The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-26
: MODEM B lRGIA.
Poisoned Rats for Psssime and Then
Tr.ed her Arts on People.
Ezyoy,, The Piffsb,, y D5S,,teh
7Tom he Piftsbu o Dispatch.

From The Pittsbu o Dispatch.
George Grinder. q brokeu-down old man,
died yesterday at his hons In Parker, Pa.
The deceased was the husband Of Mrs. Nary
Grinder. who was the second and last
woman banged in Allegheny county. The
woman was convicted OF poisoning the
Csrothers family of Allegheny. The
mother aud enc OF tho children died She
vas charged with poisoning several othe,
children. Mt her confession made in jail
shortly before her execution relieved her Of
several of the charges.
Mrs. Grinder was about 35 years old when
she was hanged, on Jan. 2, 1856 Whea a
mere girl she married river captain named
Green. The couple lived unhappily to-
gether for some time and then separated
The woman then married George Grinder,
who was employed as leborer on the ALLIE
gheny wharf She was a reckless, desperate
woman, but was rather attractive in appear
ance. To the police she was known as an
expert shophfJer. she was always well
dressed, and when she entered "a store il is
said she seldom left the place without taking
with her something valuable in the shape OF
lace, linen or silk
Before her execution she boasted to { Q
jailor that she lifted from a shoe dealer the
pair of white satin slippers worn by fash
ionable young bride who was married dur
ing Mr.. Grinders confinement in jail and
che also boasted that she had stolen the lace
that formed the bridal veil. In her shop
lifting excursions she rarely took anything
unless 1t was valuable. She then it is oil :
legged, mad regular customers TO whom she
sold her wares for a trlhing part Of their
value, and the greater portion OF tue money
thus obtained was devoted to relieving the
distress Of the poor.
She was an earnest churchwomau, and it
is told of her that she frequently scld stolen
goods to get money TO devote to religious
work. Rev. Mr.. Holmes was her pastor
and he was slow 90 believe her guilty of the
crimes charged against her. and for a long
time be looked upon her as one OF the besI
churchwomen In his flock.
Mrs. Grinder is believed to have been
crazy on the subject Of poisoning. Poison
ing rats was one enjoyable passGime for
her. She delighted in Watching the rodents
Writhe and squirm in their death agonies
and the money secured from the sale oil
stolen goods which was not spent
for charity and religion was devoted
to buying rat poison. After sat
istYing her sickeniug and horrible mania
for rat-killing it was charged that she ex-
tended her mur1erous habit to the human
race, and a number of neighboring chill
dren, it is claimed, suffered the same fate
as the rats.
Repeated deaths and the unusual number
OF cases of sickness excited the curiosity of
the police, and an investigation led to the
womans arrest. In the indictment she was
charged with poisoning the Crothers family
She was convicted. Her case was appealed
and a committee OF experts was sent to in
quire into her sanity. She OWNED the pur-
pose of the commission and became highly
indignant.
you men think Pm crazy, but am not.
she said TO the commission. They turned
away and accepted her word ON the subject
Her execution followed