The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-06-26
A WOMAN HZHCUTHD,
Mw. Whitsllug Suffers the
Death Penalty Philadelphia
FOR POISONING HER HUSBAND
And Two chudrea- The Story Of a
Remarkable crime-The Muir.
derer of Paymaster Mcclure
Hanged at wllkesbaFre,

pouy Was 4VWeIeu hllu ftLloVtu W lV|fl
The womap's bearing throughout Tho
terrible ordeal was most remarkable
exhibition Of fottltude and resignation
to her fate, During the entire morning
she never for q moment showed the
slightest evidence Of weakness, and fire.
quently expressed her pleasure al the
prospect Of Injecting her husband and
children" The several physicians who
were present at theexeCution and who
have more or less frequently been with
the condemned woman since her incar-
ceration, expressed surprise at the
woman's exhibition Of ca.mness In meet.
ing her death, although they agreed In
tne statement that she has az no time
shown any evidence whatever Of an un-
sound mind
Mrs. Whitellng spent her last night
walking about her cell, singing and pray
ing, In which she was Joined at intervals
by Mrs. Weaver, the prison matron, and
watch woman, who were with her
throughoutthe night. Shortly before @
O'Clock this morning she ate with appar-
ent relish breakfast consisting OF fried
eggs, toast and chocolate. Soon after
that hour she was taken from herScell
in the female department to a cellin the
male department, In the corridor Of
which the scaiIold for her execution was
standing.
She was Joined in her new cell by her
spiritual adviser, Rev. VIM. D. Jones, Of
the Scott Methodist Episcopal Church,
and Samuel w, Kehr, undertaken, who.
is also local Methodist preacher, and
who also olliciated at the 6urials OF her
poisoned husband and children. Mrs.
Whiteling joined In the devotional SER
vices with considerable spirit and ap.
parently obtained much comfort there.
from. AT 10 o'clock the condemned
woman was brought from the cell and
Sheriff Krummbharr and Prison Physi-
clan Paxson headed the procession 10
the scafFold,
Mrs. Whltellng was escorted by two
ministers, but they gave her no aid
whatever, she walking firmly and show
ing no hesitation. Arriving at the scat
fold she ascenled the ten or a. dozen
steps unassstel, excepting that each Of
her spiritual advisers retained q gentle
hold OF either arm. The sherih's depu.
ties then placed a leather strap around
her skirts at the ankles, the condemned
woman meanwhile with uplifted eyes
repeating o prayer delivered by Rev. Mr..
Jones. The black cap was then adjust
ed, and at 1907 the trap was sprung,
and Mrs. Whiteling dropped into eter.
nifty. The fall was about five feet, and
the physicians stated that death was In
Simultaneous from strangulation, though
the heart continued to beat spasmodi.
cally for some time thereafter. The body
was lowered at 10:4l and turned over 10
DR.. Alice Bennett, OF the Norristown
Hospital for the Insane, for examination
OF the brain, after which the body was
given to Undertaken Kehr for burial by
the side Of the murdered husband and
children.
THE CRIME.
The crime for which Mrs. Whiteling
suffered the extreme penalty Of the law
was the deliberate poisoning Of her hus-
band and two children with arsenic, for
the purpose Of securing the small insur-
ance which she carried on each OF their
lives. The Whiteling family consisted
OF John Whiteling, the husband and
father, aged thirty-eight years; Bertha,
nine years old Willie, nearly three, and
Sarah j. Whiteling, the murderess, who
was two years older than her husband.
The husband died on March 20, 1883,
and the doctor who attended him gave a
certificate Of death from inflammation OF
the bowels, On the oath Of April, Ber.
tina died, and the same doctor certified
that she died OF gastric fever. Willie
died May 20, as was supposed at the
time, OF congestion OF the bowels. DR..
Smith, who had attended the two pre-
vious cases, refused To take charge Of
Willie's case and another doctor was
called in after the third death. DR..
Smiths suspicious were aroused that all
was not right, and he communicated his
suspicious 10 the coroner, who ordered
that the bodies bo exhumed. An an
alysis Of the parts showed the presence
oil enough arsenic 10 cause death. The
coroner summoned Mrs. Whiteling be-
fore him and charged her with killing
her husband and tAo children.
After some hesitation the woman I'D.
mitted that she had poisoned her child
rem, but claimed that her husband took
his own lie. She made a full confession,
minutely detailing the agonies OF her
victims In their death struggles. She
FIRST told how her husband, who was
siCkly and had been ailing for several
weeks, had told her that he had taken a
portion ol q box oipoison which she
had bought for use In driving yermin
from the house. She summoned q ply:
slcian but did not tell him that her hus-
band had taken the poison, because, aB
she said, Of clause In bis insurance
policy, Which declared that no money
would be paid 70 suicides. His life was
insured In an industrial company for
Sl46, and he was also O member Of the
Benevolent Order OF Buffalo, which or.
ganiEation paid the widow sos.
THE CHILDREN POISONED.
About one month after the death Of
tho huSband, Bhe began administering
poison 10 the daughter Bertha, who ID
described as having been a sweettaced,
dark.halred child, the iayorite In the
school which she attended. A doctor
was called In alter the reighbofg urged
II, though Mrs, Whiteling declared Bhe
had 0 pfemonition that her child would
not live. The doctor left powders 10 be
given every half hour, but instead oi
giving hemedicine the eunnAturalmoth0f
gave her child poison and 10 three days
The little Rirl was dead. Her life wa1
insured ior sl22. One month later the
woman decided 10 kill her little boy
whose life was insured for 81, and 1hG
used the eane methods ~ described In
little Bettha's case. Altogether the IN,
eurance ohe realised by the three DEATH
amounted 10 $500.
Mrs. WhitellnR's trial took place lAst
! November, tie defense raised being Ia
sanity, but her counsel were totally IN
able, though 4 number Of i1bAnity Ok
petti were called 70 prove their ellen
4 insane, and she was convicted and zen