Saturday, January 25, 2014

MRS. DRUSE MUST HANG.



The Cortland News, Friday, November 12, 1886.
MRS. DRUSE MUST HANG.
Unless the Governor Interferes She will be Executed on December 29.


   UTICA, NOV. 8.— In the Court of Oyer and Terminer at Herkimer to-day the case of Mrs. Roxana Druse, convicted of killing and afterward burning and boiling the body of her husband, came up before Judge Williams upon motion of District Attorney Sheldon, the Court of Appeals having confirmed the conviction by the lower courts. The news of the motion soon spread and the court room was crowded.
   When the condemned woman was brought into court by the Sheriff she looked pale and nervous. After the motion by the District Attorney the court recounted briefly the story of the revolting crime and the subsequent trials. The murder was committed in the town of Warren, December the 18th, 1884. The trial began September 21, 1885, and sentence was pronounced October 6, that the murderess be executed November 25, 1885. An appeal was taken, first to the Supreme Court and second to the Court of Appeals, both reviewing and finding no error.
   The court asked the usual questions of Mrs, Druse as to why sentence of death should not be passed upon her, to which she replied: "I have nothing to say." The court then fixed the date of her execution for December 29, 1886. Mrs. Druse then broke down and wept bitterly. Her counsel will appeal to the Governor to commute the sentence.


SUPERVISOR’S PROCEEDINGS.
What Our County Legislators are Doing for the County.


FIRST DAY, Monday, Nov. 8th.
   The Board of Supervisors of Cortland county met in their rooms at 1 p. m., Monday, Nov. 8, 1886, and were called to order by Jerome Squires, Clerk of the last Board.
   Roll called and the following Supervisors answered to their names:
   Cincinnatus— Wallace W. Wood.
   Cortlandville—Delos McGraw.
   Cuyler—Benjamin F. Lee.
   Freetown—M. A. Mynard.
   Harford—H. T. Bushnell.
   Homer—S. M. Byram.
   Lapeer—Perry Hazen.
   Marathon—D. E. Whitmore.
   Preble—A. H. Van Hoesen.
   Scott—J. L. Vincent.
   Solon—A. S. Brown.
   Taylor—Jerome Angel.
   Truxton—Lewis L. Schellinger.
   Virgil—Walter L. Chaplin.
   Willett— Willson Greene.
      On motion of Mr. McGraw, W. W. Wood was made temporary chairman and a recess of fifteen minutes was taken. At 2.35 the Board reconvened and commenced balloting for a permanent chairman. On the fifth ballot Mr. Byram received seven and Mr. Whitmore six. Mr. Byram was declared elected and took his seat.
   Balloting for a clerk was then taken up, and on the second ballot James Dougherty received 8, Jerome Squires 6 and D. B. Tripp 1. It is understood that Mr. Brown voted with the Democrats and thus elected a Democratic clerk.
   G. W. Copeland, of Marathon, was elected janitor.
   The members then drew for choice of seats, after which the chairman and clerk took the oath of office and the Board adjourned until the following day at 9 a. m.

SECOND DAY, Tuesday, Nov. 9th.

   The clerk read a communication from the Binghamton Asylum for the Chronic Insane stating that there were three patients from this county in that institution September 30, 1886, viz.: Zenas Freeman, of McGrawville; Bailey M. Bliss, of Lapeer, and George H. Towle, of Truxton, and that their board for current year is $2.25 per week. The communication was received and placed on file.
   A communication from the State Comptroller was read by the clerk stating that the aggregate valuation of property in this county had been fixed at $10,756,816 upon which a State tax of $31,740.46 must be raised. For schools 1.15-hundredths mills; for canals, .68-hundredths mills. Non-resident taxes credited to your county for 1885, $129.02. The communication was received, placed on file and referred to the committee on appropriations.
   A communication from the Comptroller stating that $656.06 must be raised for compensation of stenographers of the Supreme Court in the Sixth Judicial District. Referred to committee on appropriations.
   A communication from the Lee Couteuix St. Mary's Institution of Deaf Mutes was read containing bill against the county for $30, for clothing for Patrick Driscoll, an inmate of said institution; also a similar one from New York Asylum for Idiots, containing bill for $22 for clothing of Jay Hawley and $16 for clothing of Etta Toppin, both of this county, inmates of said institution. Both communications were referred to committee on appropriations.
   A communication was read and placed on file from the State Homoeopathic Asylum for the Insane at Middletown, stating that $225 each would probably be required, for board for the current year for the following patients from Cortland: Jane Miller, F. Gillette, M. Bruisie.
   A communication from the Department of Public Instruction was read and referred to the committee on appropriations, stating that Floyd Shufelt, of Cincinnatus, had been appointed a State pupil in the N. Y. Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb for five years from Sept. 1, 1886, to be educated and supported at the expense of the State, and that his parents being unable to provide clothing it will be the duty of the Board to appropriate $30 each year for such clothing.
   The chairman announced standing committees as follows:
   On Court House and Jail.—Schellinger, Vincent, Greene.
   On Settling with County Treasurer.— McGraw, Wood, Bushnell.
   On Settling with County Clerk and Sheriff.—Greene, Whitmore, Mynard.
   On Settling with County Judge and justices.—Hazen, Lee, Van Hoesen.
   On Settling with School and Loan Commissioners.— Van Hoesen, Hazen, Chaplin.
   On Auditing Constables’ Bills.-Wood, Vincent, Angel.
   On Miscellaneous Bills.—Angel, Van Hoesen, Chaplin.
   On Appropriations.—Bushnell, Greene, Whitmore.
   On Public Printing.—Brown, Schellinger, Hazen.
   On Footing Assessment Rolls.—Whitmore, Chaplin, Bushnell, Mynard, Brown, Greene, Lee.
   On Settling with Supervisors and Clerk.—Schellinger, Vincent, Brown.
   On Jurisprudence.—Mynard, Whitmore, Bushnell.
   On Settling with the Superintendent of the Poor.—Lee, McGraw, Wood.
   On Equalization.-Chaplin, Whitmore, McGraw, Wood, Brown.
   On Coroners’ Bills.—Vincent, Angel, Hazen.
   On Settling with District Attorney. — Mynard, McGraw, Angel.
   Board adjourned to meet as County Canvassers.


CORPORATION PROCEEDINGS.


   At a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of the village of Cortland, held at Firemen's Hall, on the first day of November, at 7:30 p. m., present, G. W. Bradford, President; F. H. Cobb, A. M. Schermerhorn, Wm. H. Newton and Theo. Stevenson, Trustees.
   The meeting being called to order by the President, the petition of the Homer and Cortland Gas Light Co., for an extension of their charter for an additional 25 years, was presented, and the Board requested to take action granting such extension.
   It was moved and carried to determine the question of granting such franchise, and prepare necessary papers, and present to the officers of said company by Wednesday or Thursday of the present week.
   The following bills were allowed and ordered paid: [bills omitted by CC editor.]
   A resolution was passed directing an order to be drawn on the treasurer of the village for $100 each in favor of each of the Fire companies, including the Protective Police and Board of Engineers, being their share of the appropriation for the present year.
   On motion the meeting adjourned to Wednesday evening. Nov. 3d.





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