The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-10
HORRIBLE CHILD MURDER.
II Woman Beats Her Little stepdaughter
70 Death.


from the ST. Joseph (Mo.) Herald June OIL
Last Friday the people OF viilisca, Iowa. were
shocked by til report that child had murdered
about six miles north Of the town by It's Infatuated
ana Jealous stepmother. Subsequent investigation
proved the correctness Of the report aud shows
that o most Infamous crime has been committed,
the details Of which sickening and horrify
ing.
An eye witness to some Of the tragic circum-
stances says:-A man named Ellis Grifnth, VINO
lives upon a rented farm some five or six miles
north OF Villisca, has had q little girl, some nve
years old-a daughter by first wife-lving WIN
him. he having been divorced and REMARKED some
time ago. This child has been for some time the
innocent object OF the wrath and vengeance OF its
parents and on wednesday last the wife OF Griffth
and srepmother to the little girl, upon some pre-
tended cause set upon the child with switch, and
having beaten her for some time seemed not to be
satisfied with that mode Of punishment,
stocH and beat the object Of her Wra Il
most unmeIoifully until tired out, and
sndsSness q wild beast she struck her r" now
PROSTATE victim several severe and what proved
to be fatal blows upon the back Of the head crush
work she then sprang upon the child with her feet
as It lay prone upon the ground before her and
the bones OF the shoulders and making ugly looking
SSo o on its breast. A young girl, Nancy
time and when the infuriated woman was beating
The child with the whip she attempted to nterpose
u It's behalf but the wife quickly silenced her by
taxing pistol from her pocket and threatening In
the wickedest manner possible that II she raised
nand to interfere or attempted to leave the prem
ises she would shoot her. Being timid girl she
sQbsided
When the woman had completed her work Of
death she cooly threw its senseess form to the
door, It's head striking the JAM and told the girl to
wash the blood nom Its body and redress It, and
then then she could call one OF the neighbors Mrs Will
w w III.
cordingly called The child lived about an hour,
remaining insensible all the time The girl, Miss
Sagers, was In the meantime threatened with death
at the hands of this most inhuman savage, In case
she divulged the cause OF the chids DEATH and put
into her mouth another story as to the origin Of the
Child's injuries.
The woman seems to have exhibited the same
spirit OF relentless endishness until the child was
actually dead, for while it was dying she gave vent
to her feelings by kicking 1t as 1t lay upon pallet
As soon as the neighbors came in they suspected
the cause of the condition OF the child. physician
was sent for, and after the chds death coroner's
have been related above, and the woman was ar
Rested for murder.
| From the actions OF the husband and father when
he returned home from the field where he had been
at work 1t is inferred that he was in sympathy with
been arrested for comucitv in the murder &c a'
The woman Is rough and coarse In her converse
tion, swears like trooper and seems incapable Of
The former wife Of Grlfth is said to have pro-
cured divorce from him for adultery, and was
NV uiuou tHe IlSu1 W Iuc poSScsslon vi tHc ciIHu
and compelled him to support it. Still he retained
IT and since married this woman. Lately the
former wife gave them notice that she wanted the
little girl but would expect him to furnish means
for Its support as she herself was poor and unable
TO care for 1t. This seemed to I'LL the mind of the
new wife with determination to prevent, and she
has succeeded, in the manner we have indicated.
The family not long since removed to that
vicinity from Colorado. The woman has been In
the habit OF carrying loaded revolver about her
person and Is a practised hand in using 1t. The
man has the appearance Of being an inoirensiye
creature.