The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1858-09-02
Homicide and Suicidc in Pitisiicid,
LOrain C1unty, d.

We learn that on Wedn slay morning of the
present week, the wife ol Mr.. Williams IA
wealthy farmer living ia Pittslsld LoraiI Co.
committed suicide by hanging herself by a strip
of a sheet to a corner OF the house. a deaf and
dumb daughter Of the deceased, who WIS some
twelve years Of age, was also foand dead 1t is
supposed that Mrs. Williams first hung the girl
and then hung herself No satisfactory reasons
are now known. Mrs. Williams had commenc.
ed on action for u divorce in the Comt e Com
mon Pleas Of Lorain county, which few d1ys
before the killing of herself aud child was ami
osbly settled, aud the suit withdrawn R5pictp
We get some additional particulars relative
TO the above sad occurr nee from gentleman
who has just returned from PitlsGelI, 4nl is
we'll Informed upon the matter The tragedy
Occurred OIL Monday evening the 9th inst, & q
settlement ui the divorce cusc 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 the entire
neighborhood a neighborhood second to
none for respectabllity-was with her, us her
husband, Benjamin Williams, is u shillless dis
s'pated man. Mrs. Williams was woman re-
spected by all who knew her but on the Mon
day referred to, charges of gross immortality were
made against her, and witnesses were said to be
ready TO prove them, and the nature Of such
charges were, II proved against her such as to
deieat her application Tor divorce. Under this
state of things sha withdrew her divorce case re.
ceiving from Williams forty dollars of money
promise for four hunnred and sixty dollars
more and 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 VIII
iisms' lawyer. The belief of the nrighbors is
that Mrs. Williams was the victim of u con.
spiracy, and after she had settled the suit her
agony OF mind al the position she was placed
III drove her to the preparation Of the terrible
deed.
The body of the deal and dumb daughter was
found hanging by the neck, aud the feet tied to
the rounds OF chair; il her feet had been free
they would have touched the floor. Mrs, Will
lams used sheet for the purpose, tearing it in
two. hanging the daughter with one half aud
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 MIS-. Williams was living were all
away from home, except child OF perhaps -four
or five years This child says that in the night
she got up and saw the deaf and dumb girl a
swinging In the back room,' that Mrs. Williams
took the deaf and dumb girl down, and put her
in bed with this little child, aud that the dc2(
and dumb cir! "felt cold This, of course, i,
childs story, but it is supposed that perhaps
Mrs. Williams did take the body down and pat
il in the chiId's bed, 50 as to induce the child
again 10 60 TO sleep.
Four letters We're found written. rs is sup
posed, by Mrs. Williams as they were in her
hand writing, but unsigned. One was directed
to Il. D. Rose, one to Benjamin Williams, one
10 Charles Garfield, and another to Daniel Will
liams or Mrs. Norton. The letter to Rose was
not read before the Coroners jury, for pruden
tial reasons, aud in this connection we may
mention that warrant has been issued agaius
Rose. The contents of the letter to Rose, al
though not given to the jury, was in effect that
he had been the means OF running her The let
ter to Daniel Williams or Mrs. Norton gave di
rections as to her burial, telling them to TAX,
msney from her trunk for the purpose,
The verdict of the CoroGer's Jury was tha
the deaths Were produced by the hands of Mrs
Williams. The funeral OF the two was ol
Thursday, aud called together an immense con
course OF people. Williams was at Brooklyn
when his wife and daughter we've hanged, All,
went home as soon as nc learned of their deaths
remaining there to the funerol-- Clers HsralI