The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-01-07
Murder of "A widow s."dy by Icr 'senan.
From the wau,e an Gazette, 10Th.


We are indebted to Mr. Prouty, of the town
of Ella for the following particulars Of the
coId~blooded murder of Mrs. Ruth Bliden Ga
widow lady, who owned and resided upon
farm in that town. which was perpertrated
on the morning of the 2Zd instant, between
the hours Of seven and eight o'clock. Mrs.
Briden had rented her farm on shares the past
year to one William Bell, who resided with
her, and upon whom suspicion OF having COM
mitted the deed strongly fastens. We give
the circumstances preliminary and otherwise,
as they are furnished to US. Some difficulty
has existed between Mrs. Briden and her ten
ant for time past, relating to the farm bust
ness and she has at various times endeavored
to buy out his interest in the crops etc. About
two weeks since Mrs. Briden visited her broth
er-n-law's about mile distant, leaving her
house locked While gone she received some
money, which, upon her return she proceeded
to place with $40 which she had left in a
dress pocket in her bedroom, and found her
money gone Mr.. Bell had been repairing
some sheds near the house. and she informed
him Of the loss Of the money and questioned
him concerning it. He disclaimed any bnowl-
edge of the matter, nor had he seen any one
around the house. 1t appears that Mrs. Brl-
den had strong suspicious that Bell had taken
| the money, and this served to widen the breach
! between them.
On the morning of the 22d instant Mrs.
Briden, her daughter Almeda, who is attend
ing school at Wauconda, and Mr. Bell, break
tasted together The daughter wished to go
to school that day, but her mother desired her
to stay at home but finally consented that
she might 90. Shortly after Almeda had
reached the schoohouse, word was brought
to her that her mother had been murdered.
Between and o'clock of the morning i'll
Dictated a daughter of Mr. Morley neigh
Dor, heard the cry Of murder, and informed
her father that Mrs Brden was halloong
murder Mr.. Morley thought that it was
some BOYS who had made the cutlery and pro
ceeded with his work; but he finally conclud-
ed to 90 over to Mrs. Briden's and see if any
thing was the matter. On reaching the house
lie found it locked and no one to answer to his
call lie then went into the COW yard, where
he found the body Of Mrs Briden. TO all APP
pearances she had been engaged in milking
and had MIXED about a quart, when she met
her death Her body Yves lying on the right
side, with her throat cut and razor placed III
her hand. The side Of her face and head bore
marks of having received blows from some
fat acknowledgement to be the head OF
an axe There evidently had been nc strUg-
gle after she received the blows
Suspicion attaches to William Bell as the
perpetrator of the deed, from the crcumstan
ces abeve narrated, and from the further facts
that he was chopping wood in the door-yarC
, at the time Almeda left for school, but a few
minutes before the murder, and that track
about the body were traced to Mr.. Orson Cad
wells premises, where Bell was chopping, ant
found to correspond exactly with his Bel
was at once arrested He disclaimed al
knowledge of the murder. and declared BIZ
innocence. He acknowledges the razor which
was found in Mrs. Bridens hand to bel his, bu
processes not to know how it came there.
Bell was taken before Justice Bangs
Wauconda, on Wednesday morning, for ei
animation. We hope to have the result Of tn
trial before we 60 to press.
p S.-A coroner's jury nnpauneled on tn
body of Mrs. Briden, returned a verdict il
substance that ''the deceased came to he
death by blow given by some blunt iustru
ment, and the cutting Of her throat, by som
person to them unknown"
William Bell, the supposed murderer, aP
peared before Squire Bangs on Wednesday.-
: His counsel Nh. Williams and Mr. Thomson
iwaived an examination and he was commit
tied te the county jail, to wait the action @
the grand jury in February next.