File:Murder of Ocey Snead in the New York Times on January 22, 1911.png

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Poison Mother Gave Killed Ocey Snead. Real Story of Crime Told in Newark Court When Question of Sentences Is Argued. No Premeditation Shown. Gave Morphine to Ease Pain and Fled When Death Came. Woman's Counsel Makes Plea for Mercy. The real story of the death of Ocey W. M. Snead, whose body was found in a bathtub of an East Orange house in November, 1909, was told yesterday when argument was heard before Judge Jay Ten Eyck in the Court of Oyer and Terminer in Newark as to what sentence should be passed on Mrs. Caroline B. Martin, who recently pleaded non vult to manslaughter in causing the death of Mrs. Snead, who was her daughter. Samuel Kalish, counsel for Mrs. Martin and Prosecutor Wilbur Mott explained to the court why the plea of non vult had been offered and accepted. Mr. Kalish declared that while the circumstances showed that Mrs. Martin was guilty of the killing there was no evidence that the crime was premeditated. He then reviewed the history of the crime from the time the telephone message informed the deputy county physician of the death of Ocey Snead in the East Orange dwelling, the finding of the body partly submerged in the bathtub, and the presence of the suicide note attached to the woman's clothing. Morphine, in a quantity sufficient to produce narcosis, had been found in Ocey Snead's body, Mr. Kalish said, and added: Mrs. Martin never admitted these facts to us. But we are informed by Mr. Mott that during the insanity proceedings Mrs. Martin told the prosecutor that on the Saturday night preceding the death of Ocey Snead, her daughter had been in a pitiable physical condition, and that Mrs. Martin administered to her, daughter morphine for the purpose of alleviating her pain. That is where her statement stops. It is conjectured that the weakened condition of Ocey Snead was such, and that the effects of the morphine were such, that Mrs. Martin, finding her daughter in a state of narcosis, aided her daughter to the bathtub and did what every doctor says is the proper thing to do put the patient into cold water to revive her; and it is conjectured further that Ocey Snead was expiring when she got into the bathtub, and it is conjectured that Mrs. Martin, seeing what had happened, was overcome with fear, overwhelmed by the sudden death of her daughter, which was unintended that under the fear she did what a great many innocent persons would do, knowing of these suicide notes as far as I understand there were half a dozen or more in the house and elsewhere and to escape censure for doing what she legally had no right to do that is, administer a drug, as deadly as morphine, where she should have called in medical assistance — left the house, and before going pinned the suicide note upon the waist, which was found in the bathroom. That also accounts for her going to New York to different hotels and giving assumed names and accounts for the many things that Mrs. Martin did. Judge Ten Eyck announcement that he would probably sentence Mrs. Martin tomorrow morning.

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