National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-10-13
MURDER AFTER DIVORCE.
A Remarkable Case on Trial in St Augustine,
Florida.

A Remarkable Case on Trial in St Augustine,
Florida.
ST. AUGUSTINE, fla, Oct. e-Mary Ann
Keech, alias Newton, has iust been convicted OF
connection with the murder Of Ellen Hunt, alias
Ellen Keech, as accessory before the fact. The
circumstances of this case are In some respects
peculiar.
Nearly quarter Of century ago Henry Keeer,
living in Wisconsin, married woman known as
Mary Ann Newton. After twenty years OF wed
ded life Mr.. and Mrs. Keech quarreled and OBJ
tanned divorce. Ths court decreed that certain
property should be settled on Mrs. Keech. who
reassumed her maiden name, AMI who is the de-
PENDANT In this trial Keech had the deeds to this
property drawn up, showed them to his late vile,
told her he would have them properly recorded,
and then feloniously decamped 70 Florida. He
settled at Jacksonville, invested his funds In real
estate ct that place and at st. Augustine.
Among other lands, Keech owned q farm near st.
augustine Here be Lived WI Nth woman man. named a,
and half passed since his departure from WIS
eonsiD.
WHEREABOUTS and circumstances Of her former
husband, hired o nephew named william New
ton to go to Florids for the purpose Of killing
deeds which the court had decreed her. William
Newton visited the farmhouse near st. Angus.
tine, passing himself of as q purchaser OF real
He spent the night at Keech's house, and in the
morning invited his host to go ishIng The two
men made the excursion as proposed.
AMuRDRR AND MIRACULOUS DISCOVERY.
Upon their return to shore, while Keech was
fastening the boat, Newton crept up behind and
and shot him in the back Of the neck. Keech tell,
and Newton, to complete the work, pounded the
head Of his victim between two coqutns rocks
until he deemed him dead, and, even then unsat-
isted, cut his throat and departed. The muir.
derer then sought the house, and put three pistol
balls through the womsn's head. After search
ing the hOuaa In "a at n
investment OF Keech's property, he took q saddle
horse from the stable and rode away.
The neighbOrs coon discovered the dead woman,
and also found Keech near the Shore Strange
to say, the latter was not dead, and has since re-
covered. The officers of the law gave chase to
Newton, and captured him in the vicinity OF Vo-
lusia.
The most singular part of the story is still to be
told. When Newton was arrested he gave 70 MS
captoIs letter addressed to Mary Ann Newton,
In Wisconsin. They mailed 1t without opening.
In this letter Newton, as has since appeared, IN
Termed his aunt Of the success Of his murderous
mission, In consequence, the divorced wife came
down to Jacksonville, claimed that she was the
widow Of Henry Keech, who had been murdered,
bis iDyestmeuts II i MOI diic9lt To- imagine her
surprise and confusion when she learned that
Henry Keech was not dead, but was in st. Angus
In the meantime Newton, who was imprisoned
at st. Augustine, and who had partially confessed
his crimes, had given the sheriff an order on the
Jacksonville postmaster for q letter directed to
himself under an assumed name. The sheriff OBJ
tanned and opened this letter. 1t proved to be
from the aunt, and, although artfully disguised,
implicated her as an accomplish in the murder.
She was therefore arrested and brought to st.
Augustine. At the preliminary examination
1anS HgSns5 his aunt deeply Gr%
him states evidence, and thus tighten his own
load of responsibility.
NEwToN's TRIAL.
At the trial last week Newton repeated his
seltinculpating testimony He confessed that he
had been hired OV Mary Ann Newton to XIII