The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-29

prlsonlnent IN obedience to popular
sentiment against the execution of fe-
males Maryland has hanged one wo.
man in modern times, Mary Naylor, a
slave; Illinois has never executed a
woman in Pennsylvania the laws and
their expounders make no sex distinc-
tions. Five years ago Catherine Miller
and George Smith Were executed (for
numbering the formers husband after
horrible scene on the scafold, and a
year later Mrs. Greener was hanged at
Pittsburg for a wholesale poisoning.
Lydia Sherman, who poisoned three
husbands and several children in Con-
necticut, escaped the hemp, and that
state has never hanged a woman.
The latest instance of woman being
sentenced to death in New York was
Chiara Cignarale, who murdered her
Italian husband, but Governor Hill
committed her sentence to life impris-
onment. Mrs. Analette Haight's SEN
tence was. similarly commuted last
spring. Mrs. Coxalana Druse, Of the
same State, who literally cut her hus-
band to pieces and fed the morsels to
hogs, hung forlt on February %, 1887.
In 1859 Mary Firsch, of Genese county,
n. Y, poisoned her huscand and two
children, but escaped the gallows to
life Imprisonment on the insanity
dodge. On May 7, 1852, Mrs. Ann Hoag
was hanged in Duchess county, n.
Y, for husband murder. Mrs. Van
Valkenburg, who poisoned her hus-
band, was hanged in Fulton county,
n. Y, on January "a, 1916. Probably
the most interesting case of the kind
in the history of New York was that of
Mary Harting, sentenced to death in
Albany county. Petitions by the score
were sent to Governor Morgan. One
was signed by the members of both
Houses of the Legislature. Many
prominent citizens took an active in
terest ia the movement, but Governor
Morgan refused to commute. Then in
fuence was brought to bear on the Leg
islature, which was only too willing to
act. a bill was passed discharging the
woman from custody. The measure
was crudely drawn, and; although in
tended to apply only to the Hating
case, proved to have general applica-
ton. Three murderers in Auburn
prison claimed its benefits and carried
their point before the courts, and were
released from imprisonment.
Miss Sarah Jane Robinson is under
sentence of death in Massachusetts, for
killing her husband, son and daughter,
nephew, brother-in-law, sister and
landlord, and the governor and execu-
tive council will hear arguments for
the comutation of death penalty on the
last day Of this month Public senti-
ment is terribly aroused. The popular
sentiment in the Bay State is that the
woman is guilty, but, as in all similar
cases, there are visible signs of a revul-
sion of feeling in favor of mercy. No
less than score of petitions for execu-
tive clemency are in circulation. The
basis ofau whose arguments is that the
condemned criminal is woman. The
mysterious deaths for which she is re-
Sponsible are seven in number. All
were practically in one family circle.
All the deaths were under suspicious
circumstances. Four of the lives were
insured for $1,000 each in the United
Order of Pilgrim Fathers. This money
is said to have been the criminal incen-
tive. Should the sentence Of death be
executed this will be the first case of
mountaineering in Massachusetts, since
the State became commonwealth. All
efforts to gain new trial have been ua-
availing. The movement for clemency
has behind it the public idea that the
circumstantial evidence did not prove
the guilt. The impression is the SEN
tence will be commuted if for no other
reason than Governor Ames' reluctance
to establish so tragic precedence in
the States criminal history.
Ohio has also a mountaineering on
hand. So far the State has only
hanged one female-Esther Foster, a
colored prisoner in the Columbus pen
itentiary, who was publicly executed
on February 8, 1914. She aad been i'm
prisoned for murder, and during her
! Incarceration beat white female con-
vict to death with shovel. Mrs.
Sarah NJ. Victor, of Cleveland, was SEN
fenced to die for poisoning i relative in
order to secure $1,000 life insurance, but
Governor Hayes commuted the SEN
tence to life Imprisonment, and she was
pardoned eighteen years afterwards
Mrs. Garrett is now under sentence OF
death in Ohio, and her case is attract
ing attention on both sides OF the ocean
Suspected Of having murdered her two
imbecile steis-daushtcrs, She was hello
for trial, but on the day set for the
hearing she gave birth to baby boy
Later, when she appeared in court t.
stand trial, she had her infant with
her, and after her conviction, and pend
ing the day set for her execution, th'
little one accompanies her. As sh
passed the gallows in the Ohio peni
tentiary, where she is detained, the DO.
caught hold of the rope and cooed
whereupon the murderess broke dow
! for the first time. The child's fathe
refuses to have anything to do with
or its mother. The circuit court q
Medina passes final judgment on thi
case tomorrow, after which, if denie
communication, Mrs. Garrett will al
, peal to the executive. 1t is believe