The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1857-04-22
Confession of Return I'm. ward.

Through the pOliteness Of our worthy Sherif
Sd Springer, Esq, we last evening paid visi
to R. j. M. Ward, who gave us the followin
confession in relation to the murder of his wife
Ward seemed to be deeply affected, frequentl,
interrupting his disclosure by exclamations 0
deep sorrow and regret for the crime which h
had committed, and giving US full and com
plete disclosure of the same. After taking dowl
his confession, we read the same to him wheI
he pronounced it correct, and We give it to ou
readers as we had it from his own lips, in pres
ence Of the Sheriff ard others:
CONFESSION.
On Tuesday evening" February Cd, 1857, Mrs
Ward and myself had some words during which
Mrs. Ward struck me on the head with tluit
lamp, also on the right side Of the nose causing
the same to bleed freely; begged her not t.
strike me, and took the lamp away from her
then went to bed. We arose between six and
seven o'clock on Wednesday morning, spoke t.
her about the blow she had given me, showing
her where she had struck me the evening previ.
said she wished | had bled to death and picking
up stick Of hickory wood she attempted to
strike me, i warded off the blow which fell up
on my right thumb, lameing it severely. The
stick fell from her hand and as she stopped to
pick it up, siezed fatron and in the heat Of
passion struck her with it on the right side OF
the head, upon and under the right ear, driving
the earring into the flesh. She fell to the floor
exclaiming: "Oh! Ward you have killed met
| dropped the hatiron and went to her. she was
lying on her back, and placed petticoat under
her head, supposing she was only stunned. I
made use of such means as WIS in my power to
e+ore her b. t in about half an hour after
the blow was given she died having only spoken
once after the first exclamation, ooh! my
Ncllie!" meaning as Isupposed, her little girl.
After she was dead wrapped her head in a
petticoat and drew the body under the bed, to
conceal it ip case any one should come in A
bout half past eight o'clock VIM H. Nathan, a
mulatto boy, came to the door with some milk
came in the shop, took the milk from him and
he left. l then went to Liha Aliens grocery
bought pound of sugar told him was going
away. fthen returned 10 the house, and after
a short time commenced cutting up the body
tore the clothes open from the throat down, |
then took small pocket knife and opened the
body, took out the bowels first and put them in
the stove, upon the wood, they filled with air
and would make noise in exploding took my
knife and prickod holes through them to prevent
the noise, then took out the liver and heart and
put them in the stove, found it very difficult to
burn them, had to take the POKER and frequently
stirthem 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
scoopngi it ont with my hands / then dipped
portions Of her clothing in the same and burnt
it together, fearing if ] ppt the blood in the
Stove alone, that it nigh b. discovered. then
made an ncision through tie flesh along down
e4eh side, broke of tn. ribs and took out the
breast bone throwing it into large boiler. then
unjointed the arms at the. shoulders, doubled
them up and placed them in the boiler, then
severed the remaining portion OF the body, by
breaking the backbone over the same, cutting
away the flesh and ligament with a knife. Then
tried to sever the head from the body, itproving
Intellectual. l then put the whole upper portion
OF the body into the boiler. Then took a 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. @ Hi
On Thursday night / commenced burning the
body, by placing the upper and back portion ofI
On Friday morning finding that it had not
been consumed built large fire around and
under it and in short time it was wholly cen.
sumed, except some portion of the larger bones |
and of the skull The remaining portions of
the body were kept in the boiler and in tubs un-
der the bed, covered up witha coored petticoat
and were there at the time the first search was
made on Saturday by Constable Curtis. Hear 1
ing on Saturday evening that the citizens werel
not satisfied with the search made by Mr.. Cur
It's. lproceeded on Saturday morning to DESTROY
the remaining portions Of the body by burning
the same in the stove, cutting the feshy parts
Of the thighsin small strips the more readily to |
dispose of them. On Monday morning | took
up the ashes in small kcg, sitting out the lar
ger pieces of bone with my hands placing the
same in my over coat pocket which l scattered
in various places in the feids at different times.
Also toak the major portion Of the trunk nails |
together with the hinges, and scattered them
in different places. then burned her trunk |
and every yestige of her clothing, disposing Of
small portions at time, to prevent their crea-
ting too much smoke. tt gEWs.
REGISTERED LETTERS. The New York
Times recently published list ofregistered let
ters mailed to that Office which, it alleged were
not received. Mr.. Holbrook, the special post
office agent, has, however, set the matter right
rs far as the mail is concerned, by showing that
The post master in that city holds receipts for
Ill registered letters enumerated by the Times.