The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-05-08
ROBUST CHIARA CIGNARALE
CURED NJ COMPUTATION OF HER SEN.
TENCE To LIFE IMPRTSONMENL

| CURED NJ COMPUTATION OF HER SEN.
TENCE To LIFE IMPROVEMENT.
Every One Remember. the Pathetic Appeals
Made Her Behalf and the Certiacatss
That she Could Hardly 1--we to be Hanged
| She's Ms Healthy As Any on the leland
| On Annie Walden's trial recently Mr. Well
man told the Jury that Lawyer Howe had
dramatic ways Of defending women accused
OF murder. and got up theatricals In court for
his clients. Mr.. Wcllman referred particu-
larly to the case OF Chiara Cignarale.
you may remember" said a city official
| yesterday. what wave OF sympathy Mr..
Howe managed to create for her on account oil
her alleged broken down health. how women
| hocked to her rescue. and twice went to AL
bany and petitioned Gov. Hill to save dying
woman from tho gallows. while physicians
were induced to declare her beyond hope OF
recovery. and how the Governor was finally
induced to commute her sentence to life I'm
prisonment Chiara Cignarale was never a
very sick woman. II you doubt 1t. 60 over to
Blackwells Island and see for yourself"
Mrs. Cignarale was found guilty OF murder
on May rs. 1887. and on June 3 Recorder
Smyth sentenced her to be hanged on July %
following. Immediately there was great out
cry on account OF the woman's alleged sick
ness. Dr. Magee. City Ply sician. declared that
Howe got other physicians to SEQ her. who
snid tho Same thing. A great many women
became Interested in tho case. and wrote to
the Governor in her behalf. and on July II.
scarcely two weeks before the day set for the
execution. sclfappointed committee Of
women visited Gov. Hill at Albany
The Countess Ratio. wife OF tho 1tal-
ian Consul. led the party. which In
cluded Mrs. Walsh. wife OF the Warden Of
the Tomps: Miss Walsh. Miss Henrietta
AleSan der. and Mrs. Cesare Crespi. wife OF tho
editor OF tho Eco IL Italia. The women pleaded
the youth and ignorance OF tho young Italian
murdererthe peculiar circumstances which led
unto the shooting. and In pnrtc ular her broken
health and the improbablity OF her living even
to the day of her execution. They brought a
letter from Dr. Magee testifying that the
woman's health was completely gone. Gov.
Hill. however. did not consider that the cir
cumstances warranted his interference Mr..
Howe had meantime applied for q now trial.
and this acted as n stay.
After many legal comp locations. during
which tho woman rem aimed in the Tombs. she
was again sentenced to DO hanged the follow
ing summer. Again women went to the. res
thcirnppealtoG Gov Hill. Mrs CivnnrRle had got
into tho papers on several occasions through
was wasting away and that her mind was be-
coming affected. On this second visit to the Gov
ernor. Pearl Eytinge made II theatrical appeal.
and the women presented more letters from
physicians. Coy Hill. in committing her
sentence. considered tho question OF her
1T is certified to me by eminent physicians
In whom ! must place confidence. that the
ously i'll. and that in all proba blity she cannot
sIryye 1Ser rear at most and II ds
by her Imprisonment during the rest Of her
iife and it does not seem to me necessary for
Un June Hr began to
M Y ss %a4denn
49,. There Is no woman in the instituti9%P in
she came to US she was represented to be in
the last stage; Of dssne which must soon
ontcry about, hanging woman on
th sns GaS t sS Era. be and con hgs
hospital upon her arrival Our doctors exam
symptoms sym However, ever She Was w" Very nesvo%s
and excited: but the only definite ailment we
the do a
face This Yielded RAPIDLY to treatment. and
in three weeks we could SEQ no reason why
s or whH. oo inleed sSe e should D not be put
70 work tho same as the other prisoners.
and set her to work in the sewing room max
ing shrouds for tho Morgue and dresses for
went to work with u will. and from the first
showed tho best Of health and spirits. She
the others. set to work ut I. and made to work
all day She took her coffee and bread in the
morning. her stew ut noon. and her bread and
exactly the same as tho rest. She showed an
amazingly good appetite, from the very
start, and has not complained OF weak
ness or sickness day since. In fact.
barring TINT liberated TOOTH. never
have had n woman n the renitentiary whose
She has given US no trouble and her spirits
have always been excel lent II there was
case Of misplaced sympathy. it was this OF
Chiara Cignarale."