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charles j. adams iii - the dirge of susanna cox lyrics

her story is a bit of legend and of folklore and of sad, sad fact. her name, susanna cox, is etched into the berks county history books and for all the wrong reasons

born in 1785, somewhere in southern berks county, susanna was 13 years old when she was bound out to a family that lived on a farm along oley turnpike road where exeter and oley townships meet. sometime in her adolescence, she met a man, a married man, named merz. their liaison is lost in privacy, but it is recorded that еither by force or by passion, she gavе birth to a baby boy. and it was that newborn’s corpse that was found wrapped in an old coat in a root cellar of that farm on the snowy morning of february 17th, 1809

two prominent berks countians, peter nagel and dr. john otto, responded to an appeal by the farmer and investigated the gruesome discovery. suspicion fell on susanna cox, both as the mother and the murderer of that infant. she admitted to the first but vehemently insisted that the baby was stillborn and she disposed of it in fear and haste as she was disgraced and unwed. the matter of who the father was never entered the investigation. the coroner declared the little boy had been murdered and the justice of the peace determined that susanna cox k!lled him

justice, if you can call it that, was swift. susanna was taken to the jail at 5th and washington streets in reading. while locked in a cell overnight, susanna spent her days at service to the sheriff’s family. her trial started and ended on april 7th, 1809. her defense lawyers were an early 18th century dream team: frederick smith, who would later serve on the pennsylvania supreme court, marks john biddle, who would lead local troops in the war of 1812 and charles evans, who would become a successful lawyer and the benefactor of the cemetery that bears his name. but those attorneys and susanna’s pleas of innocence did nothing to sway the opinions of the judge and jury. she was found guilty in berks county court and in a subsequent appeal to the governor. governor simon snyder ordered that she be executed on june 10th, less than four months after the lifeless newborn was found

on the appointed morning, susanna cox was transported to the gallows at 11th and penn streets in grand but grim fashion. a militia troop led the way followed by the sheriff and the hooded hangman in a wagon. another wagon, then, with an empty coffin. then, susanna walked behind all of that, alongside a minister. it is said that 20,000 people watched the somber procession through reading and up on gallows hills, now city park, susanna stepped up to a wagon and a noose was affixed to her neck. in orderly steps, the wagon was pulled from under her, and in minutes, she was dead. it is further said that the hangman was beaten and stoned as he made his way out of town after the hanging and the silver dollars he was paid fell from his pockets along the way. susanna cox was buried in a farm field near what is now northeast middle school and it is said her ghost still roams that area

within days of the execution of susanna cox, broadsides detailing the event were published and became big sellers. what follows is one of them. it’s called “a new dirge, containing the history of susanna cox”. its preface claimed:

“the story i’m going to tell you
forever will be new
and who but once doth hear it
‘t will break his heart in two.”

the new dirge of susanna cox

all ye who feel for others’ woes
with hearts compassionate
oh!! listen to the woeful tale
of a poor damsel’s fate!

susanna cox, a country+maid
young, and of beauty rare
in oley as a servant had
long lived with jacob gehr
ne’er had she been instructed in
the course of human law
nor did she know god’s holy word
which strikes the world with awe

for, ev’ry one must be aware
of what he daily sees
that whom the scriptures don’t restrain
they’ll do just what they please

her neighbor, well remember we +
merz was his second name +
he recklessly led her astray
by l+st’s unhallowed flame

an instance which, from adam’s time
the race of man defiled
when satan, in a serpent’s garb
his help+mate eve beguiled

death followed in seduction’s train
when first the world began +
this happened to susanna cox
through that unworthy man

what in his seventh commandment god
what sacred laws forbid
he wantonly trod under foot
and laughed, and scoffed at it
though married, to seduce this girl
he did not hesitate +
he’ll rue it when he’s dead and gone
but then ’twill be too late!

fear of disgrace prevented her
from making known her state
which she by ev’ry means concealed
despair did indicate

the eighteen hundred and ninth year
at half past four at morn
the fourteenth day of february
the unhappy child was born

so far misled this sinner was
so much bewildered she
that she her helpless infant’s soul
sent to eternity

as soon as rumor did at her
point as a murderess
off was she hurried to the jail
the foul deed to confess

a our then empannelled was
to investigate her case
and to decide accordingly
what sentence should take place
although she supplicated hard
to pardon her great sin
of murder in the first degree
they guilty brought her in

ere long she in the court+house was
arraigned before judge spayd
where, shedding many scorching tears
she learned her awful fate

each one may easily conceive
what her own feelings were
to think, oh lamentable case!
what end awaited her

then to the governor was sent
who lived in lancaster
the warrant which contained her doom
for his own signature

a gentleman who pitied her
had by herself been sent
to supplicate the executive
law’s rigor to suspend

but she no pardon could obtain
for she was to be hung
as early as the tenth of june
to warn both old and young

the warrant was returned, and read
in her dark prison+cell
when fervently she prayed to god
to save her soul from h+ll

the clergy oft did visit her
in her repentant state
for earnestly she penance did
preparing for her fate

just as the clock did strike elev’n
she straightways from the jail
was led to where the gallows stood
oh lamentable tale!

she faithfully admonished all
young folks especially
“oh let,” said she, “my dreadful fate
to you a warning be.”

she humbly knelt upon the ground
and called in her distress
upon the lord to pardon all
her sins and wickedness

so piteous her crying was
her anguish and her fears so great
that ev’ry heart was moved
and ev’ry eye shed tears

she said: “i in an instant shall
go to eternity;
oh god! for my redeemer’s sake
turn not thy face from me!”

she then was made to undergo
the punishment of death;
scarce sev’nteen minutes had expired
when she resigned her breath

although without the least delay
their sk!ll the doctors tried
to bring her back to life again
was to their art denied

he that composed this little song
in mem’ry of the event
was present at the closing scene
and did the trial attend

let all who live upon this earth
by her example see;
what dire disgrace may those befall
who’re raised illiterately

short was, and sad, her pilgrimage
her youth mere drudgery
her age but twenty years and four
her exit + infamy

- charles j adams iii lyrics

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