Year: 1867

The Story of q Fallen Woman as
'@s.f Given by Herself.


Fannie Wright, the woman who kill
ed officer McChesney last Saturday
night, has been removed to the Tombs
and now occupies cell in the upper tier
of the female prison. The clothing
stained with the blood Of her victim
which she has worn since her arrest, was
yesterday changed. In reply to inter
rogations she made the following state
nient in regard to her life:


About ten years ago was living hap
PLY with my parents at Poughkeepsie,
in this State. Nothing could wish for
was withheld. l was trained in the Ro-
man Catholic faith, and attended to my
religious duties with carefulness and
pleasure until / was corrupted by IL
young girl Of the same age, who w"S my
school fellow. She had hoon reading
novels to such an extent that she had
become fairly upset, and nothing would
do her but to travel out and see the
WOIlu. bc uull bllS Va u siisaiI CuuiElIA
place like Poughkeepsie would not suit
her tastes and inclinations, and from re-
pcatedly whispering in my ears and
persuading ME that we would be great la
dies, and have horses, carriages, diamonds
and servants of our own. l finally
reluctantly consented to flee from home,
and we started together one beautiful
night for the city of New York. Here
the poor woman gave away to tears
again. and sobbed hystcrically.) On
our arrival into this city We took up our
quarters with Mrs. Adams, at No. 81
Leonard street, and this was the place
where l lost my virtue, and commenced
to lead life of bitter, bitter shame. My
family ultimately succeeded in finding
out my whereabouts, and took me home;
but could not listen to the voice of rca-
son. l felt that l had selected my mode
Of life, and was determined at all hazards
to follow it out. | escaped a second
time, and went back to Mrs. Adams
where l was confined of II sweet little
girl shortly afterwards. l used to keep
myself very clean and dressed with great
care and tastefulness. From Mrs. Ad-
ans l moved to Mrs. Willoughby's- at
1Ol Mercer street, and lived there until
the death ofmy little girl, three years
ago; that had ali awful effect upon me
and l could not help taking to drink to
drown my sorrow. From this period
date the commencement of my real
hardships. My father emgrated to
California, and | had no one left but n
young brother; he tried to reform me
and also his poor wife, God bless her, she
used to cry herself sick ut my disgrace;
previous to this the young girl who ac-
companied ME from home in the first
instance fell out lucky and got married
Drinking was the only pleasure of my
life, and it WAS not long until ii began
to have its results; | was arrested and
committed to the Island for six months;
l got down before my time was up, and
again took to liquor and street walking;
l used to walk all the time between
Greene, Wooster and Mercer streets, in
the Eighth Ward. 1 was soon arrested
the second time, and sent up again for
six months. During the last three
years ofmy life l have been sent up to
the Island six times, altogether for
drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
On the night the officer was killed (hcre
she gave way again to tears, and rocked
herself OH the bed in fearful manner
| was walking through the street, going
home with message, and picking the
Kernels out ola hickory nut with small
knife, when the officer came up to me; l
was almost drunk at the time and much
excited; l did not know what | was do
ing, when on the impulse of the moment
| struck him with the knife. I never
had any enmity against the man; in fact,
never saw him before until that time.
1t is not true that | had only just come
down from the Island; | was down from
there at least six weeks. / don't feel nv
selfguilty of the murder when l never
intended to do it, and l know God will
forgive me.-N. y UOrld