Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-23
Tragedy In WiScOnSlHs.-LOVe, Murder
and Suicide.

The Madison (Wis.) Journal contains long ac-
count of terrible tragedy recently enacted in that
State, from which we condense the following
1t will be remembered that in June last we pub
lished the details of q horrible murder in Grant
county, Miss Catharine Jordan having been killed
by her lover William E. Kidd in Glen Haven,
June 10, 1865. There were circumstances Of such
peculiar atroeity connected with the crime, that
public indignation was aroused TO the utmost, and
large rewards offered for the arrest of the murderer
This stimulated detectives end police officers to the
utmost and there were several different rumoTs of
Kids capture, all without foundation.
1t appears that be went Immediately to the rail
road and thence through the heart of the State to
It's principal city, revisited Milwaukee, went TO Chi
cage heard policemen talking of his crime and TIE
chances of his arrest then made his way Westward
to the mines of Colorado and was finally arrested
after many wanderings in the wilds of Minnesota,
on the sth of October, Kidd giving himself up, to
all appearances, willingly. He was taken to the
railroad as soon as possible, and while on the cars,
October IA, near Jefferson, Green county, Iowa,
committed suicide by taking strychnine.
After taking the poison Kidd told of it, saying,
You searched we'll, but the small paper of strych-
nine had been sewed inside the lining Of my panta-
looms, where its discovery wss next to impossible.
The poison had been provided for use IN case OF
need Kids death took place one hour and twenty
Eve minutes after taking the poison. AT intervals
between spasms be conversed freely, and even with
cheerfulness giving directions to what should be
told his friends at home, etc.
The following is the substance of confession
made by Kidd to Delaware on the first night Of bis
capture:
" He and Katie Jordan had always been intimate
friends that he loved her. and told her if she didn't
marry him she Dever should marry any one; this
was two months before the murder. A couple OF
dsvs before the act be took his trunk TO Cassville
and shippsd the same TO s. q. b. Martin, Mazo-
maine. On Monday evening thereafter he went
with his horse and buggy TO McIvers to see her, and
she came out TO see him thsy talked awhile, and
he asked her to take ride with him, saying that 1t
would be the last ride she would ever take with
him. She got into the buggy; be referred TO the
presents be had made her and that he had set OF
furs in his trunk that he had intended TO give her.
and other articles observed while riding that ring
he had given her was not worn he then returned
her picture. which she took and put in her poke,
He let down fence and passed through field
came to rAvne turned his horse quartering across
the road then took out his revolver and told her to
shoot him She refused, and said, William, what
are you going to do? 1 am afraid of you. dc
then took out his knife and she said My God VIII
liam, are you going to cut my throatP he an.
swered, g. AN. He then placed his arm around
her head, and aimed 20 draw q knife across hel
throat she seized the knife and in so doing cut bel
hand severely; be then wTenched the knife from
her snd cut her throat, holding her head with hli
arm until life was extinct; be then alighted and
lifted the body out of the buggy intending to throw
IL into sink-hole near by, when the horse started
Thinking somebody was coming he left the body
and jumped into the buggy drove to his father S
left bis team, and got horse and fed