Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1857-04-17
From the Toledo Commercial, April 8.
Confession of a Wife Murderer
Burning of the Body by the Husband

Confession of Wife Murderer--
Burning of the Body by the Husband.
Through the politeness of our worthy
Sheriff, S. j. Springer, Esq, we last
evening paid visit to r. j VI. Ward,
who gave us the following confession in
relation to the murder of his wife Ward
seemed to be deeply affected, frequently
interrupting his disclosure by exclama-
tons 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 pro-
nounced it correct; 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. Ward struck me on
the head with fluid lamp, also on the
right side of the nose, causing the same
to bleed freely. | begged her not to
strike me, took the lamp away from her
and went to bed We rose between six
and seven o'clock on Wednesday morn
ing, | 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. | wardcd
off the blow, which fell upon my right
thumb, laming it severely. The stick
fell from her hand, and as she stopped to
pick it up, | seized hat-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 into the
flesh. She fell to the floor, exclaiminc,
ooh Ward, you have killed me" /
dropped the hat-iron and went to her.
she was lying on her side I turned her
over on her back, and placed pettcoat
under her head, supposing she was only
stunned. used all means in my power
to restore her, but in half an hour she
died, having only spoken once, 90, my
Nellie" meaning, as suppose, her lit
tie girl
After she was dead, I wrapped her
head in pctticoat and drew the body
under the bed to conceal it in case any
one should como in. About half-past
8 o'clock, VIM. III. Nathan, mulatto
boy, came to the door with some milk
came into the shop, took the milk from
him and he left then went to I.iba
Aliens grocery, boughta pound of sugar
and told him | was going away / then
returned to the house, and after short
lime commenced cutting up the body
tore the clothes open from the throat
Town. then took a small pocket-knife
md opened the body, took out the bow
lis first, and then put them in the stove,
ipon the wood; they being filed with
lir, would make a noise in exploding, SO
took my knife and pricked holes through
hem, to prevent the noise; then took
tut thu. Liver and heart, and put them in
he stove; found it very difficult TO burn
hem; had to take the poker and fire.
.nently stir them, before they could be
destroyed; found the lungs very much
ecayed. then took out the blood re-
naming in the cavity of the body, by
'lacing copper kettle close to the same,
nd scooping it out with my hands. /
hen dipped portions of her clothing ir
he same, and burnt it together, fearing
put the blood in the stove alone, that
might be discovered. / then made an
ncision through the flesh along down
ach side, broke off the ribs and took out
he breast bone. and throwing it into
arge boiler, unjointed the arms at the
houlders, doubled them up and placed
hem in the boiler; then severed the re-
naming portions Of the body, By placing
stick Of wood under the back and
the backbone over the same.
utting away the flesh and lgament with
knife. Then tried to sever the head
rom the body; it proving Intellectual,
nd put the whole upper portion of the
ody into the boiler. Then took a large
arriving knife and severed the lower por-
ions of the body, unjointed the legs at
he knee and again at the hip-joint; cut
he thighs open and took out the bones
nd burnt them up; they burned very
apidly.
On Thursday night commenced burn
1g the body, by placing the upper and |
ack portions Of the same, together with
ne head, in the stove. On Friday I
Forming, finding it had not been con ,
lmcd, | built a large fire by placing
God around and under it, aud in short
me it was wholly consumed, except I
,mc small portions o. the larger bones a
nd Of the skull. The remaining por- ,
ons of the body were kept in the boiler :
nd in tubs, under the bed covered up n
it'll a corded petticoat, and were there
the time the first search was made on
lturday, by Constable Curtis. a
Hearing on Saturday evening that the y
tizens were not satisfied with the search !.
adc by Mr.. Curtis, ] proceeded on Sun u
~ morning TO destroy the remainder Of
&c body, by burning The same in the .
owe, cutting the feshy parts Of the 4
Iighs in small strips, the more readily -,
dispose Of them. On Monday morn a
g | took up the ashes in small kcg,
fling out the larger pieces Of bone with
y hands, placing the same in my over /
vat pockets, which scattered in various 1
aces in the fields, at different times. - '
lso took the major portion Of the trunk /.
ills, together with the hinges, and scat
red them in different places. then
irncd her trunk aud every vestige or c