Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-06-05
The WaIworIh Parricide
THE STORY OF HIS MARRIAGE.

4hh SAOhA OE nAo haNNSAA"n'
The story of Mansfield Walworth's
marriage of itself is romance. His
wife, Miss Nelly Hardin, was the daugh-
ter of the famous Col. John ]. Hardin,
of Illinois. Col Hardin was one of the
most distinguished lawyers in the State,
and formidable rival of Senator Stephen
A. Douglas, so much so that Douglas on
one occasion declared Hardin to be the
only man in Illinois whom he feared to
meet in debate. Col. Hardin was born
at Frankfort, KY, and removing to IL
linois settled in Jacksonville, where he
practiced law and became the prOsecut-
ing attorney for the circuit. He served
as a member of the Illinois Legislature
from 1886 to 1912, and was a representa-
tive in Congress from Illinois from 1843
to 1S45. He married Kentucky lady,
and had one child, daughter, Miss Mel
lie Hardin, (Mansfield T. Walworths
wife, On the breaking out of the
Mexican war he organized the First IL
linois Infantry, and left with his regi-
ment for the seat of war. At the battle
of Buena Vista, on Feb %, 1s47, under
General, afterward President, Taylor,
Hardin fought with such desperate BRAY
cry and recklessness that his name spread
through the entire army. He was not
destined to survive the day, for a charge
was ordered, and Hardin, fighting in the
foremost rank, fell His body was re-
covered and inferred with the highest
military honors. Mrs. Hardin came to
this State and met Chancellor Walworth,
then a widower. They were married,
and young Mansfield WalwOrth of course
met Miss Nelly Hardin. A brief court
ship, and they were married. So that
Col. Hardin's widow married Chancellor
Walworth, and Col. Hardin's daughter
married Chancellor Walworth's son. BY
this marriage Mansfield Walworth had
three children, the son who killed him
yesterday and two daughters, now aged
fourteen and fifteen years respectively.
Chancellor WalwOrth, on his sons mar
riage, settled on his daughter-in-law pro-
perty at Saratoga, where she now re-
sides.
FAMILY TROUBLE.
From this point in the history of the
case begins the story of family trouble
and difficulty which created the fearful
crime of yesterday. From the unfortu-
nate son and Mrs. Walworth and their
friends, it would seem that every posi-
BILE indignity and insult were heaped up
on Mrs. Walworth by the man she mar
ried
Their married life, from the first few
happy years, was continual quarrel,
not on her part, but on his. Her children
were treated by Walworth not as ia
ther should treat his children, and she
was regarded by her husband not as
man should respect and love his wife.
From unhappiness their marital quarrels
verged into absolute enmity, and Wal
worth frequently struck her The boy,
as he grew up to manly years and feel
ings, naturally protected his mother,
and became himself the butt for his ia
theirs inuendoes and insults The young
daughters were saved, as far as possible,
from annoyance, by the mother and son,
but at length Walworth's conduct culmi-
mated in such systematic course of in
suit and barbarity that Mrs. Walworth
found her married life unbearable. So,
three years ago she separated from her
husband and went TO live with her chill
dren on the Saratoga property, where
she established ladies' boarding school,
meeting with success, encouragement
and respect.
Walworth came to this city and con-
tinued writing for magazines and jour
nails. He also wrote to his wife and son.
Mrs. Walworth has several of these let
tiers in her possession now. They TEEN
with insult, one of them threatening to
break up her school by making charges
against her character. In others of the
letters are threats to shoot her and cher
son Frank" Young Walworth also re-
ceived several of these letters, contain
ing similar threats, and also intercepted
several letters written to his mother by
Walworth. Three days ago Mrs. Wal
worth received a similar letter from her
husband, which her son saw and read.
This letter repeated the threat of shoot
ing herself and son and among other
sentences contained the following ones
You may be certain that sooneror later
| will fulfill my promise"
DEPARTURE OF THE SON FOR THIS CITY.
These letters so maddened young Wal
worth that on Monday morning he pack
ed his valise and left his mothers house
in Saratoga, without bidding her or his
siiters good bye.
He came to this city and entered the
Sturtevant House, corner of Twenty
ninth street apd Broadway, about three
o'clock, registered his name, Frank II.
Nalworth, Saratoga and was assigned
room No. 267, on the third floor of the