, 1872-11-15
A MAD GIRL.


T1an-NHis Wife's Sudden Deasiz-A
Remarkable Trial.
London Correspondence Of the Neo Pork World.
In the pleasant County Of Essex, near the vi,
Wenden, who not only farmed large estate Of
which he was the tenant, but owned in his own
right large quantity Of land in the same neigh
horhood, and was reported to be worth some
thing like -s50,000. He had daughter named
Ellen. who was young lady Of fair education
and Of no little personal beauty. Among the
laborers employed by her. father was man
named Kitte!- He wes 30 years old, married,
and the fnther Of three children, and IN
no way above the ordinary peasant Of tho
country. But Miss Wenden (who YVES only
20 years old) discovered in this ignorant and
elderly laborer such charms that she fell madlY
in love With him. On every possible occasion
she sought his society, and not unfrequently
Was seen in the act Of lavishing endcarments
upon him, which he received sto1idly. On the
9th Of October Of last year the wife Of this lnbor
err, with her children, was engaged IN gathering
aloes in q field belonging to Alr. Wendens farm.
ere long joined them and brought with her a
bottle Of beer. Taking from this bottle O drink
for herself, and then handing it to her sisters,
she gave the remainder to Mrs. Kittel and the
the woman End her chi1dren were taken
Ill with vomiting and other symptoms
Of poisoning. The. children soon recovered,
but the mother remained 30 Ill that she was con-
uutu LII uEl Dell4 ul165 TGHU6u fA64lC0 46E uu
tho following morning, bringing with her q basin
containg some broth, which abe administered to
the sick woman. Upon her return from this
errand Of mercy, an acquaintance accosted her,
and asking her how Mrs. Kittel was, she replied,
I" She is very i'll, and believe she will die" To
another person soon afterward she made so!no
strong censoriou8 remarks respecting Mrs. Eit-
tel, and added that she could throw her into.
the fire for two pins On the night Of the 9Eh
of October, Mrs. Kittel expired, being found BY
her children in the morning lying upon the floor
dead, with her head upon the side Of the bed.
The cottage in which this family resided was
in an extremely uncleanly and .diso-derly con-
dition, and upon Miss Wenden visiting the
place after the death Of the woman, sLe
directed that the bed upon which she had slept
should be burned, and the bedstead chopped TO
pieces and consigned to the flames. In CONVEX
satlon about the death Of the woman, Miss Wen
den expressed her satisfaction in not too choice
language ct the occurrence, and reiterated the
same remarks which she had made many weeks
before in regard to her affection for the huE-
band of-the deceased, stating. that she was in
love With the old man, and would be married to
him before long,. In point Of fact, this pre-
diction was speedily realized, Is within two
months after the death Of Mrs. KitteI, this
young lady, apparently with the consent Of her
family, was married to the widower. These
facts excited some suspicious, which were in
creased upon its being ascertained that during
the spring Of that year Miss Wendeu had
brought from the residence Of her uncle, to
whom she had been paying a visit, . quantity
of arsenic, which ehe had been in the habit Of
using for the destruction Of rats The village
gossip increased 80 rapidly that the authorities
felt compelled to take some action in the matter
The body Of the dead woman was exhuned and |
submitted to IN examination, which resulted in
arsenic in the stomach. The newly married
Mrs. Kittal was then arrested, together with her
husband. Evidence was heard before the bench |
OF magistrates, and the woman was committed |
~ z1on
man, man, however, was discharged, there not being
sufficient evidence to hold him. As the hus-
band and wife we're proceeding to this hearing
the former said to tho latter: ssYou know
not know what do, and I don't know what
you do" In July the case was brought to
trial, and the evidence above summarized |
Tas produced, but at the moment when |
he Judge was about to sum up the evidence,
2ended and that night she gave birth to q child.
Fhe prisoner was retained in jail until the 24th
nst., when her trial was commenced de n0u0 at
he Chelmsford Assizea. No Witnesses whatever
Sere produced for the defence, and the cego
remely st1ong circumstantia1 evidence, but Ir.
Sergeant Parry, who had been retained for the |
1efence, succeeded in skilfully alternating the
evidence for the prosecution, and the Judge, in
t was no doubt certain that the woman hsd died
rom poison, in order to be satisfied that the
prisoner was the poisoner, they must be con-
7inced, beyond doubt that no other person
:ould have been guilty. One strong point in
he defence WAS that the poison found in the
body was Of an entirely different character from
hat obtained by Hiss Wenden from her uncle.
The circumstances, said the Judge, of the pris-
,ner allowing the husband Of the deceased Wom-
n to take liberties with her, her marrying him
nth such indecent haste within two months
fter her death, naturally excited suspicion !;
,ut be warned the jury not to let these things
;eigh in their Judgment, but to confne their It,
enfion solely to what had been proved against
he prisoner The jury, without leaving their
ox, and after q consultation Of only few min
tes, returned verdict Of not guilty. The
oung woman, who had maintained remarkable
omposure during her trial. IS she heard the
1ords which restored her to liberty, burst into q |
ood Of happy tears, and, turning to the jury,
lid, g thank you all, gentlemen" She smiled
oyfully as she was leaving the Court. Many q |
erson has been executed upon far less concIu-
We testimony than that upon which this young
dy Of erratic tastes has been acquitted.
The S1Vcdenborg Club.
t1u York Correspondence ofths Cincinnati Commercial
A new club is being here, under the title Of {
10 "Swedenborg Club" It has already found ]
1arters in Madison avenue. It will form an !
telectual centre for those Who are interested !
the ideas Of the Swedish philosopher. Quite
number OF wen-known men are sEeady among G
3 members. It is surprising to find how naary q