The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-10-23
HANGING A WOMAN.
TIE FIRST WHITE FEMALE HANGED
IN GEORGIA.

The statement that Miss Susan Eberhardt
was the first white woman hanged in Georgia has
called out a reply from Miss Eliza A. Bowen of
Washington, Wilkes county.
During the past few years." Miss Bowen
says, ~ have every now and then seen the state
ment made that Susan Eberhardt the first
white woman ever hung in Georgia. I always
knew that it not So as did some others, but
never got up steam before to make correction.
thought, too, when poor wretches were hanged that
was enough; they were entitled to oblivion, without
being dragged back to point morals So
let the ghastly subject pass Blu.
when l again saw the misstatement
in Saturdays pGpsr had lately heard the story OF
the tragedy which caused white woman to be
hanged in Wilkes county, long before any of its
present inhabitants born, except perhaps four
T five. So am going to make the correction. But
am not going to tell about the hanging itself.
did not ask for those details, would not listen to
them, would not tell them if knew them, certain
ly would not print them; and finally, if l had my
way, would not permit enterprising newspaper edi-
tors to print like details.
81 had heard old folks, now dead, say that
Mrs Bartlett was once hanged in Wilkes county for
killing her husband. 1 imagined she was all old
bag who probably poisoned him. ! was surprised
to find she was a woman in her early prime, and as
every r of tradition unites to say she was beauti-
full woman. TIE crime occurred in the autumn of
1905, and she suffered the penalty in 1906 Her
husband and she were Incompatible TO use the
modern trm, and it was known that they lived IN
happily. She had q lover whose name I did not
learn, aud they engaged her half
brother. man named Nowlin.
to murder the husband. H. was to receive $500.
They wanted also to secure Mr.. Bartletts money,
and SO they planned to have him killed Just after
he had returned from selling his cotton in Augusta
Some time in the fall. the brother went to see his
sister, and they talked it over. The brother said he
did not believe the lover would pay the SEQ. She
or ch.o n hi, 30
deed. half grown boy, either not known TO be
present. supposed to be asleep sat by the fire, or
lay there and heard every word.
The plan was that the brother should at night,
go to the cotton house on the road and make some
noise. Mr.. Bartlett had been troubled with depre-
dators, sndi was supposed he would go out, hen
he was to be shot, An old blacksmith, who lived
in the county long told how Nowlin had come to
him to get two bullets moulded for his shotgun.
When he gave them TO NoWlin, he said: They will
do mischief when they are fred"
'There was some company ct the Bartlett
house that night When the noise was heard at the
cotton house Ut before the day of cotton gins),
Nh Bartlett hesitated and did not care to go. But
the woman as determined and hard hearted as
Lady Macbeth for all her beautiful face and she
urged him to go where he was 10 meet his death.
otlong after, the reople at the house heard the
gun fired, and Mrs. Bartlcttlexclaimed, "Oh, my
husband is killed"
'HNot very far away, some children were out
playing in the yard of house. for 1t was beautiful
moonlight night Saturday night, tradition says dis
tinctly. Suddenly, the sharp report OF gun once,
then again, rang out en- the crisp evening air, and
startled them. Next day the cause was learned.
One of the children, then boy of ten years old,
died in 1886, at the age OF ninety-one. learned
many of these particulars frcm his son, who had
often heard him tell them
Mr.. Bartlett was not killed at once but the ball
went into his mouth and cut off his tongue. He
died next day, giving no evidence. At first there
was no suspicion aroused. Something she herself
said about his money, first excited it, Then people
began to whisper, and put things together, and
finally she was arrested and the boy referred to,
was the principal witness against her. The lawyers
tried hard to impeach the credibility of his testi
mony, but he always told his tale quite straight,
without essential variation, and the jury believed
him and brought in verdict of guilty" In spite
of her beautiful face. Public opinion was strongly
against her. Wilkes was settled by number of
God-fearing people of seotch-Irish blood They had
been raised to believe ia the eternal DEGREES" and
the punishment OF the wicked, etc., and they did
not believe in letting off sinners with beautiful
faces. So she suffered the extreme penalty One
thing will tell about the execution. She wore
fine silk dress.
''rhey buried Mr.. Bartlett exactly where he
fell. The cotton house has long since gone, and
the grave is almost in the road. The neighbors
dragged a heavy dark rock upon it. passed this
road not long ago, and saw the rock exactly the
line ofthe fence. 1t is said that when the people
work tie roads, they always pile up dirt on the
grave. Eighty-three years ago that rock, without
inscription, was placed there. 1t shows the pro-
found imprc sion made by the tragedy. that people
remember who lies buried under it. 1t is on the old
road from Elberton TO Augusta, now not much
travelled, On CGllaway's map of Wilkes county, the
spot is marked Murdered Bartlett's Grave 1t is
rather disgusting to know that the lover and
Nowlin succeeded In running away. Worse STILL
Many years after, when he knew the witnesse
were ell dead, Nowlin came back, was tried and
acquitted, hired assassin as he was. She had no
children.
Now this is the true story Of the first white
woman Lung IN Georgia II is as certain as almost
any event i'll the history of the state. One man
survives ninety-three years old who saw the exc
cution, the oldest man in the county, He says he
never wanted 10 see another hanging. suppose
people will stop saying what they do of Mss Eber
hart. If they don't, shall never again put the
story in print. In fact, am good deal disguised
with what have written, and have half mind to
burn 1t and let the truth Of history get along with
out my help.
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