Ньюфаундлендтің соңғы дарға асылған әйелі: Кэтрин Сноудың трагедиясы

Catherine Mandeville Snow, ( 1793 – July 21, 1834) was the last woman hanged in Newfoundland.

Born between 1791 and 1793 in Harbour Grace, Conception Bay, Newfoundland, Snow as a young woman moved to Salmon Cove near Port de Grave. Snow lived common law and then married an abusive planter, John William Snow, in Port de Grave. Together they had seven children, and married on October 30, 1828. Their marriage was unhappy, and there were frequent fights. According to reports, Catherine would fight back and throw things at him. On the night of August 31, 1833, John Snow disappeared, and neighbours wondered quietly and then loudly if he had been murdered. Magistrate Robert Pinsent launched an investigation, and the general suspicion was confirmed when dried blood was discovered on John Snow's fishing stage. On September 12, it was noted in the newspaper The Newfoundlander,A most atrocious and unnatural murder has lately been perpetrated at Port de Grave, in Conception Bay. Mr. JOHN SNOW, a respectable planter of that place, having suddenly and mysteriously disappeared enquiry was set on foot, and from certain suspicious circumstances, a servant of SNOW'S named ARTHUR SPRING, and another man of the name of MANDEVILLE, were arrested, but there not being sufficient evidence to criminate them, they were, we understand, released on bail. We learn, however that on Saturday last, SPRING made a voluntary confession, in which he stated that his master had actually been murdered, at the instigation of his own wife, that he had been shot by MANDEVILLE in his (SPRING'S) presence; and that after the deed was accomplished they had attached the body to a grapnel and thrown it into the sea. MANDEVILLE, we understand, on being arrested and examined, admitted part of SPRING'S evidence, but denied having been the actual perpetrator of the crime – alleging that SPRING was the principal. MANDEVILLE and SPRING were brought to this town, and committed to Gaol on Sunday evening. The woman had previously quitted Port de Grave, but although an active search has been made for her, she had not, at the time of writing this article, been discovered. SNOW and his wife were the parents of a large family, and had been married about 17 years. The two prisoners underwent a long examination yesterday – the particulars of which have not transpired; but we understand it to have been similar to the former examinations. Catherine and her first cousin Tobias Mandeville were implicated in the murder, along with Arthur Spring, one of Snow's indentured servants. Catherine ran away to the woods, but eventually turned herself in to the courthouse at Harbour Grace. According to the confession, John Snow was shot while going from his boat to the stagehead, but his body was never found.

The story of Catherine Snow has inspired two novels by Nellie P. Strowbridge, "Catherine Snow" and "The Hanged Woman’s Daughter;" the play "What Hangs in the Balance" by Petrina Bromley; the song "The Nameless Murderess" co written by Jody Richardson and the Newfoundland folk trio The Once, the short story "Catherine Snow" and the short two hander play "Catherine Snow: a duologue" both by Grace Butt, the play "Offensive to Some" by Bernadine Stapleton, an episode of the TV show Lore, and an episode of the podcast Tales, Tunes, and Toutons. On April 1, 2012, a re staging of Snow's trial was held in St. John's. It was organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Historical Society, with Supreme Court justices Seamus O'regan and Carl Thompson, with defence lawyer Rosellen Sullivan. Approximately 400 local residents attended. Snow's modern day defence lawyer argued, "the evidence of the affair is so prejudicial, it's impossible to extricate it from the statements there's no way she could have a fair trial." After hearing the evidence, the modern jury acquitted her. Snow's great great granddaughter is former CNN news anchor Mary Snow.