Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-01-03
HORRIBLE CASE OF ISrASrrctpr

trAseoy at Battle Creek. Michigan The tnvs,
1IiS utauSns reveal thsi woman named Sarah
uauon on the subject OF spiritualsm. She hsd
left her husband. and had been living for some
nme win a man named Baker who claimed ~
De spiritual doctor OF healing medium I"
i he children, aged respectively, four slr
eight. eleven. and thirteen years. seemed An
obstacle TO the attainment OF perfect bliss by
mr.. haviland and Baker, and were accord.
lnely poisoned.
On the day before the children were taken
SEE, SEE, winch was Sunday, they attended The
spiritual Medium" another name for the
spiritual Church, which has an existence ia
@ L@nls place. On Monday all three Of the chill
Irl gIeh were taken sick, and about the same time
lhey ccntnued TO grow worse until Their
death, the first Of which occurred ON Thnrsdsy
rNthlhg' the other TWO died on Friday They
were all afflicted similarly with violent vomit,
ing ana purging, burning pain In the stomach
sore throat and continual Thirst. On Wednes
Gay evening the circle was held a. ,,.,ra1
thonsh the children were so seriously an and
IN such agonIes. At the s'CiScle" on this even
ing, 'spirlt, claiming 10 be an Indian ,nirtt
spoke through Mrs. Hayiland, saving ,gba
lSlCoses were sick, and would not get WELL
On Saturday, The 10Th, the in Vestigation com
ntnced. On Sunday morning, the Eth A nos
u oriem examination was held by Drs OoY.
IrrEoh and Saunders, who were also on the
lury Of inquest. The bodies OF the Children ar
reared 10 he healthy, snd they could see T.
sufficient reason for their death from natural
causes. The stomach was taken out and sent
10 The laboratory at Ann HaTbOr for analy.is
An adjourned meeting was had until Satpr-
day, The I'D instant, when It was expected that
he result OF the investigation AT Ann Harbor
wuuid be known.
On Saturday the examination again ron
lnued, until near the close of the day when
he mother of the children expressed a desire
o The Sherih TO be put on the stand again. Her
request was granted. when she made the con-
LESSON which follows Ii was taken down as
II fell from her lips.
Il said to the sheriff wanted to go ana
make full confession Of the whole matter \
came TO Battle Greek last spring. I left A
drunken husband, with whom I and nv chill
drtn could have no peace, often driven out OF
doors after dark. As believed ia spiritual
i'm, came here hoping that could have the
benefit Of the IyceUm Tor my children. and eN-
peCung 10 have my property 70 buy me a home
Tor myself and NY children. After coming
here found 4 could not gel IL a. had been
promis I'd by the lawyers, and had il not been
Tor Mr.. Bakers assistance, We should have
sGh6r'd more than we did. I got Mr. Bald
WIN, when was sick abCd, and with very
little IN the house 20 eat, To apply 20 the Moral
Police Fraternity fer assistance. he assisted me
some, but they did not The reason they raye
was because Mr.. Baker boarded with mo
They seemed 20 think that We ought 10 be mar
RED, but did not feel as though 1 was Obliged
10 marry a man because be had treated me
kindly. After IiZZIe Merritt came 10 board
with me she also helped me great deal. had
hard work TO keep nv children where they
should be-the boys especially. j had always
lrled TO bring Ihem up honestly, but as they
grew older / saw the manifestations Of their
fathers disposition in them, and I was all the
time worrying If they were ont Of my sight,
Tor ftar they would get 10 stealing, OF The
father would get the two little ones. When 4
looked forward 10 the time when my children
should be men and women 1 feared for them
that they would have to suffer by transgress-
ing the laws Of the land; and I thought a. 4
had been the author OF their existence an a
meas ure, II was better 10 send them 10 the spirit
world while they were innocent, and N any
one bad to suffer i would do IL instead Of them
These are the many reasons which have actu-
ated me for the past five weeks, although 1
Kept them locked m my own bosom. The two
little ones, John and Ilbhy-thcir father was
thief and drunkaTd, and feared that n he
took the children from me they would walk an
his steps, and as looked TO the future I saw n
worse late for my daughter Libby IL he had
her. II had received that love and sympathy
that ought to have received when came a
widow ana a stranger in a strange place, AZ
might have been different / walked the streets
many days to sell books 10 obtain something
for my chilGrens comfort, but with very few
exceptions i sold none. have no one 10 blame
but myself and the trials that surrounded me-
i do not wish those who have been kind TO me
TO suffer ON my account, therefore, 1 make this
statement that You VIII blame no other feel
that what have done Is to be- settled between
me and my God and the spirit world. Mon
day morning week ago i came up 10 town 10
get some sulphur and cream Of tartar and arse-
ME, and mixed II together IN molassss. but how
many times i gave a. to them-the children
now dead co not reCollect, for, from
that time till after / was called
IN court l knew not half Of the time hardly
what was doing. j could not give a clear
statement Of what followed. What SAID when
j was questioned the other day is as near right
as can remember, except getting the arsenic.
No one IN the house knew that arsenic was i'm
II. don't know as there is anything more. 1
suppose that that s all that is necessary TO saw.
L tCUk care Of my children and watched over
hem until the last breath. There rs nothing
more that j know Of l make this statement
voluntarily. No one knew what was gong
20 say. The girls questioned me, but did nos
tell them. III had never married that drunken
man l should not have been in this trouble.
l know and understand that this statement
made by me could be used in evidence against
me. No person has offered me any nducement
If / would make the statement. No person has
threatened me in any manner. When 1 was
down TO Marshall had a chance TO talk with
Daniel Baker. This was after the examination
commenced, and while they were under arrest;
but we did not talk upon that subject Mr.
Baker has been like father 10 me and nv
children, and am very sorry that i have
caused him moments trouble. 1 make this
statement wholly and entirely voluntarily"
On Saturday night, the I'D instant, the jury
found Mrs. Hayiland as principal and Baker
as accessory TO the murder Of the children.
They did this upon the testimony and her con-
fession, and without reference to the result Of
the analysis at Ann HsrbOr, which sustains the
confession of the woman Hayiland.
Warrants have been issued for the arrest OF
the supposed criminals. As such thew have
been confined as witnesses heretofore There
cannot be a doubt as TO what Will be the re.
suit. They will be held for trial at the next
term of court 10 be held at Marshall, February
], lN66 for murder.
OUTLAwRY IN RIcHMoND.-The Richmond