Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-12
BORGIA.
An Old Reporters Recollections Of
Mrs. Martha Grinder.
SHE GAVE POISON TO THE SICK.
Tender Missions OF Mercy We're but the
Cloak of Murder.
ROBBERY THE ONLY KNOWN MOTIVE
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH

in it are so much occupied with their own
affairs that they don't spend very many
minutes in abstract speculations about their
neighbors Still, such speculations are in
seresting in their way. In every man and
woman you chance to meet there are possi-
bilities that might we'll make every hair on
your head stand up and the very marrow in
your bones thrill with apprehension. Even
your next door neighbor, with whom you
think yourself pretty well acquain inted, is as
likely as not to break out suddenly in the
most surprising fashion.
A quiet, orderly, well-behaved citizen jogs
along for half lifetime of properly-con-
Quoted experience, and then, some fine day,
without warning symptom that anybody
has noted, he lets it be known that he is not
that kind of man at all. Perhaps the rev.
elation comes in the shape of CHASTITY MUIR
der; perhaps it takes the form of gigantic
swindle. Whatever it is, 1t is unexpected.
That is the interesting point. These people
who do the startling and terrifying things
have not been in the habit of startling and
terrifying the people around them. Unsus-
pected, the criminal fire has lurked in them
through all these quiet and peaceable years.
Some sudden impulse or opportunity un-
covered the fire, and it burst into astounding
fame. 1t is just as well not to think very
much upon such matters. Otherwise, one is
apt to feel uncomfortable in shaking hands
with his friend.
A surprise of the kind I have spoken of
chilled the blood of Pittsburg and Allie
gheny many years ago; and very soon, as the
strange and startling facts were developed,
the whole county, then the whole Staee,
then the whole country, was stirred with the
horror of it. Eventually Europe shared in
the dreadful interest; and the affair has gone
on record as one of the celebrated cases" of
the worlds criminal calendar.
The crime suddenly and Unexpectedly
brought to light was murder, and the mur-
derer was a woman. A woman, she was,
not struggling with the hardships. and
temptations OF extreme poverty, but living
in moderate comfort. ALI her life, ap-
parently, she had existed in respectable
obscurity. Very few people beyond the
circle of her immediate neighbors and
the members of the church where she
worshiped knew OF her existence. Those
who did know her regarded her as model
OF all the modest, lowly virtues. Respect,
affection, gratitude were the elements of the
regard cherished for her. Yet 1t was proved,
almost beyond peradventure, that that woman
was a murderess; that her victims had GER
tainly been twoo or three, and probably more;
that she had tried her deadly arts on some
who had escaped; and that her criminal
record extended over considerable portion
of the time when she had borne the reputa-
tion of q blameless Christian woman.
This was Martha Grinder, the Pittsburg
poisoner; the criminal whom the news
papers far and near-with painful lack of
he tEModarD
Borgia."
A vERITABLE SISTER OF MERCY.
It was in the year 1865 that the exposure
of this remarkable series of crimes took
place. Mrs. Grinder was, and had been
for long time, living modestly in respect
able neighborhood in Allegheny City. She
was woman approaching middle age; ap-
parently possessed of average intelligence,
and with nothing whatever that was strik-
ing or remarkable in her appearance. She
was of medium height and rather slender in
figure. Her face was pleasant and rather
refined, and was lighted by pair Of very
dark bright eyes. In manner she was lady
like and wholly prepossessing. Her most
distinguished characteristic seems to have
been the fact that she was an ideal neigh
Dor. When anyone within the widest cir
Gle Of her acquaintance suffered trouble or
distress, Mrs. Grinder was the friend in need
always. She had the time and was
never without the disposition to
give help and administer comfort.
Indeed, she might have been called strenu-
ously kind. She did not wait to have her
services asked for, but offered them freely,
and even insisted upon their being ac-
cepted in some cases where there seemed to
be no need of them.
In all cases of sickness particularly she
was a veritable Sister of Mercy. She was
the volunteer nurse for the entire neighbor-
hood. No service was too great for her to
render, no vigil too wearisome for her to
keep. Whether the patient were man,
woman or child; whether the sick room were
near her own home or distant from it, Mrs.
Grinders ministrations began with the early
symptoms, and ended only with recovery or
death, Night after night she would watch
sleeplessly at the bedside. Day after
day she would cheer and comfort the
patient. administering every dose Of
medicine herself, and herself preparing all
SORTS of strengthening food and tempting
delicacies. She seemed to- have special tai
ent for nursing, and was so deft and gentle
and watchful and sympathetic that herpres-
ence in sick room was always welcomed by
patient and friends.
Perhaps, after all, the kindness and the
sympathy which made her neighbors her
grateful friends were the genuine ruling
traits of her character; and the fendish
cruelty which manifested itself now and
again was only an occasional and transient
phase developed under stress of an ungov-
ernable impulse or irresistible temptation.
Perhaps; let us hope so, at all events.
THE STARTLING REVELATION.
Suspicion would not be prompt to attach
itself to such a woman as this. But sus-
picion was aroused at last, and in very
short time was in fierce activity.
1t was noticed that in a num-
ber of houses which Mrs. Grinder
had entered to minister to the sick, she had
remained to minister to the dead. Cases
which had seemed but instances of slight
had developed with terrible
swiftness into cases of fatal malady. People |
who had begun by having varying forms of
sickness had all developed the same sort of |
symptoms under her care. These recollec- |
tions brought another-that the constantly
symptoms had always been |
strongest after Mrs. Grinder had admin |
istered medicine or food.
The whisper of suspicion soon smelled |
into the loudly spoken declaration, that
Martha Grinder was . murderess.
Think the case which first aroused the /
attention of the authorities and led |
to the arrest of Mrs. Grinder, was
that of Mrs. Caruthers, young married !
woman living near the poisoner. Mrs. |
Caruthers was taken i'll with what |
seemed trifing ailment, and Mrs Grinder |
went to her house voluntarily to attend her. |
Soon the sick woman's symptoms changed |
and became serious. In a short time she |