Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-04-25
Confession of q Wife. Murderer
BURNING THE BODY, by, TIE HUSBAND.

Through the po'iteness of our worthy
Sheriff, says the Toledo Commercial, we
last evening paid visit to Il, j. M. Ward,
who gave us the following confession in re-
lation to the murder of his wife Ward
seemed to be deeply affected, frequently
interrupting his disclosure by exclamntions
of deep sorrow and regret for the crime he
had committed, and giving us full aud
complete disclosure OF the same. After
taking down his confession, We read tho
same to him, when he pronounced it COR
rect; we give it to our readers as we had
it from his own lips, in the presence of the
Sheriff and others:
CONFESSION.
On Tuesday evening, February 3D., Mrs.
Ward and myself had some words during
which Mrs w ard struck me on the head
with fluid lamp, also on the right side of
the nose, causing the same to bleed freely.
l begged her not 10 strike me, took the
lamp away from her and went to bed -
We arouse between six and seven o'clock
on Wednesday morning, | spoke to her a.
bout the blow she had given me, showing
her where she had struck me on the prev
ious evening, 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. l ward
ed off the blow, which fell from her hand,
and as she stopped to pick it up, l 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, driving the
earring intothe flesh. She fell to the
floor, exclaiming, "Ohl Ward, you have
killed me !" l dropped the fiat iron and
went to her she was lying on her side, l
turned her over on her back, and placed a
petticoat under her head, supposing she was
only stunned. used all the means in my
power 10 restore her, but in half an hour
She died, having spoken once, 80, my dear
Nellie meaning as 1 suppose her little
girl,
After she was dead, I wrapped her head
in petticoat and drew the body under
the bed, to conceal it in case any one
should come in. About half past 8 O'Clock
VIM. Fl, Nathan, mu!atto boy came into
the house with some milk l took the milk
from him and he left. l then went to
Liba Aliens grocery, bought pound of
sugar, told him was going away. l then
returned to the house, and after short
time commenced cutting up the body
I tore the clothes open from the throat
down. 1 then took a pocket knife and
opened the body, took out the bowels first
and put them in the stove, upon the wood
they being filled with air, would make a
noise in exploding, so took my knife and
pricked holes through them, to prevent the
noise then took out the liver and hear
and put them in 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. theI
dipped portions of her clothing in the same
and burnt it together, fearing it put thu
blood in the stove alone, that it might bC
discovered. then made an incision
through the flesh, along down each side
broke off the ribs and took out the breas
bone, and throwing it into large boiler
unjointed the arms at the shoulders, doub
led them up, and placed them in the boiler
then severed the remaining portions of th'
body, by placing a stick over the same
cutting away the flesh and ligaments with
knife. Then tried to sever the heaG
from the body, it proving Intellectual, pu
the whole upper of the body into the boiler
Then took large carving knife and sever
ed the lower portion of the body, unjointet
the legs at the knee, and again at The hil
joint; cut the thighs open and took out thu
bones and burnt them up; they bugne'
very rapidly.
On Thursday night l commenced burn
ing the bsdy, by placing the upper an,
back portions of the same together witt
the head, in the stove. On Friday morn
ing, finding it had not been consumed,
built large fire by placing wood arounC
and under it, and in a short time it wa
wholly consumed, except some portions 0
the larger bones and OF the skull. Th
remaining portions of the body were KEEP
in the boiler and in tubs, under the be-
covered up with corded petticoat, anc
were there at the time the first search wa
} made on Saturday by Constable Curtis.
Hearing on Saturday evening that tn
, citizens we're not satisfied with the searc
made by Mr.. Curtis, proceeded on Sun
day morning to destroy the remainder Q
, the body, by burning the same in the stove
cutting the feshy parts of the thighs int
! small strips, the more readily to dispose c
them. On Monday morning I took u
the ashes in a small keg, sitting out tn
larger pieces of bone with my hands, plac
: ing the same in my overcOat pockets, whic
l scattered in various places in the field
at different times. Also took the majc
portion of the trunk nails, together wit
, the hinges, and scattered them in diferer
} places. 1 then burned her trunk an
: every vestige of her clothing, disposing {
tmall portions at u time, to prevent the
creating too much smoke.
= a.,