The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-04-11
THE DAILY DISPATCH
OF n Wife Murderer-Horrf.
BILE Story

The fact that Return ]. NJ Ward, of Toledo
Ohio, has been found guilty of the murder of his
wife on the night of the Sd February. ha- been
stated. The Toledo Commercial publishes tha
confession Of the murderer which Is history of opa
Of the most deliberate of crime ever perpetr.
ted In this country The confession SAYS:
On Tuesday evening, Februa.y3d, Mrs. Ward
and myself had some words, during which Mrs
Ward struck me on the bead with fluid lamp. Also
on the right side of the nose, causing the same to
bleed freely. begged her not to strike me tool
the lamp away from her and went to bed. We arose
between six and seven O'Clock on "wednesday
morning.
spoke to her about the blow she had given me.
showing aer wnere sne had struck me on the evening"
previous also the blood on the bolster and tick She
said she wished had bed to death, and picking mn
the Suck OF hickory wood, she attempted to strike
me- l warded off the blow, which fell upon nv
tight thumb, laming it severely
The stick fell from her hand and "a she stooned
to pick i1up, seized f1atron and in the heat of
passion, struck her with it the right side of the
heac, upon and over the ear, driving the ear ring
into the flesh. She fell on the floor exclaiming,
On! ward, you have killed me!" i dropped the
NAT IRON and went TO her, she lying ON her side
turned her over on her back, and placed petit
coat under her head, supposing that she was only
stunned.
used all the means in my power to restore her,
out In half an hour she died having only spoken
once, %, my Nellie" meaning, suppose, her little
girl.
After she was dead. 1 wrapped her head in a
petticoat and drew the body undor the bed to con-
ceai 1t in case any one should come in. About e4
O'CLOCK VIM ID. Nathan, a mulatto boy, came to
the door with some milk came into the shop, took
the milk from him, and he left. / then went to
Liba Aliens grocery bought pound of sugar
told him was going away.
then returned to the house. and after q short
time commenced cutting up the body. / took a
small pocket knife and opened the body, took out
the bowels first, and then put them in the stove;
then took out the liver and heart and put them in
the stove; found 1t very difficult to burn them; had
to take the poker and frequently stir them before
they could be destroyed; found the lungs very
much decayed l then took out the blood remaining
in the cavity OF the body. by placing copper ket-
tie close to the same, and scoopng it out with my
hands then dipped portions of her clothing in
the same, and burnt it together fearing, if put
the blood In the stove alone, that it might be dis
covered l then made an incison through the
flesh, along down each side, broke off the ribs and
took out the breast bone, and throwing it into O
large boiler, uujonted the arms at the shoulders,
doubled them up and placed them in the boiler
then severed the remaining portions of the body,
by placing stick of wood under the back and
breaking the backbone over the same, cutting
away the flesh and ligament with knife. Then
tried to sever the head from the body; it proving
Intellectual, put the whole upper portion Of the
body into the boiler. Then took large carving
knife and severed the lower portion of the body
unjointed the legs at the knee, and again at the
hip joint; cut the thighs open and took out the
bones and burnt them up they burned very ra'
pidly.
On Thursday night l commenced burning the
body by placing the upper and back portions of
the same, together with the head, in the stove
On Friday morning, finding it had not been
sumed, built large fire by placing wood
around and under it, and in a short time it was
wholly consumed, except some small portions of
the larger bones and of the skull. The remain
ing portions Of the body were kept in the boiler
and in tubs, under the bed, covered up with =
corded petticoat, and were there At the time the
first search was made on Saturday, by Constable
Curtis.
Hearing on Saturday evening that the citizens
were not satisfied with the search made by Mr.
Curtis proceeded on Sunday m orning to destroy
the remainder of the body, by burning the same
in the stove, cutting the eshy parts of the thighs
in small strips, the more readily to dispose of them
On Monday morning l took up the ashes in q
small keg, sitting out the larger pieces Of bone
with my hands and thew them in various places
In the fields, at different times. Also took the ma
jor portion of the trunk nails, together with the
hinges and scattered them in different places
then burned her trunk and every ves!ige other
clothing, dsposing OF small portions at the tine to
prevent their creating too much smoke.
On the 5th inst, Ward was brought into court,
dressed usual in full suit of black, appearing
much downcast, and as the court commanded him
to stand up, he rose, breathing heavily. his eyes
fixed upon the foor and only momentarily SEEK
ing the face of the judge With one hand he
leaned heavily ON the chair, while the other hung
tremblingly at his side After the Judge had pro.
nounced the sentence of death, Ward knelt down
and leaning on the chair, buried hi, face in his
hands, weeping and groaning. He was suffered
to remain thus for few moments as the forms of
adiournipg court till afternoon going through
with, when Sheriff Springer touched him on the
shoulder, and he arose, apparently much more
composed and was taken to Jail
THE INDIAN MASSACRE IN MINNEsoTA-The