Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-23
She Is Given Seven-year
Term in State
Prison.
AGED WOMAN HYSTERICAL;
IS CARRIED OUT OF COURT
Loudly Declares Her Innocence
and Protests Against Sen.
tence Being Pronounced.

Under dramatic circumstances and "a
a fitting climax to a mysterious case
Mrs. Caroline B. Martin, lone OF the
three old women Of mystery" was to-
day sentenced to pay the costs OF trial
and TO serve seven years in State prison
for causing the death of her daughter,
ocey Snead, at East Orange, on No
vember 20, 1909.
Mrs. Martin was borne from the
courtroom protesting her innocence
''I am innocent in the sight Of Cod!
sne shrieked. 1T is not done TO JUSTIFY
Mr.. Hughes or Mr.. Fort; II Is done tc
Justify Mr. Mott and the lawyers, moi
because deserve It,"
At the opening OF court Judge Ten
the case of the State VS.. Martin thta
morning. Whereupon Prosecutor Mott
arose and moved for judgment.
The court then called on Samuel
Kalisch and former Sheriff Frank SOM
mer, counsel for the defense. but neither
had anything to say.
At this point Mrs. Martin arose and
exclaimed:
"I am innocent in the sight OF God.
1 am as innocent as Judge Ten Eyck or
Mr.. Mott. l have done nothing TO In
lure my daughter; absolutely nothing"
she said.
After some difficulty she was quieted
by Under Sheriff Charles Reilly and
induced to resume her seat.
The court then proceeded to review
( the case against Mrs. Martin. He had
spoken only a few words when she
arose protesting against what he said
He wrapped for order and she knelt
down on the floor putting her hand
over her face.
Becomes HystericaI.
She arose in few minutes shouting
~ never denied being in East Or
q ange in my life; never. This Is series
of lies against a mother-an innocent
mother, who had done nothing to her
child but love her and care for her.
Men that wouldn't keep her from
starving, but who take the taxpayers
money for blackening her name-my
baby's name have done nothing 10
my child; / have done nothing 10 any
body. living or dead, except love them
and~strive to help them. What the
judge is saying is based upon the lies
of men who do not know OF a
YnOther's-"
Here the court was forced TO take a
recess. Mrs. Martin became hysterical,
shouting and crying. Two court con-
stables picked up her >.hair and bore
her upon 1t from the courtroom to the
Judges chambers. After ten minutes
walt she was quieted and court was
resumed.
Judge Reviews Case.
Before Judge Ten Eyck announced the
sentence he made a complete review of
the case. After telling the early his
tory of the proceedings leading up to
the confinement of the three sisters In
the county jail, he said that he fully
believed that Mrs. Martin was at least
guilty of mansIauShter.
lie said that he did not believe that
all the facts In the case would ever be
known. Speaking of Mrs. Martina
action toward her lawyers, Judge Ten
Eyck said:
IT am convinced that you wilfully re-
fused TO make full statement OF facts
to your counsel. There was one state
Inent, made by Miss Wardiaw TO her
counsel. What 1t contained / do not
know, but assume that you must have
discovered the purport of It, for you at
once demanded that he should surrender
it, and ever since his refusal TO do SO
you have made extravagant, and, l be-
licve, unjust charges against him, which
reflects also upon Miss Wardiaw."
-
The court then told Of the important
facts In the case: the strange conduct
Of the sisters during the period pre-
oeding the opening of the home In East
Orange, the large amount of insurance
upon her life and the family's fnan-
cial troubles, the rumor of a suicide
pact between Ocey Sneed and her aunt.
Virginia o. Wardlaw, who died sup
posedly from starvation In the county
Jail last August, and the writing of q
book to be called Beautiful Suicide"
by Ocey Snead.
He summoned the case UP briefly,
and said in closing:
Upon any possible theory, however,
I cannot, under all the facts, regard
this case otherwise than one involving
great moral turpitude.
Public interest requires that crimes
involving death by the insidious means
Of poisoning should. in practically
every case, be severely punished. The
peculiar facts here shown, and your
recent history in general, indicate that
a sentence should be imposed which
will be sufficient to insure that there
will be no danger Of further injury TO
any one which might result from fur
ther peculiar conduct on your part"