Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-01-24
A Woman Sentenced for Life.

In Norwich, Ct, last Saturday, a start
ling trial erded, Mrs. Katie Cobb having
been convicted for poisoning her husband
with the aid of Wesley Bishop whom she
loved. Bishop who was also arrested,
promptly betrayed her, and turned States
evidence. The miserable woman took the
witness stand and swore to one continu-
Gus f;.lsehood in contradiction of Bishop
aud in all effort to place the murder on
him.
The most dramatic of the many stirring
| Incidents OF the trial, was the appearance
OF Mrs. Cbb's little daughter, who Was
called ey she prosecution to break down
an iinpor ant point made in her tnother's
favor by Mrs. Cobb's mother. When the
child was placed upon the stand Judge
| Culver dew his chair to the edge of the.
platform and looked upon the witness.
adele, he said, in IA kind cheering
voice, ID, YOU know what it is to tell a
| false!lood ?''
Yes, !" answered the little girl, with a
nod; Its wicked.'
"W'o will punish you if you tell a false
| hood?"
"God will.' She replied.
And who told you that God would
punish you ?"
Mamma did sir.'
The Judge wiped his glasses. and both
he and the Cnlef Justice looked very
! grave,
| Counsel for the defense objected siren
| uousl, to Tue i'll reduction OF the child S
testimony, but it was Admitted. 1t tend
ed to sho.: that the grandmother had
sworn falsely i'll the effort To shield the
| prisoner, SO that the Innocent Guild. by the
irony of fate, was made to supply AN i'm
portant link i'll the evidence against her
own moth Il. When she finished aer testi-
mOny she got down from the witness stand
ard returned to her mother. whose life She
had sworn away. The wretched woman
| ''tnok her in her lap and stroked her gol-
den hair"
Ten of the jury were in favor of hang
ing Mrs. Cobb, but two held out and the
degree. The court sentenced her to i'm
prisoEment for life. A letter says:
AT 9.3S Mrs. Cobb was brought into the
court room and seated directly in front OF
the Judge in the area before the reporter S
| desk. On her left sat the High Sheriff,
and on her right her mother and Miss
LOOMS, a faithful friend who has stood
| by her her throughout this terrible ordeal
Her mother looked pale and haggard, and
| her eyes were fixed on the carpet at her
feet. Directly back OF Kate sat her
brother, with his head leaning on his hand.
Mrs. Cobb was attlred in deep mourning,
and long black veil almost completely
hid her face. Her hands reposed idly in
her lap, and her black eyes roamed about
| the court room in a vacant way. She
watched the Judge while he Was sorting
his papers, and now and then cast a sid G
| glance at Prosecutor Waller.
She received her sentence with a slight
bow, and tears filled her eyes when Judge
Culver alluded to her husband, and his
''worse than orphaned children" Her
mother wept bitterly, and her other COM
panions buried their faces in their hands
and seemed stricken with grief. John
Waterman, Kate'S brother, leaned his head
Oh the back of her chair and moaned
aloud. Even Sheriff Bates was seen to APP
ply handkerchief to his eyes, and strug-
gled hard to check the rising emotions
within him. Over in that part Of the
room occupied by the ladies and Good
Templar friends OF the prisoner, great grief
was manifested, and various EXPLANATIONS
Of ''Poor Kate" and it is ''hard for her
mother and children" were frequently
heard in the awful still ness that prevail
ed. Kate Cobb was the calmest and most
unconcerned. AS soon as tie Judge fin
iShed his sentence, she brushed away he
tears from her eyes, the bright, hectic flush
suddenly came to her face, AN d she looked
around her with look of Won der, as it to
say, "Why this grief"