<P> On the evening of February 7, 1898, William Place arrived at his Brooklyn, New York home and was attacked by Martha, who was wielding an axe . William escaped for help and when the police arrived, they found Martha Place in critical condition . She was lying on the floor with clothes over her head and gas from burners was escaping into the room . Upstairs they discovered the dead body of 17 - year - old Ida Place lying on a bed . Her mouth was bleeding and her eyes disfigured from having acid, which William used in his hobby of photography, thrown in them . The evidence later indicated Ida Place died from asphyxiation . Martha Place was hospitalized and arrested . </P> <P> Place proclaimed her innocence while awaiting trial . One contemporary newspaper report described the defendant in this way: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> "</Td> <Td> She is rather tall and spare, with a pale, sharp face . Her nose is long and pointed, her chin sharp and prominent, her lips thin and her forehead retreating . There is something about her face that reminds one of a rat's, and the bright but changeless eyes somehow strengthen the impression . </Td> <Td>" </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> "</Td> <Td> She is rather tall and spare, with a pale, sharp face . Her nose is long and pointed, her chin sharp and prominent, her lips thin and her forehead retreating . There is something about her face that reminds one of a rat's, and the bright but changeless eyes somehow strengthen the impression . </Td> <Td>" </Td> </Tr>

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