Murder of William Druce, 1884 - Part 3

The Murder of William Druse

Part 3

Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, October 10, 1885

Mrs. Druse, whose trial for the murder of her husband, at Warren, Herkimer County, in December last, has occupied the attention of the court at Herkimer for a week past, and who was found guilty of murder in the first degree, was brought into court for sentence on Tuesday morning.  Every available space in the court room was occupied by spectators desirous of hearing the sentence of death pronounced. At nine o'clock she was escorted into the room looking haggard and worn.  The sentence be pronounced and county Clerk Wood requested the prisoner to stand up.  He then asked her if she had anything to say why judgment should not be pronounced upon her.  Immediately Counselor Lace arose and moved for an arrest of judgment, and read an affidavit of Matthew Myers clerk at the Allman House in support of his motion.

The affidavit state that Calvin J. Babcock, one of the jurors in the case went to the Allman House Sept. 6th, paid clerk Myers 25  cents which he owed, and got an overcoat which he had left there.

District Attorney Steele opposed the motion and read the affidavits of Juror Babcock, Officer Jenkins, who accompanied Babcock, and Clerk Myers of the Allman House.  The affidavits of Babcock and Jenkins that they simply went to the Allman House, paid a bill, got an overcoat and returned to the jury room, that during their absence from the jury room the Druse trail was not talked of nor referred to by either of them, nor by any person in their premises or hearing.

The motion for an arrest of judgment was denied.

Judge Williams then requested the prisoner to stand up, and said:

You have been, by the verdict of the jury, found guilty of murder in the first degree, in having caused the death of William Druse, your husband, on the 18th day of December, 1884, at the town of Warren, Herkimer County.  Have you anything to say why the judgement for this crime should not be pronounced against you?

Mrs. Druse--No

Judge Williams:  The court, the jury and the public generally have patiently waited through a somewhat lengthy trial of your case to hear and consider all the evidence given upon the one side and the other, in order that there might be a perfect understanding of the real facts in the case. The trial has shown that there is no dispute that you caused the death of your husband and chopped the head from his body in the actual presence of your children, the one a little boy 10 years of age.  And the evidence leaves but little doubt of your having then cut  the body and burned it in the stoves in the house, using your little boy to aid you by bringing you from the brush lot the ax to cut up the body and the shingles for fuel to burn it.  these things are hardly credible, and yet they are practically admitted to be true. The only defense attempted to be made for you has been that you did this killing in the lawful defense of your person, from an alleged attack made upon you by your husband.  You have had in the trial the assistance and best efforts of able counsel, and all that could well be done, has been done by them to establish this defense and secure your acquittal.  The court has afforded you every opportunity consistent with its duty, sometime almost trespassing upon the rights of the people, every opportunity to defend yourself against the charges; but upon the evidence there appears to be no manner of doubt but that you deliberately caused the death of your husband without any justifiable cause therefore, that you stole up behind him while he sat quietly eating at the table, and made the attack which resulted in his death.  The jury has found you guilty of the crime and this verdict has the approval of the court, and I believe of all who have listened to the trial,  and heard the evidence in the case.  There is no occasion now for the court to indulge in any unkindly words toward you.  For this crime you will certainly forfeit your life.  It is a sad thing that a woman should be executed, but the nature of the crime, the horrible manner in which it was committed and the body disposed of will surely prevent the exercise of any executive clemency to save your life.  You may as well realize this and do what little you can while you live to repair the great wrong you have done your husband, your children and yourself.  the last duty of this court with reference to this case is now to be performed, this case is not to be performed.  The judgment of the law is that for the crime of murder in the first degree, of which you stand convicted, you suffer the punishment of death.  The punishment will be inflicted by and under the direction of the Sheriff of Herkimer County, by hanging you by the neck until dead, within the walls of the jail of the county, or a yard or enclosure adjoining.  While awaiting the execution of the judgement you will be confined in the jail of the county.  The day appointed upon which the judgement must be executed is the 24th day of November, 1885, between the hours of ten o'clock in the forenoon and 4 o'clock in the afternoon of that day.

Councelor Luce will endeavor to secure a stay of proceedings and appeal the case on a motion for a new trial.

During the remarks of Judge Williams, Mrs. Druse betrayed no visible emotion, but immediately upon the conclusion of the sentence she sank into her chair, covering her face with her handkerchief, and her frame shook with convulsive sobs. She was immediately removed from the room by the officer in charge, and the court adjourned to 2 P.M.