The evening times., 1898-10-12
ATE SPIDERS TO DIE.
An Erring Woman Takes Her Life
In an Unusual Way.

In an Unusual way.
Des Moines, Iowa, Oct. 12.-Within the
walls of the Anamosa Penitentiary last
night Cora Smith McCauley died from
the effects of swallowing spiders with
suicidal intent. The woman assisted her
mother in the murder of her stepfather,
and when her mother was convicted of
the crime she confessed her part.
The court of the Anamosa prison.
where the female prisoners are permit
ted to take their exercise. is surrounded
by high stone walls. Here during the day
spiders come out of the recesses to bask
in the sun. Cora Smith, as she was usu-
ally known as, longed for death, and in
the poison of the spiders she saw a
means of escape from the bars which
bound her
Day by day as she took her promenade
unuer me watchful eyes of the female
attendants, she managed to pick the spi-
derS and secrete them in her handker-
chief. Yesterday she swallowed several
spiders, enough 10 cause death. Her fl
nal hours were spent in intense suffer-
ing. Physical and mental pain combin-
ed to make her death scene of hor-
ror. She told the physicians the means
she had found TO take her life, but even
with this knowledge they We're unable
to save her.
Cora Smith and her mother, Mrs Bet
sy Smith, were confined in the peniten-
tiary in Anamosa for the murder of
Michael Smith, in April. 1884. Mrs. Bet
sy" McCauley was married TO Smith, a
Chicago. Rock Island and Pacific engine
driver, in the latter part of the sos.
Mrs. Smith. two daughters, Cora McCau-
ley and younger sister, lived with her
mother after her marriage The evil
dence at the trial OF Mrs. Smith, and 1t
was inconeroyertible, showed that the
murder of Smith, the husband and step
father. had been planned for more than
a year.
Mrs. Smith had not been faithful to
her husband, and Cora. then less than
eighteen years old and a very pretty
girl. was well known. She was a tall
brunette with regular features and
sparkling eyes. Smiths salary did not
buy finery enough TO please them They
were frequently seen in company with
other men,.
Smith learned of the conduct of his wife
and stepdaughter. and proposed to re-
move TO Valley Junction, a suburb The
women declared they would not leave
Des Moines. During a quarrel Smith was
| shot in the head. He recovered from the
wound, but was thereafter totally bind
>,
Smith for his murder later
At this time Smith declared he did not
know who did the shooting. The impres s.
sion prevailed among those familiar with
all the surrounding circumstances that
either Cora or Mrs. Smith had done the
shooting. Smith had considerable money
saved and policy in the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers for s3.G0O. He
placed his bank account at the disposal of
his wife
Soon the last of Smiths money was in
sight and the women began to devise
means to get rid of Smith. This was
about nine months after Smith became
blind. Mrs. Smith discovered that Smith s
policy of insurance for s. 011 in the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers contain
ed clause that in the event of total dis
ability the policy should become payable
at the expiration of one year from the
time of the disability.
She found that the money would be
paid to Smith on April %, and she knew
from the remonstrances Smith had made
against the manner in which the bank
account was spent that If he obtained the
| money he would probably place 1t bey oad
her reach. She also knew that the policy
was payable to her in case of his death.
1t was then that Mrs. Smith and Cora
put their plot to murder Smith into def
mite shape. The first attempt was made
early in April, when poison was given to
him. Between that time and April %
four unsuccessful attempts to kill him
were made. On April 23 the final and sue
cessful attempt to kill him was made.
Rat poison was given TO him in his food.
Mrs Smith was arrested for murder,
and Mrs. Scoville her sister, testified
that before Smiths death Mrs. Smith had
confided to her that she intended to mur-
der her husband and get his insurance
money.