Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-05
Sickening ScaffOld Scenes.

The Hanging of Catherine Miller and
 George Smith.
 Mrs. Catherine Miller and George Smith were hung at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Thursday, for the murder of Mrs Miller's husband The New York Heruld gives the following account of the hanging:
 At II o'clock the prison doors were closed to all persons on the outside. Five minutes afterward the culprits were on the way to the scaffold, located in the rear of the jail and about fifty yards from their cell. Mrs Mil Ter became extremely nervous when informed that her hour had come, and manifested a decided aversion to submitting to the i'm pending ordeal Along the upper corridor she moaned pitifully and frequently called on God to save her. Down the flight of stairs and along the cold and dreary path to the scaffold she excited great sympathy by her plaintive cries for mercy. She was dressed in a long black gown, the sombre appearance of which was relieved by white necktie and two silk bows. A shawl was thrown over her shoulders, but her head was uncovered. She was supported by two men, and at times al most sank to the ground As she ascended the steep steps to the high scaffold and for a moment gazed on the engine of death she was almost paralyzed with fear Her body took a sudden backward movement and she uttered piercing shriek. Her attendants caught her with frmer grasp and by con- siderable exertion landed her on the plat form from which she was soon to be dropped into eternity. Two chairs had been placed on the scaffold, and in one of them she was placed, while her accomplice occ1- pied the other. Smith walked to the gallows with firmness, praying vigorously while on the way. The cold was intense, and the cul- prits shivered like aspens. Owing to the frigid atmosphere the attending ministers concluded to have very brief service, but it was protracted enough for the men who had gathered around the scaffold to witness the terrible spectacle. The ministers had both written final statements, to which the con- demned had subscribed, to be read from the gallows by the culprits if they desired The ministers took this duty of their hands and read the confessions aloud. While thus en- gagged Mrs. Miller uttered frequent agonizing cries. calling on God piteously to have mercy on her soul. When the rope was placed about her neck her face presented ghastly spectacle and she groaned loudly. She experienced 6 choking sensation and complained that the rope was too tight. It was loosened, but again drawn closer to prevent any accident. This annoyed her much, and guttural sounds emanated from her throat The climax of her misery seemed to have been reached when the black bag was drawn over her face. She shuddered and uttered cry that could be heard for a square She was unable to rise from her chair unassisted when the time had arrived for her departure, and her two
  ton until the sheriff had sprung the trap.
 Smith met his fate much more herolcally, but not with any bravado, and passed his time on the scaffold in suppication. The man had shackles on his feet and arms and the woman was bound with four straps-one about her ankles, one about her dress, near the knees, to keep her gown in place, another higher up, and the fourth encircled her hands. There were on the scaffold six persons, 1n- .cluding the two ministers, when the sheriff, who remained on the ground, pulled the lever connecting with the platform on which the culprits had been standing The drop fell soon after they had assumed a perpendicular position
 The execution proper was unaccompanled by any narrowing scenes, not single con vulsive movement of the bodies being visl- ble both having had their necks broken. Twenty minutes after they fell the bodies were cut down and placed in caskets, exposed to the view of hundreds who crowded about the jail.
 Andrew Miller, the victim of the cruel crime for which the guilty pair to day paid the penalty. was killed by Smith, at Mrs. Millers instigation, on the night of March IS, 1880, at his residence near the town of Jersey Shore, substantially as narrated in Smiths last statement detailed above. Miller was sixty-two years old. His wife, to whom he was married ill 1868, was at that time but seventeen. She was averse to the match from the first but was urged to 1t eby her father, who expected Miller to make home for him. They had three daughters, but as their mar ried life passed on the woman grew to hate her husband to make no secret of it and to encourage the attentions of other lovers Her frequent threats to murder 'the old man" led to the suspicious of foul play, which soon gained credence in the neighbor- hood Miller's death was at first thought to have been by his own hand, but indications of murderous struggle led to an investiga- tion, and at length the many evidences of their guilt became so explicit that both of the culprits made such confessions that no other conclusion could be reached than verdict of willful murder.