New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-06-16
LIFE and DEATH OF r. j. A. WARD.


June 1915 and lost his mother when be two years
| old His father was farmer IN moderate cream
stances; but as be did 10, Marty again, Return
put out TO be reared and UP without the foster
| ing OF mother or the ordinary circle OF family
affection AZ the age Of nine or ten be was cabin
bow or cook, lake scow aud when the vessel
sold at the end OF the season left az Enc among
entire strangers to fnd his home a. be could. He did
rot know where was nor how 20 reach Il. but made
friends with some boys who gave him home for two
or three weeks, til vessel was found 20 take him 10
Huron The captain Of the vessel took of him at
Huron for long time, till by accident he discovered
where his father could be found.
Then be was put out 20 labor and was attacked by
severe rheumatism which crippled him for life. After
he recovered he was put out with black smith, and
,hfed about from place TO place. meeting with very
rough fare, and minghng with very loose company.
At no tine during his early years did he have very
moral or religious restraints thrown around hun, and
when, at later period he apprenticed bms elf 10 NJ.
Ashley TO leaIn the tailoring business the religious
strains which Mr.. Ashley attempted 10 impose on him
occa>ioued rupture between them, and AID left for
more coDgenial associations.
temper wac shaped by the circumstances in which
he was trained aud he became violent and mperous,
and would brook no opposition. After having learned
his trade he wandered about from place place. and
spent some time in this city, In ls4l he took up his
residence az Mansfield, and two years later was mar
RED TO Sarah Lauson, daughter of q respectable
farmer Mr. Lamson had very bad opinion of
Ward, and forbade the marriage, but Sarah left her
faihers house and went 10 the house OF friend where
the wedding ceremonies took place in defiance OF pa
rental authority. Mr.. Lansoh died soon ater and
disposed of bis property the other children Leaving
Ms Ward with only bequest Of 5000, which she
was to have at the end of ten years.
Before his marriage he was involved in various diff
fcultes with different persons and his character did
not improve efterwsrd. He finally left his business
and went to Rlcband to keep tavern, where his pas
sons had full scope, and he began the commission
those greater crimes which finally brought him 10 the
bar OF his country AMI the gaows IL mas been whis-
red yer il
der Of his wife not his first great crime and this
proves 10 be true. His confessions which he made
10 his counsel and are ready for distribution, set
forth that, while keeping the tavern at Rchland,
merchant By the of Noah Hall took his meals at
the tavern but slept in the store He had get together
a considerable sum of money 70 make ms annual
Spring visit 10 New-fork and Ward, knowing all the
circumstances, entered the store az night and muir
dered him Ii possessed himself, as the reward for
this crime, of about $s0O
Two Irishmen were suspected OF having perpetrated
the deed aud were indicted for it; but the evidence
against them was slight, and they were acquitted
Ward never publicly accused Of the murder, put
there were some who suspected HIM OF H. Among
these was his WIFE From the first she believed that
Ward the murderer, and, though he steadily de-
MED il and charged the two lrishmen, did not
shake her conviction that he the guilty ONE and
the thought preyed upon her so necessarily that she
became derasged and sent 10 the Asylum at Co
lumbus. where she remained some years She is now
in RchlaHd County, stl insane.
This murder was committed in 1851. About year
his house for the night The circumstances of this muir
der atrOciOus than those attending the
murder of Hall. lie was utter stranger aud Ward
lighted him TO bed, as he says, without thinking TO DO
hun any harm. He then went tO bed himself and
slept ill midnight, when on awakng, the thought
struck hin that the pedder might have money. lie
imme diaely and went up 10 his room, opened
the door went 10 his bedside and found him sleeping
soundly. He then went down stairs and got an axe,
and returning struck him blow the head, which
soon pu, sudden end to his existence. He then took
a dry goods box which he had in the yard, and pack
ing the dead in il put il under bis bed in bis own
room and went 10 bed. Two days after he took the
box in a one.h horse wagon some 90 miles and threw II
into the Huron River. lie was never publicly charged
with this murder, but since his conviction il has gem
been believed that he put the pedder out of the
way As the reward Of his crime he possessed him
self OF the Of $50 and few goods which he dare
not use.
Immediately after the murder OF the peddler, he quit
Rchland and went to Shelby, where he married Susan
Reese though he had obtained no divorce from his
woman he seems TO have lived terms OF affection,
6rst wife and she sti his awfuwife. With thls
az he says that he had great respect for her, lie
committed no great crimes during her life. She died
after bis removal 10 Sylvana in this county and pref
ty soon after her death Ward saw Olive DAVIS at
Adrian, and at once made proposals to marry her,
They married in the of two or three days
and went to Sy)vania together, but soon began 10
have pretty sharp quarres The CHEF OF these
quaire- seems to have been his wife's children,
who were great annoyance TO him. Sac finally quit
Ward pursued her. with solicitations to return, and
che came back few days prior TO the murder which
took place Oh the It'll Of February.
She had left some clothing and other articles at
Ward and her object in going back was to possess
herself ii these things aud not 10 remain with him.
As he discovered her purpose, he determined
that she should never leave his b Ju-s alive On To.
day night Feb s. he had got from her confession vi
her real purpose and the was one o those
family scenes which had become frequent before her
departure for Adrian Ward says that ne then fully
determined a. 10 what he would do; and ~ he sup
posed that she would embrace the first opportunity 10
leave he concluded that no time was 10 be lost. Ac-
cordngly, on the next morning, he slipped behndher,
and struck her the h. al with smoothing ron such
blew that she spoke afterward, and died within
fifteen minutes.
lars from the statement which hos been published IN
the nevspapers In that statement made to ap-
pear that the killing was done IN the neat OF pas
SIGN and after blows from Mr.. Ward He now ac-
kpoyledges that this false and that he had fully
resolved ON the murder before il took place though
he had not fixed The time made any cacu atoms as
TO what disposition he would make OF the body.
Ward confesses to these murders, but declares that
they are the only ones which he has committed Some
susieions have been thrown out that he caused the
death Of his second wife, and also OF child dnrlng
his residence at Syvsna but he denies these nsnu-
stions most positively AID declares that he s inno-
c.p, OF sny other great crimes than those mentioned
Ward pre- yailing characteristic seems TO have been
what Psychologists call secrctsreess he had Won
derul power plan and execute In secret and 10 keep
his own couDsels He certainly was one OF the most
dangerous murderers that the country has eyer pro
duced. His murder Of Hal and OF the peddler are
two Of tn. mOst remarkable murders on record, ana
eyipce coolpess. want Of sensbllity aud want OF
conscience which i, is to find in any humaa being.
Sine. be hss been IN jail he has shown the same pecu'
hariiies 1t was easy excite his synpsshies easy
make him weep by referring 10 his situation or to MS
fierds easy 20 make him acknowledge that his SEN
tepce was lst aud that his couoy han right - take
his lie but he eyinced feeling OF Penitsnce Tor his
crimes, expressed sympathy for his victims and
Wbateyer of feeling or souow ne exhibited was Tor