New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-08
THE SLAYER OF PETTUS DEAD.
MRS sOUTHWORTHS LIFE ENDS IN THE
TOMBS
SHE EXPRESSED NO REGRET FOR HER CRIME
WITNESSES WERE PREPARED TO SWEAR
THAT HER STATEMENTS WERE FALSE.

THAT HER STATEMENTS WERE FALSE"
Mrs Hannah b. southworth, the slayer OF stephen
pettus died at an early hour yesterday morning IN
COLL i'm tho Tombs where she had been prisoner
ipca the morning on which she sent five bullets lhto
fine body of the man WHO she said had wrohged her'
Few people have believed that Mrs South"or'h was
as III as she really was The general inip'e'''o'
which rrovailed was that she fegnlng illness TO
arouse sympathy for her at the trial. wmch was "
begin this week. shortly after her lmprieo",e"''
however she began to complain OF feeling H. ana '''
Tombs physician DR.. Charles II. Chetwood preScrioou
for her. She was then in highly nervous cohoit'on'
For some DAYS She was kept almost entirely uhoer
onates Rut for the last three weeks she had been
wasting away. -
ON saturday night she sent for the Rev. Dr. Henry
Y Sattcrlce rector Of Calvary Protestant Episcopal
Church. Late as the hour was Dr. oatteriee went "
the prison and talked to the dying woman lohg anu
earnestly. She then knew that she couid ho' nN0
The communion was administered to her. she prayer
and bccced forgiveness for what wrong she had DONE
Inf cxpre,sed no sorrow for the shooting OF fe''s
Her mother Mrs. Martin, has been with her aiho''
constantly Dr. Fleetwood visited her at ~ ocio'h
on Monday night and told the womahS iho'"or ,,''
Mrs southworth could not last much longer iiei
,uro brothers George and william i. Martin, VINO
live In brooklyn, we're Immediately sent ior' Ihey
reached the prison about 1880 ana Wlth 'leH
her until she died. The dying woman praSeo
steadily through the night
Dr. ChetwoOd gave the brothers ceruncaue Vi
death which said that Mrs. southworth died from
gradual heart failure, resulting from blood poisoning
and general debility, with complications lho
coroner made hasty examination ana the Boaru VI
Health gave a permit to move the body. The body
was taken TO the home of william b. Martin, No.
$50 Lafayette ave, Brooklyn, where private funeral
will be held tomorrow. The family have not yet
decided whether body shall be buried here or in
Louisville Ky, where married sister and brother
live.
The shooting took place on the morning Of Novem
Der - last. Mrs. SOuthworth had previously
threatened Pcttuss life and he had been advised to
take precautions to protect himself lie once had her
arrested for assault. She fired upon fettus as nc
was leaving FutOn-st ferry and death was almost
instantaneous.
She was born in Louisville and her father Edward
j. Martin was "A well known and highly respected
citizen. She came East with her parents; and When
she was nineteen years old she married Frederick
>Outhworth, Of Geneva, y. y
The news Of the death of Mrs. Southworth reached
the District Attorneys Office while Assistant l,rlct
Ntorlcy con examining the wtn1,es in the case
against her. Eleven wtne,sc'. including Mrs Pettls
the widow Of The man whom Mrs. >OuthwOrh killed
were in attendance At Mr.. GOf'> rooms and the
worn statement, Of some Of them were taken. Mr.
coli would not make them public. but said that they
established the innocence Of Pettu, Of The charges
made against him by Mr.. SOuthw0rh in her own
defence They also showed her character in an I'M
favorable light. Mr.. Got said that it would have been
letter for justice to Mr. Petus If all the facts had
Di,tri,t attorney Fellows said As the woman is
dead there j. no reason why the afhdavitS we have
should be made public. They prove. however. that
her statements made in her defence were false She
wa, no; q yrtuous woman. saint. She was
under very great pccuuiary obligations TO Pettu,.'
". +. Howe. Mrs southwortlf> counsel. proeSsed
to B., much shocked nj the statements rejecting on
his client He said that they were false and threat
cned TO begin suit for libel.