The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-09
NURSE WHO SHOT PHYSICIAN
is NOW ON TRIAL FOR LIFE
Sarah Koten Will Face New
York Jury For Murder of
Man Who She Said, Had
Ruined Her Life.

New York, Oct S--Can twelve
good men and true" be found. in all
this great city, who viii close their
eyes to the mute appeal of young.
girl with a babe in her arms and,
barking back to the old law of IAN
eye for an eye" and life for life,
send the frail and youthful mother to
the electric chair? That is the ques-
ton that confronts the prosecution in
the case OF The People against Sarah
Koten, which VIII soon be called for
trial. Within a month, il is expected,
the work of securing jury will be
commenced. That IL viii probably be
most difficult task is admitted by
all the attorneys interested in the
case.
There is no shadow of doubt that
Sarah Koten, the young Russian nurse
shot and killed DIR. Samuel Auspitz, on
June last-shot him down as she
would a mad dog, which she declares
he was. And the crime was deliber-
ate and premeditated.
For hours Sarah Koten sat patiently
in q doorway, awaiting the arrival OF
the man whom she declares had ruined
her life, with a revolver in her hand
and murder in her heart When an
officer arrived after the tragedy
which ended the life of Dr. Auspitz,
the girl stood defiantly over her vic
tim and declared: Il killed him 1
am ready to pay the price, II she
WAS insane, it was a cool and deliber-
ate sort of madness.
The facts of the killing of DR.. Au-
spitz and the circumstances surround
ing his death are clear. and yet it
will probably be impossible to secure
a jury that will pass the judgment OF
death upon the slayer, In cell or
the grim prison at Blackwell's Island
the stork came recently to Sarah Ko-
ten and left baby boy, and the tiny
hands of the infant have built up
barrier of public sentiment that towers
dnsurmountably between the mother
and the electric chair. And despite
the fact that her child is fatherless,
the illegitimate offspring of her en-
forced association with DR.. AusplIZ.
the young Russian girl loves it with
all the passionate tenderness of her
nature and is now as anxious TO live
as a few months ago she was anxious
to die. Never before has the gift or
life seemed so precious, so intensely
beautiful; never has she reached so
rassionately for 1t. And all because
her child has been born. The baby
which she thought would prove the
browning disgrace of her experience
has, with one touch of his feeble hand,
performed the miracle that has turn
ed the wretched girl into a happy wo-
man, proud and eager to live.
Instead of finding herself with her
baby an outcast on the face OF the
earth, she has found friends whose
hearts are wrung with sympathy for
her, friends who assure her of their
protection and aid through life. Mrs.
Rose Pastor Stokes heads the list, OF
those who are eager TO aid the young
mother and her child and the Council
of Jewish Women, who have a home
on Staten Island. promise TO provide
protection and care for Sarah for the
rest of her life If she is acquitted.
The birth of Sarah Koten's baby
furnishes. a strong note of interest in
her coming trial, which will probably
begin early in November. The child
will undoubtedly play a most import
ant part in the trial of Its mother for
the killing of DR.. AuspitZ- II will be
the basis of the defense as justifyins
the frenzied girl for taking vengeance
upon the physician whom she accuses
of having ruined her life.
Immediately after she had killed Dr..
Auspitz the girl made the remarkable
statement: 1T was not ! who killed
him. He killed himself!"
Sne Saio. he is the real murderer.
lie has murdered my soul. Il is he
who is responsible for the deed.
There was no one in all the world
To help me. 10 defend me-had TO de
fend myself. The courts would not
listen to me; the man who wronge1
me. would not help me; it seemed
that God himself had forsaken me.
There was nothing for me TO do but
vindicate myself"
Sarah koten killed Dr. Auspitz in
the hallway OF No. 131 West One Hun
dred and Thirty-fifth street after wait
ing for more than twelve hours in the
hallway across the street watching
for him. She had decoyed him by
false message to the house opposite.
Just 3.962.660 cords OF wood were
used in the United States In the manu-
facture of paper pUp last year. twice
as much as was used in 1899.