Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-05-30
TRINITY JOURNAL.
Horrible Confession of n Wife Murderer.


Through the politeness OF our worthy Sheriff.
S. J. Springer Esq, says the Toledo (Ohio,) COM
merciay, we last evening paid visit to Il. j. NJ
Ward who gave us the following confession in
relation to the murder of his wife. Ward seemed
to be deeply affected, frequently interrupting his
disclosures by exclamations of deep sorrow and
regret for the crime he had committed aud Civ
ing us full and complete disclosure of the same.
After taking down his confession, we read the
same to him, when be pronounced 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 Tucsday evening. February Cd, Mrs Ward
and myself had some words, during which Mrs.
Ward struck me on the cad with fluid lamp,
also on the right side of the nose, causing the
same tn bleed freely. ! begged her net to strike
me. took the lamp away from her ard went to
bed. We arose between six and seven clock on
"Wednesday morning ! spoke to her about the
blow She had given me. showing her where she
struck ne on the evening previous also the blood
on the bolster and tex. She said she wished had
bed TO death. aid picking up stick OF hickory
wood She attempted to strike me "ardcd OIL
the blow which fell upon my right thumb, lame
ing it severely. hcstck fell from her hand, and
as she stoop,d 10 pick it up, seized u lat-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 ear ring into the flesh. she fell
to The floor, eXclaiming. Oh! Ward, }ou have
killed me- ! dropped the tlatton und went TO
her; She was lying on her side | turned her
over ON her back, and placed a pyttcoat under
her Il, ad. suppo,ns that She was only stunned.-
used all mCaus in my power to restore htr, hut
In half an hour she died, having only spoken once
0. my Nelly ncuumg, as suppose, her little
girl.
After She was dead, l wrapped hrr head in a
uttt.coat and drew the body under the bed to
core al it in case any one should come IN. About
huff past S o'clock Wm IL. Nathan. n mulatto
hoy, came 10 the door with some milk | came
into the shop took the milk from him and he
left. | thcuNent to Liba Allen gree ry, bought
Il rourd Of sugar. told him | was going away. |
then returned to the house ard after 4 short time
commenced cutting up the body. / tore the
clothes open from the throat down. then took
1t small pocket knife and opened the body. took
ont the hcwrls first and then put them in the
stove upon the wood they Icing filed with air
would make u noise in cXplodm@. 80 ! took my
knife AID prick, holes through lhcm, to prevent
the noisr then took ont the liver aud heart, and
put item in the stove found it very difficult TO
burn th,n lad to take the poker and frequently
stir III, r before they could he destroyed found
Tho lungs very much d'cayed. then took ont
the hlcod remaining in the cavity OF the body by
placing u COPPER close to the same, and scooplng
il out with my hands. then ajpp.d portions OF
her clothing III the same and burnt II together,
airing. if put the blood in the stove alone, that
It might he discovered. then made an incision
through the t!e,h along down each side, broke oil
the ribs and toUk ont the breast bone. and throw
ing it into large boiler unjontcd the elms at
the shoulders, doubled them uP and p.accd them
IN the boiler; then severed the remaining portions
IL. 4, y lIXr mad fln
back and breaking the Lack lone over the same,
emitting away the lrsh and ligamcnt with knife.
Then tried to sever the head from the body 1t
proving incft ctual, and put the whole upper
portion of the lody into the boiler Then took
large carving knife and severed th" lower portion
Of the body, nnjoincd the legs ot the knee. and
again at The hip Joint; cut the thighs open and
took ont the bones and burnt them up they
burned very rapidly.
On Thursday night 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 con-
sumed, built large fire by placing wood around
and under 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
pctticoat. and were there ut the time the FIRST
search was made on Saturday by Constable
Curtis
Hearing ON Saturday evening that the citizens
were not satisfied with the search made 10y Mr..
Curtis proceeded on Sunday morning to destroy
the remainder of the body, hy burning the same
in the stove cutting the feshy parts Of the thigh
in small strips, the more readily to dispose OF
them On Monday morning took up the ashes
in a small key. sitting ont the larger pieces of
bone with my hands, placing the same in my
ovcrcoat pockets, which | scattered III 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. | then burned her trunk and every YES
iiee Of her clothing dsposing Of small portions
at a time, to prevent their creating too much
smoke
On the 9th inst. r. J. N. Ward the murderer.
was brought in, dressed as usual in full suit OF
black. appearing much downcast, and rs the
court commanded him TO stand up, he arose.
breathing heavily, his eyes fixed upon the floor,
and only momeniarily seeking the face OF The
iudee. With one hand he leaned heavily on the
chair. while the other hung trcmbliogly at his
side.
After the Judge had pronounced sentence Of
death. Ward knelt down. and leaning on the chair
buried his face in his hands, weeping and 9roan-
ing. He was suffered to remain thus for few
moments as the forms of adjOurning court I'll
afternoon were gone through with when Sheriff
Springer touched him on the. shoulder and he
arose, apparently much more composed ana Was
taken to the Jail.
A Coon BREAK.- Some gentlemen entered our
Office, yesterday, and exhibited to the foreman Of
the job Office desired piece Of work, ana asked