Evening star., 1899-03-20

spent an hour reading to the condemn ed
woman from the Scriptures, and Mrs. Place
herself occupied an hour or Two H. reading
tracts that had been sent to her
In the evening Rev. DIR. Cole of Yonkers
came to her. Many years ago the woman
with whom he prayed attended his Sunday
school. He was a warm friend of hers this
gray old man, and he is deeply affected at
her END. He spent the night in the war
Gen apartments and today he prepared
Mrs Place for her death.
The bible Her Only Consolation.
After he left her Mrs Place had no con-
ISOLATION but her Bible. She promised that
she would bear up well, and indeed, though
suffering keenly, she maintained her calm
ness.
With her In her room all night was Mrs
Kathryn Coultry, one OF the matrons She
had been one of Mrs. Places regular at
tendants. In the adjoining room Keepers
kannane and Lavery were on the watch.
Hitherto the matron had been accustomed
to lie down beside her ward, but all last
night she sat beside her in a chair, and
never for moment did she trust the con-
demned woman to herself. Mrs. Pace got
up several times and looked from her win
DOW at the storm that was howling across
the Hudson. Her attendant went with her.
ana so the cheerlesS, dreadful night passed.
Mrs. Martha Place was brought to Sing
Sing prison on July l. last. She tainted
when she was sentenced to death by Judge
1iuiu III one Wtlt COnN utSlNeiN
when she entered the prison. She was
greatly affected when she learned that the
court of appeals had refused her a new
trial, and again when Gov. Roosevelt ruled
that the law should take its course
In all the intervals, at the trial and dur
ing her days in prison. she was ca m and
dignified She had said. and believed that
she would not suffer the penalty of death.
Her sanity in Questfon.
Her sanity had been questioned and she
herself had said so sure am that in one
way another / shall be released that
do not worry much about ii. ! feel sure ]
shall never be killed for committing crime
about which j remember nothing 1t would
not be right
And when the final word came that she
must answer for her crime as the courts
had ruled and as justice had demanded she
accepted that. too, outwardly as she had
learned to accept the loss of her liberty.
During the eight months that Mrs. Place
had been imprisoned here she conducted
herself in way that gained much sympa-
thy.
She was a bright woman in many ways.
and was skillful with the needle. As a
mark of her esteem she presented her last
handicraft, a delicately worked couch
spread, to Mrs. Sage. The black gown that
she wore to the chair she made, and wheE
she made it she said that she would wear
it at her new trial.
She had few friends to come TO see her.
Her last goodbye to the only relative that
visited her was said on Saturday. Her
brother, Peter Garretson was with her for
an hour then. 1t was an affecting parting
of brother and sister.
The woman had written many times to
her son, a lad of fifteen, but he answered
none of her letters. She had often spoken
of him and grieved because he did not re-
ply. To her husband also she had written,
and he, too, was silent. Mrs. Places friends
have been few indeed.
Change When Death Notice Came.
There was a noticeable change In the
woman when she was told a few days ago
that she was not to be respited. She
quired in that time the same demeanor that
all those show who have gone to the
chair before her. 1t was not bravery, but
rather that strange dulling of the sense
that makes man walk to his doom, looking
neither to the right nor TO the left; think
ing of nothing but the words of prayer he
is uttering; not knowing; not caring.
At times there were periods of acute suf-
fering. and both her mind and body gave
in to these. Then there was calm, and then
apathy. Mrs. Place, who fared well in the
prison, improved greatly in appearance for
a time but in the last week she ate little
and her sleep was frequently disturbed.
She expressed he self warmly for the kind
when she bade her keepers goodbye. In
her Journey from her room to the door of
the death house Mrs. Place passed the cells
of four condemned murderers-Meyer Nc
Donald, Braun and Pullerson.
Heavy curtains had been hung over the
gratings and the men within could only
hear the footsteps as Mrs. Place was
brought down the corridor.
For some time Warden Sage pondere,i
whether he should keep Mrs. Place in the
room she had occupied from the beginning
or transfer her to the condemned row. but
he decided on the former course. The
change to cell, the warden feared would
result in her breakdown.
Mrs. Places restless night, the matron.
Mrs. Coultry, reported this morning had
changed her but little. She had prayed a
number OF times during the long hours,
slept now and then, had watched out from
her window, and early this morning she
arose, seemingly without regret.
Left Letters for Several Persons.
Mrs, Place left letters for several per-
sons, and made requests OF Rev. DIR. Cole
and Mrs. Sage. The latter is asked to at
tend to some personal and private affairs.
The former received a letter from Mrs
Place, in which she told simply that she
believed she had been forgiven for her sins
and would die with full faith in the here
after. Yesterday she made the statement
to her spiritual adviser that she wanted
forgiveness from every one, and freely for
gave others.
One of the friends who is here to give
comfort to Mrs. Place is Mrs Meury a
mission worker in Brooklyn. She was with
her yesterday and for some hours during
the night. She brought tracts for the dis
consulate woman and helped her to keep
her mind off the coming morning.
Early today the following official state
ment was given out in the warden's office:
THE matron reports that Mrs Place did
not lie down until half-past 2, and then did
so without removing her clothing She then
slept well until O'Clock. The early part
of the night was spent in reading her Bible.
in being read to, and in conversation with
her attendant
"A number of times after reading a chap
ter she knelt with her attendant and
prayed.
''She is reasonably composed this morn
ing. and ate some breakfast with apparent
relish"
MIR. SHERMAN GROWS WEAKER.