I I - American Memory

[ 38 I
, her ar.d cry'ii, and'would lie all the reft of the Night
5. in the Room with the dead Body ; that the firft Oc-
cafion of this Defign to murder him-was, becaufe he'
came Home drunk one Night and beat her, upon
" which Billings faid, this Fellow deferves to be kili'd,
and Wood, faid, he'd be his Butcher for one Penny ;
that fhe told 'em they might do as they would, but
'* did not think they'd do it that Night it was done ;.
'• that fhe did not tell her Hufhand of the Defgn to
'• murdtr him for Fear he fhould beat her j that fhe
' fent to Billings, to let him know 'twas in vain to deny
' the Murder Qi her Hufband any longer, for they were
' both Guilty, and mull: both die for it.' There were
many other Circumflances equally ftrong,. befides this
Acknowledgment from her own Mouth, and about four-
^en 0|. fiftee,n other Witnefles,, but the Proofs being fo
flain,, there was no Occafjon to examine them; fhe ac-
uQwkdgcd in Court upon her Trial, that fhe knew of
fthe Ifltentfoa to murder hirn ibme Days before the Fad
was ccmmiflS'lj, ajid that fhe was ia the next Room,
when it was done, but perfifted in it that fhe was inno-
cent,, becaufe fhe did not kill him with her own Handf,,
and- havipg nothing elfe to oiler, fhe was found Guilty.
At their receiving Sentence, Wood^rA Billings begg'd
t|\e Merey. of the Court, that they might not be hung
in Chain,",, a^jknowledgint^the J.uilice of their Sentence.,,
and their willingnefs to attone for the Bbod they had,.
ifced, by Ijying dovvri their. Lives for- tha fame: iWrs,
-fe^j'cr, di fired likewife fl-e might not b« burn'd, fayirig,.
i};e was wiliipg and dirflrous to die tbo' innocent of
the Ff.iS,. and havii^g nothing, more to cfFer in their-
Cefence, Sentence of Death as ufual was pafled upon.-.
£hem,,i.7X. PFoodand Billings to be hans'd,, and Mrs,
Hayes to bs burn'd alive.
After Sisntente thus pafiedupon them, they were all'
remanded back to Netvgau,, Wood 'dnd Eillings were,
confined in the Conde7r.::id.-hiohU with theotixr Malefii-
ftors under Sentence of Desth,, and Mrs. Ma^es in an
Apartment peculiar to the Women in the like Condi-
tioji.