Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-07
The Battle-Creek Spiritualfst Murder.
Confession of the Murieress.

Confession of the Mursieress.
A strange account of the murder at Battle
Creek, Michigan, was published in The
World some days ago. The mother of the
murdered children has since made the fol-
lowing confession:
said TO the Sheriff that wanted to go
and make full confession of the whole mat
ter / came to Battle Creek last spring. /
left drunken husband, with whom | and
my children could have no peace; often
driven out of doors after dark. AS believed
in spiritualism, came here hoping that
could have the benefit of the lyceum for my
children, and expecting to have my property
to buy me home for myself and children.
After coming here found could not get it,
as had been promised by the lawyers; and
had it not been for Mr.. Bakers assistance, we
should have suffered more than we did.
got Mr. Baldwin, when was sick abed, and
with but very little in the house to eat to
apply to the Moral Police Fraternity for as
sistance he assisted me some, but they did
not. The reason they gave was because Mr..
Baker boarded with me- They seemed to
think that we ought to be married, but did
not feel as though was obliged to marry a
man because he had treated me kindly.
After Lizzie Merritt came to board with me,
she also helped me great deal had hard
work to keep my children where they should
be-the little boys especially. had always
tried to bring them up honestly, but as they
grew older ! saw the manifestations of their
father in them, and Twas all the time worry
ing if they were out of my sight, for fear they
would get TO stealing, or the father would
get the two little ones. When ! looked for
ward to the time when my children should
be men and women, | feard for them; that
they would have to suffer by transgressing the
laws of the land; and thought as l had
been the author of their existence in mea-
sure ii was better to send them to the spirit
world while they were innocent, and if any
one had to suffer l would do it instead of
them. These are the many reasons which
have actuated me for the past five weeks,
although kept them locked in my own
bosom. The two little Ones John and Libby
their father was a thief and drunkard,
and | feared that if he took the children
from me they would walk in his steps and
as looked to She future / saw q worse fate
for my daughter Libby if he had her. If
/ had received that love and sympathy that
/ ought to have received when | came a
widow and a stranger in strange place, il
might have been different l walked the
streets many days TO sell books to obtain
something for my children's comfort, but
with very few exceptions l sold none.
have no one 10 blame but myself and the
trials that surrounded me. | do not wish
those who have been kind to me to suffer on
my account, therefore make this statement
that you will blame no other. | feel that
what have done is to be settled between
me and my God and the Spirit World.
Monday morning, a week ago, came up to
town to get some sulphur and cream of tar
tar and arsenic, and mixed it together in
molasses; but how many times gave it to
them, the children, now dead, / do not re-
collect, for from that time till after | was
called in court, knew not half o. the time
hardly what / was doing. could not give
a clear statement of what followed. What
said when was questioned the other day is
as near right as l can remember, except
getting the arsenic. No one in the house
knew that arsenic was in il. l don't know
as there is anything more. l suppose that
that is all that is necessary to say. | took
care of my children and watched over them
until the last breath. There is nothing
more that know Of make this statement
voluntarily. No one knew what l was
going to say. The girls questioned me- but
did not tell them. If had never married
that drunken husband ! should not have
been in this trouble. know and under |
stand that this statement made BY me could |
be used i'm evidence agaiEst me.