True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-09-01
strange Murder and Suicide.

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We cut from the Cleveland Herald the
following particulars of the suicide, on
Monday, of Mrs. Williams, of Pitts6eld,
Lorain county, after having murdered a
deaf and dumb child, her daughter BY
hanging her:
We got some additional particulars
relative the above sad occurrence from a
gentleman who has just returned from
PiHsfeld, and is we'll informed upon the
matter. The tragedy occurred on Mon
day evening the 9th inst; the settlement
of the divorce case took place on the
same day. Mrs. Williams had fled her
bill against her husband giving for cause
cruelty and neglect Of duty, and the sym.
pathy of the entire neighborhood-and a
neighborhood second to none for respect
ability-was with her, as her husband,
Benjamin Williams, is a shiftless, dissi-
pated man. Mrs. Williams was woman
respected by all who knew her, but on
the Monday referred to, chatges of gross
immortality were made against her, and
witnesses were said to be ready to prove
them, and the nature of such charges were,
if proved against her, such as to defeat
her application for divorce. Under this
state Of things she withdrew her divorce
case receiving from Williams forty dol
lars in money, promise for four hundred
and sixty dollars more and a deed for fifty
acres of land for the benefit Of the deaf
and dumb girl This deed was drawn
but remained in the hands of William s
lawyer. The belief Of the neighbOrs now
is, that Mrs. Williams was The victim Of
conspiracy, and after she had settled
the suit, her agony Of mind at the posi-
ton she was placed in drove her 10 the
perpetralion of the terrible crime.
The body of the deaf and dumb daugh.
ter was found hanging by the neck, and
the feel tied to the rounds of chair; il
her feet had been free they would have
touched the floor. Mrs. Williams used
sheet for the purpose, tearingit il in two,
hanging the daughter with one half and
herself with the other half. A neighboI
saw Mrs. Williams, early in the morning
hanging dead at the corner of the house
The family with whom Mrs. Williams
was living were all away from home, ex'
cept child Of perhaps four or FIVE years
This child says that in the night she goI
up and saw the deaf and dumb girl "s
swinging in the back room," that Mrs
Williams took the deaf and dumb CIR
down, and put her in bed with this little
child, and that the deaf and dumb CIR
"felt cold" This, of course, is a chilPs
story, but it is supposed that perhap:
Mrs. Williams did take the body dowr
and put it in the child's bed, SO as to in
duce the child again 10 go to sleep.
-Four letters were found, written, as is
supposed. by Mrs. Williams, as they
were in her hand writing, but unsigned
One was directed to L. d. Rose, one tC
Benjamin Williams. one to Charles Can.
field, and another to Daniel Williams OF
Mrs. Norton. The letter TO Rose was
not read before the Coroner's jury, for
prudential reasons, and in this connection
we may mention that warrant has been
issued against Rose. The contents Of
the letter to Rose, although not given to
the Jury, was in effect that ne had been
the means of running her. The letter tc
Daniel Williams or Mrs Norton gave di
rections as 10 her burial, telling them tc
take money from her trunk for the pur-
pose. .s,..
Tie verdict of the Coroner's Jury wa:
that the deaths were produced by the
hands of Mrs. Williams. The funeral o
the Two was on Thursday, and called to
gether an immense concourse of people
Williams was in Brooklyn when his wife
and daughter were hanged. and wen
home as soon as he learned of their death
remaining there to the funeral.