Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-04-22
From the Toledo Commercial, April 81


from the Toledo Commercial, April 81
CONFESSION OF WIFE MISUNDERSTANDING
OF THE BODY BY THE HUSBAND.
Through the polteness Of our worthy Sheriff. s.
]. Springer ESQ., we last evening paid visit to r. j.
NJ Ward who gave US the following confession in re-
lation 10 the murder of his wife: Ward seemed to be
deeply affected frequently interruptng his disclosure
by Explanations of deep sorrow and regret for the
crime he had committed, and giving us full and
complete disclosure of the same After taking down
his confession, we read the same to him, when he
pronounced correct; we give it to our readers as
we had it from his own lips in the presence OF the
Sheriff and others:
On Tuesday evening February, Sd, Mrs. Ward ard
myself had some words during which Mrs. Ward
struck me on the head with fluid lamp, also on The
right side ofthe nose causing the same to bleed
| begged her not to strike me- took 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 her
where she had struck me on the evening previous
also the blood on the bolster and tick. She said she
wished had bled to death, and, picking up stick
Of hickory wood she attempted to strike me- ward
cd off the blow, which fell upon my right thumb.
tanning severely. The stick fell from her hand, and
as she stopped to pick it up, seized fat-iron, and
in the heat of passion, struck her with it on the
right side of the head upon and under the ear driV-
ing the earring into the flesh She fell to the floor.
excaiming, 'Oh! Ward. you have killed mel l
dropped the flat iron and went to her; she was ly.
ing on her side ! turned her over on her back and
placed peticoat under her head, supposing she was
only stunned. | used all means in my power to re-
store her, but in half hour she died, having only
spoken once, 20, my Nellie" meaning, as lsuppose,
her little girl.
After she was dead wrapped her head in pet
ticoat and drew the body under the bed to conceal
it in case any one should come in. About half.past
o'clock, VIM. II Nathan muiatto boy, came to
the door with some milk came into the shop, took
the milk from him and he left. l then went to Lba
Aliens grocery, bought pound of sugar, told him l
was going away. then returned to the house. and
after short time commenced cutting up the body
tore the clothes open from the throat down. lthen
took small pocket-knife and opened the body took
out the bowels first and then put them in the stove,
upon the wood they being filled with air, would
make noise in exploding, so took my knife and
pricked holes through them, to prevent the noise;
then took out the liver and heart and put them il,
the stove found it 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. then took out the blood remaining in
the cavity of the body, by placing copper Kettle
close to the same and scooping 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 discovered. then
made incision through the flesh, along down each
side, broke off the ribs and took out the breast
bone, and throwing it into large boiler, unjolnted
the arms at the shoulders, doubled them up and
placed them in the boiler; then severed the remain
ing portions of the body. by placing stick Of wood
under the back and breaking the backbone over the
same, cutting away the flesh and ligaments with
knife. Then tried to the head from the body;
it proving Intellectual. and l 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
rapidly.
On Thursday night I 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 consumed,
built large fire by placing wood around and un.
der it, and in short time it was wholly consumed,
except some small portions Of the larger bones and
of the skull. The remaining 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 made on Saturday,
by Constable Curtis
Hearing on Saturday evening that the citizens
not satisfied with the search made by Mr..
Curtis. proceeded on Sunday morning to destroy
the remainder of the body, by burning the same in
the stove, cutting the leshy parts of the thighs in
small strips, the more readily to dispose of them.
On Monday morning took up the ashes in snail
key, sizing out the larger pieces of bone with my
hands, placing the same in my overccat pockets.
which scattered in various places in the fields, at
different times. Also took the major portion Of the
trunk nails, together with the hinges and scattered
them in different places. l then burned her trunk
and every vestige of her clothing disposng of small
portions at a time. to prevent their creating too
much smoke.
On the 9th inst, r. j. NJ Ward, the murderer,
was brought in, dressed usual in full suit Of
black appearing much downcast, and as the court
commanded him to stand up, he arose, breathing
heavily, his eyes fixed upon the floor, and only mo:
nentarily seeking the face of the judge. With one
hand he leaned heavily the chair, while the other
hung trcmblingly at his side.
After thejudge had pronounced sentence OF death,
Ward knelt down, and, leaning on the chair, buried
his face in his hands, weeping and groaning He
was suffered to remain thus for a few moments, as
the forms of adjourring court till afternoon were
gone through with, when Sheriff Springer touched
him the shoulder, and he arose, apparently much
more composed, and taken to the Jail.
The president OF THE N. c. RAILRoAD.-With
Mr.. Fisher the President of the N. G. Railroad, we
are personally unacquainted but we have travelled
the road enough to see and learn from reliable sour
ces, the energetic manner in which he superintends
the interests Of the Company and the efforts made
by him to satisfy the public generally and we can
not the justice in the frequent attacks on that