The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-01-14
DIED IN PRISON.
Mrs. SOuthwOrth, the Woman
Who Killed Stephen PettuS
i'm November Last.


DIR. Chetwood, who granted the death
certificate, gives The cause OF death as heart
failure and general debility. The death
MIS-. Southworth's mother and her Broth
ers, George and William B. Martin. The
grief of the dead woman's mother was
painful 10 witness.
The body Of Mrs. Souihworth was much
wasted. Coroner Schuetz granted an order
permitting the removal Of the body to
Brooklyn, where il will remain at the home
of her brother until Thursday. Then it
will be removed 10 Greenwood cemetery
and placed in a receiving vault temporari-
ly. The final interment will be al Louis
vile.
On November 22 Mrs. Southworth
killed Stephen Pettus, secretary and
treasury of the Brooklyn Elevated road.
She followed him from ferry boat and
overlook him on Fulton street, New York
city. Standing SO near behind him ithst
she might have touched him with her
hand, she emptied the five chambers of
a revolver into his head and body. He
died in few minutes. Pettus was AZ
years old and had an INVALID wife.
Mrs Sonthworth made no resistance and
was arrested. She has since been in the
Tombs prisou where her health failed rap
idly. Her trial was set for this month,
but would have been postponed on &C
count of her illness.
In 1874 or 1875, when she was Just
emerging from her teens, during visit to
the family of her uncle, the late Judge
Torrey, at Geneva, n. Y, she met Mr..
Frederick Southworlh, a banker OF that
place, and some two years later they were
married. Mr.. Southworth died within a
year or SO after the wedding, and his widow
returned 10 Louisville, whsre her father
and mother were again living. A few
years after, her father having died in the
meantime, Mrs. Southworth and her
mother removed to Brooklyn, where she
had two brothers living and doing bust
ness.
1t was soon after this she was introduced
by a mutual friend to Mr.. Pettus. She
was at the time living at the Pierrepont
house.
The cause OF The tragedy dates back to
an outrage committed by Peuus, which
had been concealed from any one except
a few of her most Intimate friends. Ac-
quaintance with MIR. Pettus was developed
into friendship on account of the intimacy
of Mrs Southworth's woman friend with
him. This lady was in the habit of attend
ing theatres and taking lunches with Mr..
Pettus, and upon these expeditions was in
the habit of taking Mrs. Soulhworth with
her from time to time.
The natural result of this kind of 1850
citation led 10 sn invitation at the close of
a matinee one afternoon in New York City,
on the part of Mr.. Petus to Mrs. South
worth, to call at a certain residence near by
E Hpo o,t the YEsiieEstb a sssif the
part of Mr.. Pettus, calculated to quiet
the lady's spprehensions as to the siric'
propriety of the proceedings, Mrs. SCUM
worth consented.
They were ushered into parlor, where,
tn Mrs. Southworth's CONSERVATION, they
were met by a colored man, with the air OF
a waiter. from whom Mr.. Pettus ordered
q bottle of wine.
Mrs. South worth demanded an explana-
t;on and was assured by MIR. Pettus that
everything was all right In the meantime
she was urged TO take glass OF champagne,
which she did. Iu few minutes she lost
| Consciousness and knew nothing more of
her snrrnundings until the following morn
ing, when she walked up finding herseil il
bed i'm this strange house with no one
about her, with no one within call Wnon
she had ever known. She soon discovered
that she bad been wrouged while uncon-
scious. aud she had been abandoned u
make her way home upon recovering con
seriousness as best she could. OverWneime'
with shame. she returned home and al
tempted to conceal her disgrace by keep
In the course of a few weeks, however
secrecy became an impossibility.
In her extremity she appealed to Pettu
, IN save her good name. In time she decle
ed at the instance of Pettus to consent
MALPRACTICE. She was sent TO an lnteri1
civ in this state, where at hotel, amon
!. utter strangers, she was attended oy
nbvsician under whose care she lay II
weeks. lowering between life and dealt
She was at length restored to shadow
, her former self, her life wrecked anu N
. physical health irretrievably broken. Re
, tus had made the most profuse promises
substantial provision for her, but, upon
u recovery. after the lapse of nearly yes
q he met reminders of his obligation WI
nothing except derision. She was dnv
,e Pertus, at length. being wearied by b
:, opportunities to fulfill his promises SI
iS cuiated reports to the effect that M
Southworth was a discarded mistress oil d
of whom he had tired, and who was pt
Il suing him for the purpose OF blackmaiiii
him.
Mrs. Southworth's years Of suffering 8,
b, self immolation. in order to protect
Dg family name, appeared now to have e
ty for naught. In frame OF mind Shl
re- was the climax of her wronss, she
u tackled Mr.. Pettus with horse hip.
ed, In as much as secrecy was no Longer
ne be maintained, she EapPealed 70 Mes.
mt Howe & Hummell, the terminal iawy'
t not to obtain money damage, but tnat
un truth might be exploited and the mia
life Of her prosecutor exposed. She fon Iinei
- her dismay, that the statute OF Inn
lions, owing to the time which haa
elapsed, protected Mr.. Pettus from MP gf !