Susan Eberhart

Case record: Susan Eberhart

Background

Susan Eberhart was a white woman aged between 17 and 21. She served as the housekeeper of a married couple. She was apparently the housekeeper of the married couple whose wife was killed.

The case involved Susan Eberhart helping her lover, Ferdinand Spann, to kill his wife.

An editorial sermon about her said that she not only committed murder, but also committed adultery and “violated the sanctity of marriage.”

The offence

Susan Eberhart was convicted of murder for helping her lover to kill his wife.

The wife was strangled to death.

The Georgia Enterprise described Ferdinand Spann attempting time and again to murder his wife and being prevented by Susan Eberhart. It said that Spann dragging Susan Eberhart from her bed one night led to his murdering his wife, and said that he forced the unfortunate girl to witness and partly participate in the dark and damning crime.

The Georgia Enterprise also stated that Spann had promised to marry Susan after his wife was dead.

Investigation and arrest

Susan Eberhart and Ferdinand Spann were arrested six days after the killing.

Trial

Susan Eberhart was tried and sentenced less than a month after the murder.

The Georgia Enterprise said both were sentenced to be hung, and that both were hung at the same place, on the same scaffold, with the same rope, and within the short space of three weeks apart.

Sentencing and appeals

Susan Eberhart was sentenced to be hung.

The case involved appeal efforts aimed at the Governor of Georgia for a respital (spelled “respital” in the material) or mercy.

The Georgia Enterprise stated:

• “Appeal after appeal had been made to the Governor for a respital of her sentence.”
• “Even the jury that convicted her begged that justice be tempered with mercy, and the poor creature be spared to live.- But all in vain!”
• “The iron heart of the Governor of Georgia was too hard to be touched by such pitiful appeals, and turning a deaf ear to all their entreaties, refused to either fully pardon or commute her sentence, and she was hung.” The material also said that the Governor exercised “the power of a tyrant” in refusing to show mercy.

The case record also stated that Ferdinand Spann had his death sentence commuted, even though he may well have been the real murderer.

Execution

Susan Eberhart was hanged in Preston, Stewart County, Georgia on May 2, 1873.

The execution occurred at the court house of Webster county for the offense of complicity in the murder of Mrs. Spann, the wife of Susan’s paramour.

The Georgia Enterprise described conditions before the execution, stating:

• “A gloomy day in Georgia when this friendless girl perished on the scaffold for this crime.”
• “A few hours before the execution it is said that the heavens seemed to weep at the terrible tragedy that was about to be enacted in the South Western portion of the State.”
• “The rains descended from the black clouds in torrents and all around seemed clothed in darkness and despair.”

It said she went to the gallows in a new dress and bonnet supplied by the sheriff, and with her hair “neatly braided.”

It said she told the crowd of about 700 witnesses that she did not mind dying as she would be better off.

Like her victim, Susan also strangled when her turn came to die.

The Georgia Enterprise stated that “The sickening sight of her death struggles are too horrible for description.”

It further stated that “A few hours before the execution it is said that the heavens seemed to weep” and described rain and darkness around her death.

Outcome

Susan Eberhart was executed by hanging in Preston on May 2, 1873.

Ferdinand Spann was also hung at the same place, on the same scaffold, with the same rope, within the short space of three weeks apart.

Aftermath

The material described citizen appeals and the Governor’s refusal to either fully pardon or commute her sentence.

The editorial sermon described her as committing murder and also said she committed adultery and “violated the sanctity of marriage.”

The Georgia Enterprise ended with commentary asserting her “career is ended,” and used language such as “Poor, unfortunate, friendless, young and beautiful” and that “she has paid now the full penalty for the crime she was charged with,” stating that her remains were in a “disgraceful grave.” It also stated that “Let her faults be as countless as they may, they now slumber with her remains in the disgraceful grave that she has been compelled to fill.”

The Georgia Enterprise included a disputed-looking narrative about confessions and statements just before her execution, saying: “If this young girl's confessions and statements just before her execution can be believed, she was more sinned against than sinning.” It further quoted the paper’s assertion that “A brute and half crazy demon under the garb of a man forced and compelled her to assist in the murder,” and stated she begged him not to kill his wife, but he held her by the hands and “madly swore he would do it if he was hung in five minutes after.” It said “The only part she took in the murder was to hand Spann the handkerchief when he called for it,” and said she “did this through fear and compulsion.”

Other details

The New York Times referenced Susan Eberhart’s hanging in 1872, and stated that she was hanged; the material specifically described her execution as occurring May 2, 1873 in Preston, Stewart County, Georgia.

The Atlanta Constitution ran a story about her hanging in Georgia that covered slightly more than four full columns of text.

The material also stated that she was provided with a new dress and bonnet supplied by the sheriff and wore her hair “neatly braided.”