Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-03-21


he went over to his neighbor, Jack
Yields, and told his trouble, Mr.. Weld
seems to have understood Marquardt's
situation, and tried to pacify him, but
was unsuccessful. At $50 O'Clock
Saturday night Marquardt said he was
at another neighbours house, Mr.. Mil
ler's and that Mrs. Miller, without any
fire, got him boiling hot cup of coffee
in less than two minutes. "How she
did it. Mister (he said J. without fire,
nobody but God Almighty could tell.
But as my wife couldn't cut any throat
off with sharp knife. I knew that
hot coffee nor poison could kill me, so
drank the coffee, and they looked at
me with astonishment. Then the ma
MAC went on to describe that at 10
o'clock he would be afraid to go home.
But as it was only half past nine there
was no danger. He started of, saying
"when I got out of the yard shouted
to God Almighty to strengthen me. I
had four miles to go, Mister. Some.
times, sir, it was 50 dark I couldn't see
an inch. Then again it was as light as
day. I got into q creek half-leg deep,
but I knew God Almighty was with me,
aud I was SAFE"
81 finally got home. I had q big
bulldog there, to keep the thieves
away. He never had been cross to me
before, but somehow he fought me. I
seized him by the jaws, as Samson
caught the lion, and tore open his jaws.
I knew he couldn't hurt me. called
on God Almighty to strengthen me. I
almost tore the mouth of the dog open.
He scratched my hands little with his
paws. But he was conquered; I gave
him kick and he left me. Iwent to
the house and told Mary we had better
go to the woods with the children. She
took one, I took two. I sat upon the
fence when she gave me the child she
had. held them in my arms tight
(showing how he embraced them) aud
told her to 60 back to the house for the
other two. We were going to heaven. I
knew we had to go by the straight and
narrow path. There is a thorny patch
in the woods. That is the straight
way. I went with the children that
way, and dropped them as I went. I
w AO0 AAoW AOW Guo CAA~AI0u CtAuo W
die. I went to the pond, took off my
clothes and sat down in it naked. Mary
was at the fence, but after awhile she
came to me naked, and sat down in the
mud and water with me. She said she
couldn't find the other two children
(the poor things, frightened almost to
death, were concealed under the bed),
they had gone somewhere. I told Mary
it was very cold and she had better 20
to tho house. She wouldn't go without
me, and proposed that we should dress.
Our clothes were dirty, and I said,
"No, it isn't worth while; We can go
to the house naked" We went back
(not word from Marquardt about his
strangled little ones) Mary laid down
in bed. She said, You want to kill
me 2" "No, Mary" I said, "I
wouldn't kill you for all the world" I
had a strange feeling; I kept rubbing
my face with my hands. I finally put
them on Marys throat; it was soft
and smooth. didn't intend to
hurt her, Mister, but she didn't
come to. I hollered to her :;
her body was warm; I laid down
beside her; thought I could bring
her to as Christ had done, but couldn't
do it. Then I reat my Bible. Some
how, Mister, had notion that I had
better put on my best clothes yesterday
morning. That's the W y they found
me. l never dld drink much, Mister,
but had two hanks of wine
one for Mary, and one for
me. But I couldn't bring Mary to. I
didn't intend to hurt Mary, Mister, for
she was good to me, and we were good
to each other. I hadn't eat much for a
long time, and to-day Sunday I drank
more wine than I ever drank before,
and I didn't feel it bit. I was going
around this way when these fellows
(neighbors We understood) picked me
up in their wagon. I was willing to go
anywhere with anybody, for / never
was a quarrelsome man. You could hit
me in the face, Mister, and 7 wouldn't
hit you back, because think it wrong.
But, Mister, the oughtn't to have
taken me back to where Mary was lying
dead"
There was vastly more of this singu-
lar]y amazing story of q maniac mur-
derder, but at 8 o'clock this morning
we cannot give more of it. He told us
that he was not addicted to drink,
though we suspect from his appearance
that he drank deeply yesterday. His
manner and his tone are singularly
mild, and he insists. with strong per
sistency, that he does not know how
his children died.