Elizabeth van Valkenburgh

Case record

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh (July 1799 – January 24, 1846) was an early American murderer who was hanged for poisoning her husband.

Background

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh was born in Bennington, Vermont. Her parents died when she was around five years old, and she was removed to Cambridge, New York, where her education was very limited. Throughout her life, she never regarded the Sabbath nor religion.

The offence

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh poisoned her first husband by adding arsenic to his rum, because she was “provoked” by his drinking in bars.

She later married John Van Valkenburgh in March 1834. In her confession, she stated that John was addicted to liquor, misused the children when he was under its influence, and that “at such times we frequently quarreled.” She also stated that she and the other children were frequently quarrelling when he was drunk.

She said she was tempted to administer arsenic to John because her two eldest sons had offered to purchase a place for her and to provide for her and the younger children, but this was strongly opposed by her husband.

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh mixed arsenic for John in tea and later in brandy. She stated that he recovered from the first dose, and later she administered a second dose. She also said that “if the deed could have been recalled, I would have done it with all my heart.”

Investigation

The confession proceedings occurred in the Fulton County Jail in January 1846.

Trial

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh was tried and convicted after she was committed to prison following her husband’s death.

The sentence remarks were delivered in court, and the court stated that she had been indicted, tried and convicted for the murder of her late husband, John Van Valkenburgh. The court described the case as “cruel and aggravated murder.” The court also described the prosecution and defense as conducted with “ability,” “tenderness and candor,” and “ingenious and able counsel,” and said the court gave “the benefit of every doubtful question.” The court stated that the verdict met “the approval of the Court.”

The court addressed provocation and motive, contrasting death by poison clandestinely administered with death in an open struggle. The court stated that death by poison “is, of all others the most revolting,” taking the victim when unprepared for resistance.

The court also stated that her act increased the enormity of the crime because of her relationship to the deceased: he was her husband who she had promised to love, cherish, and obey, and also the father of her children, who would be “deprived of their natural protector.”

Sentencing

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh was sentenced to death by hanging.

The court set out the judgment of the law, stating that she was to be taken to the common jail of the county and kept in safe and secure custody until “SATURDAY THE TWENTY-FOURTHDAY OF JANUARY NEXT, between the hours of TEN A.M. and FOUR P.M.”, when she would be “hanged by the neck until you are dead -- and may God Almighty have mercy on your soul.”

The court’s sentencing address included verbatim admonitions and theological statements, including:

“Call to your aid the ministers of our religion. Look back upon your past life and repent. Look to God for forgiveness through the merits of a Saviour.
Now listen to the judgment of the law, which is that you, ELIZABETH VAN VALKENBURGH, be taken from this place to the common jail of this county, and that you be there kept in safe and secure custody until SATURDAY THE TWENTY-FOURTHDAY OF JANUARY NEXT, between the hours of TEN A.M. and FOUR P.M. you be hanged by the neck until you are dead -- and may God Almighty have mercy on your soul.”

Appeals

Many people, including ten of the jurors, petitioned Governor Silas Wright for clemency. The governor studied the materials related to the crime and could find no new evidence to stop the execution, despite being moved by her gender and poverty.

Outcome

Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh was executed on January 24, 1846.

Because of her broken leg and her obesity, Van Valkenburgh was hanged in an unusual way: she was carried to the gallows in her rocking chair and was rocking away when the trap was sprung.

Aftermath

After her arrest and imprisonment, Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh expressed thanks and forgiveness in her confession, including thanks to her counsel, friends, ministers of the Gospel, and the Sheriff and his family. She said she forgave any enemies and hoped through the mercy of God in Christ to be forgiven.

Confession and quotations

Fulton County Jail, Jan. 22, 1846

In presence of Judge Weston, Sheriff Thompson, J. W. Cady, Esq., Rev. James Otterson and Rev. David Eyster, Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh gave a confession.

She stated:

“In the name of Almighty God, whose law I have broken, and in whose presence I must shortly appear, I testify that the facts herein set forth, contain the truth and nothing but the truth.”

She stated she was born in Bennington, Vermont, in July 1799, and that her parents died when she was about five years of age. She said she was removed to Cambridge N.Y., and that her education was very limited. She stated:

“Throughout my life I have never regarded the Sabbath nor religion.”

She stated she was married in her 20th year, removed to Pennsylvania, remained there six years among a “very rude community,” and that there was “no place of worship within 14 miles.” She stated that by this marriage she had four children. She stated she then returned to the State of New York and lived there for the last 18 years within five miles of Johnston. She stated:

“My husband died in Sept. 1833 from dyspepsia and exposure.”

She said:

“There is no foundation for the report that I had in any way hastened his death, nor did such a thing ever enter my mind.”

She stated she married John Van Valkenburgh in March 1834 and stated that he was addicted to liquor, misused the children when under its influence, and that “at such times we frequently quarreled.”

