Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-08-16
Homicide and suicide In PIttsffeld, I,oratu
County, Ohio.

4 County, Ohio an
| We-leam that on Wednesday morning of the
present week, the, wife Of Mr. Williams,
wealthy farmer living in PittSfielJ, Lorain Co,
committed suicide by hanging herself by a strip
/ of a sheet TO a corner otthe house A deaf ana
dumb daughter Of the deceased, who was some
twelve years of age, was also found dead 1t IS
supposed that Mrs. Williams first hung the girl,
and then hung herself No satisfactory reasons
are now known. Mrs. Williams had commenced
an action for divorce in the Court Of Com
mon Pleas of Lorain Co, which few days be-
fore the killing Of herself and child was auiea-
bly, settled, and the suit withdraw Resielg
We get some additional particulars relative
to the above sad occurrence from a gentleman
who has Just returned from Pittsfeld and is
well informed upon the matter The tragedy
occurred on Monday evening the 9Th inst the
settlement Of the divorce case took place on the
same day. Mrs Williams had filed her bill
against her husband giving for cause cruelty and
neglect of duty, and the sympathy Of an entire
neighbOrhOod-and a neighborhood second to
none for respectability-was with her. as her
husband, Benjamin Williams, Is a shihless, dis
sip1ted man Mrs. Williams was woman re-
sPected by all who knew her, but on the Mon
cay referred TO, charges Of gross immortality
were made against her, and witnesses were said
such charges were, if proved against her such
as TO defeat her application for divorce Under
tins state of things she withdrew her divorce
case, receiving from Williams forty dollars of
money, promise Of four hundred and sixty
dollars more and deed for sixty acres of land
for the benefit Of the deaf and dumb girl This
deed was drawn but remained in hands of VIII
lams' lawyer. The belief of the neighborsuov
is, that Mrs. Williams was the victim Of con-
spiracy, and after she had settled the suit. her
agony OF mind at the position she was placed
deed I'd .-.l i---'--'
The body of the deaf and dumb daughter was
found hanging by the neck, and the feet tied to
the rounds of chair if her feet had been free
they wonld have touched the floor Mrs VII
iams used sheet Tor the purpose, tearing 1t IN
two, hanging The daughter with one half and 1
herself with the other half. A neighbor saw
Mrs- Williams, early in the morning, hanging
dead at The corner Of the house The family
with whom Mrs. Williams was living were ali |
away from home, except child Of perhaps four |
or tve years This child says that in the night /
she goo up and saw the deaf and dumb pirl "a /
swinging in the back Toom,' that Mrs. Williams |
took the deaf and dumb girl down, and put her /
in bed with this little child, and that the deaf
and dumb girl " felt cold" This, of course. Is |
a ehlld's story but 1t Is supposed that perhaps /
Mrs. Williams did take the body down and put |
It IL the ehIlds bed, so as TO induce the child 4
again to 60 to sleep. Sc -l
-Four letters were found, written, az i suppos- /
ed, by Mrs Williams, as they were in her hand 1
writing, but unsigned One was directed to L. 1
d. Rose, one to Benjamin Williams, one 70 /
Charles Garfield, and another to Daniel VIII
iliams or Mrs Norton The letter 70 Rose was
not read before the COroner's jury, for pruden- /
tiai reasons, and N this connection we may
Rose The contents Of the Iettsr To Rose. az
thongh not given to the jury, was IN effect that
he had hcen the means Of ruinlna her. -
letter to Daniel Wiliiams OF Nc me = ne /
directions as to her is..,,' ,.,,. t,oiton gave
nm An her trunk for the purpose
II ! ne verdict of the Coroner's Jury was that /
NE ne deaths were produced by the hands of Mrs.
"iiilalns' The funeral Of the two was on I