of accused
son than brought to bear against her. Even
doubt to whether the offence had been proved
would not be tolerated and the jury could not fail
to be brought under this influence. Indeed. the
looseness of the practice in this State is something
amazing. Throughout the trial the jurors came and
went at their pleasure, and necessarily brought
with every shade of opinion outside of
the court room. Living in cheap boarding houses in
the village, most Of them must have heard the sub
ject discussed even more earnestly outside of court
than in it, and been made to feel that Norwich ex
pected every juror to do his duty Conviction was u
prime necessity in the Norwich mind, and conviction
for the capital crime if possible. 1t was not the
evidence that depended upon much as dog
matte purpose to convict, and one could not help
feeling that this purpose impregnated the atmos-
phere whatever may have been his views Of the weight
Of the testimony.
RATES DEMEANoE IN COURT.
The scene in the court room this morning was sin
gularly devoid of dramatic interest Everybody sat
and looked at the bench with closed mouth and al
most bated breath. It was known that the final blow
to fall, but its severity had been measured be-
forchand, and the most calm and unmoved, ap-
parently. among those who awaiting it
Kate Cobb herself 1t only the observant scruti-
nizing eye that could detect any change in the
woman Unmoved. and apparently immovable, it
plain to those who scanned her keenly that she
was suffering as only such women can suffer. Her
face no longer that bright look of expectation
and confidence which had lit up her countenance
during the trial The elasticity of step and
ment gone Her full figure seemed shrinking into
gaunt and bony caricature OF her former self Kate
Cobb, tho convicted felon only a skeleton
OF the Katie Cobb who had earnestly denied the
accusations OF her paramour and so steadfasty deed
the hard fate that was impending over her. Thus
she sat IN court TINS morning waiting for the nnal
blow, with dull desparing sadness that was
inexpressibly mournful. In this last stage of her
trial and suherings fate continued unkind to her.
Even she sat awaiting sentence the form of her
cuser and accomplice made use OF spectre in
her Imagination. Although few words more would
dispose of Katie Cobb forever Wesley Bishop was
yet be heardheard in his defence after his self
accusations of crime. in which he blasted the
without freeing himself. How hateful the name
must have sounded in her she sat there await
ing her DOOM Slowly Mr.. Waller and init
mated to the Court that Bishops trial could not take
place until March, and that then he would probably
be tried for the murder of his wife, and not the
joint Indictment under which the woman had
al Tho. hAor1
tortuous language in which judges cothe and con-
cea their thoughts and when Judge culver turned to
her and addressed her she was still calm and
moved as before Not sigh escaped her. not
seen to twitch as the Court began to pro-
not fail to know that every was upon her and that
every heart about her beating tumultuously-
some i'll sympathy and some in hate.
SENTENCE.
In measured and parental tones Judge Culver be-
gan. He spoke Of his duty in this of the
most painful he had been called upon to dis
charge. He then recited to her the story of her in
dictmcnt and its result and told her that the law al
lowed him discretion in the matter 1T is sad to
me- he said ito see woman of your age. fairly
educated, with unusual mental endowments, a
mother. daughter, in your position" Then the
Court spoke of the testimony in the case, and
said it completely in the hands of the jury.
They have found against YOU" he said. 'and
person of your intelligence must know that the
evidence very strong" Judge Culver also
fefred to her prospective prison life, advising her
that II she obeyed the rules she would be treated
kindly, and telling her that she would have books
read and religious instruction suited to her cond
IN higher Power than any earthly tribunal he then
sentenced her to the State Prison the period OF
her natural life Rising she then walked feebly out
of the court room, picking her steps through the
throng on her way TO the living tomb from which
she is more to emerge alive. The shadow OF her
great had settled down upon her at last
never to be lifted again. and the only silver lining to
the cloud which hung over her was her own heroic
endurance OF an ordeal the most terrible which a
woman undergo.
SEEKING AN INTERVIEW
When all was over sought an interview with the
lflQr fang mol hA I'm la1
jury of her countrymen has passed upon and con-
dcmned her-and my request readily acceded to
and two o'clock named AS the hour. 1t my pur-
pose to ask her some very direct questions and to
1icit answers from her point of view. l was
anxious to learn for instance, what 1t that
tanned her throughout the trial and enabled her
to undergo the fearful ordeal with such
markable fortitude; whether she aware that
the heroism she had shown urged against
her OF the cearest evidences of her guilt and
Ii she did not think that II had influence with
the jury in securing her convictions how she felt in
regard the treatment she had at the hands
OF friends and enemies; what she thought of the
treme bitterness of the community; whether her
husbands popularity in any way the cause Of
.he hatred her alleged crimes had inspired. and IT, In
her Judgment, the Jury had been swayed by this
hostile public sentiment what she thought of
the jury and the loose manner in which the
jurors were allowed to scatter themselves
in inventing the peculiar love story which he
related in his confessions and his testmony-was il
partial truth based on unconquerable passion
simple and direct lying; what were her feelings ON
tho of being finally and forever cut of from her
Lufne divorced from all social domestic ties
and separated from her children and what were her
hopes tor the future. All this had arranged In my
own mind a series of topics to which would al.
rect her attention. and upon which knew she could
make some exceedingly interesting communications.
Unfortunately Norwich is a community where every
body has time to attend to everybody's business but
his own. The officials uoised IL abroad
that Katie Cobb had agreed TO give the
HERALD man interview and invited
every stray journalist in the vicinity participate.
There TO be convention in the jail aud the poor
woman, long the rack. was to be pibbetcd over
again. Almost broken down with grief and disap-
potntmcnt. contemplating fate which she had never
regarded possible, and suffering agony to which
ellie had not yielded until now. she felt she could
not undergo this ordeal, and expressed hope
that the HERALD would not press the request In
view of the new complications IL was under these
circumstances that she prepared the following card to
tle public, and II TO in the straight up and
down handwriting. with which the trial had familiar
tied me.
CARD FROM COBB.
NoRwicn, Jan. IL. 1879