She stated her sons had offered to purchase “a place” for her at the West and provide for her and the younger children. She stated this was strongly opposed by her husband and said:

“This was so strongly opposed by my husband, that I was tempted to administer arsenic to him, thinking if he were out of the way I could do as I pleased with myself and the children.”

She stated:

“To this act I was prompted by no living soul.”

She said she consulted no one and had no one privy to it. She stated that Mr. Robb’s house in which she lived in the fall of 1844 was infested with rats, and that she visited Mrs. Zeiley, stopping at Mrs. Mitchell’s and getting her boy to procure arsenic “for the purpose of destroying them.” She said:

“some of this I gave them.”

She stated:

“John had been in a frolic for several weeks, during which time he never came home sober, nor provided any thing for his family.”

She said he left home and was gone eight days. She said four days after his return in early January last, she first determined to destroy his life and mixed the remainder of the arsenic in a cup of tea, which he drank and which caused him to vomit immediately. She stated he was never well after this and failed very fast. She stated:

“Doctor Burdick attended him during this sickness which continued a number of weeks,”

and said that when she saw he was recovering and threatening to prevent her from going to the west with her children, she got some more arsenic “through the Mitchell family” in early March. She stated she administered it to him in decoction with brandy:

“that is, I poured boiling water on it in a teacup, and after it had settled, mixed the water without the sediment with brandy.”

She stated she gave this about midnight on Monday, “10th of March” in the week previously to his death, which took place on Tuesday “16th.” She stated she remained alone with him and said:

“My terror was so great at the effects produced upon him, --his vomiting producing repeated fits of fainting, --I being entirely alone with him, expecting him every moment to die, and that a discovery of the cause would at once be made, --that if the deed could have been recalled I would have done it with all my heart.”

She stated she remained in the house until the succeeding Sabbath night, when she fled. She stated she was informed by Mr. Osborn that she would be taken up the next morning, and she fled to Mrs. Wakefield’s near Kingsboro. She stated she was pursued the next day and brought back, then again ran away and concealed herself in Mr. McLaren’s barn, where she was found after being severely hurt by a fall from the mow.

She stated that the next day after her husband’s death she was committed to prison and remained there, saying she had after a fair and impartial trial been fully convicted and sentenced to endure the extreme penalty of the law.

She stated:

“To my counsel who have spared neither labor nor expense both before and since my conviction; to my friends who have been indefatigable in endeavoring to alleviate the horrors of my present situation; to the ministers of the Gospel who by their instruction and prayers, have endeavored to prepare me to meet my God; and more especially to the Sheriff and every member of his family, through whose unwearied kindness not a desire has remained ungratified, I return my most sincere thanks; and if I have any enemies I freely forgive them, as I hope through the mercy of God in Christ to be forgiven.”

She then stated:

“Two prominent causes have led to the awful catastrophe above exhibited: disregard in my part of the authority and laws of God, and drunkenness on the part of my husband, and I would wish to bear my dying testimony to the evils resulting from RUM SELLING AND RUM DRINKING, and a disregard for the institutions of religion.”

Fulton County Jail, Jan. 23, 1846

On Jan. 23, 1846, Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh stated she had reflected and found some particulars untrue in the confession made the previous day and corrected them.

Regarding her first husband, she said that about a year before his death she mixed arsenic, which she purchased several months previously at Mr. Saddler’s in Johnstown, with some rum the husband had in a jug. She stated he drank from it once, became very sick, vomited, and that it did not prevent him from going to work the next day and continuing to work until the next June. She stated:

“His feet and the lower part of his legs became numb after drinking this, which continued until his death, and his digestion was also impaired.”

She stated she had a “very ungovernable temper” and said she was provoked by him going to Mr. Terrill’s bar. She stated she threatened that if he went to that bar he should never go to another bar, and said he went notwithstanding this. She then stated she put in the arsenic “as I have said.”

People mentioned

• Elizabeth Van Valkenburgh — defendant
• John Van Valkenburgh — her second husband; murdered
• her first husband — murdered
• Judge Weston — present at confession
• Sheriff Thompson — present at confession
• J. W. Cady, Esq. — present at confession
• Rev. James Otterson — present at confession
• Rev. David Eyster — present at confession
• Doctor Burdick — attended John Van Valkenburgh during his sickness
• Judge Weston (again in witness list) — M. Weston listed as witness
• J. W. Cady — listed as witness
• D. Eyster — listed as witness
• J. Otterson — listed as witness
• M. Thompson — listed as witness
• Silas Wright — Governor who received clemency petitions
• Mr. Robb — house infested with rats where she procured arsenic
• Mrs. Zeiley — visited
• Mrs. Mitchell — stopped at for procuring arsenic
• Mr. Osborn — said she would be taken up the next morning
• Mrs. Wakefield — where she fled near Kingsboro
• Mr. McLaren — barn where she concealed herself
• Mr. Saddler — seller of arsenic in Johnstown
• Mr. Terrill — bar the first husband went to