The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-11
SECOND CONFESSION OF the
RAPIDS CITY MURDERESS.
SHE duplicates PETER WICK
LUND, THE BoARDER,
HE HAD BEEN HER PARAMOUR
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

&AAS48S.S
FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
Wicklund Probably now ON the way to
Sweden.
1t has been known to reporters for this
paper for some time that Brita Nielsen, the
Rapids City murderess, had made second
confession of the details of her cold-blood-
ed murder of her husband, but the facts
were withheld from the public. at the re-
quest of Sheriff Huessing, in order to
enable him to arrest Peter Wicklund, the
man who boarded with Nelson before the
murder.
Mrs. Nelson's second confession is in
substance as follows:
Several months before the murder this
man Wicklund and Mrs. Nielsen had been
on very intimate terms. The affection
soon ripened into an unlawful one, and
Wicklund became her paramour. Brita's
husband did not suspicion that matters
had come to this disgraceful condition, but
often remarked to her that be beloved she
| liked Wicklund better than she did him,
and was very jealous Of him, although he
never let Brita's paramour know his feel
| ings toward him. Thus matters went on
until about two months before the murder.
when, as she says she proposed to Wicklund
that they put the old man out of the
road" or, in other words, kill him. The
reason she gave for this was that Wick
lund was much younger than Nielsen, and
that they would make better couple
To this proposition Wicklund neither
objected nor consented The matter was
talked over between the two whenever
they were alone. Once it. was
decided that Brita should "put
something in Nelson's coffee" and
poison him, bu. this was abandoned, as it
would create suspicion of foul play. it be-
ing known among the neighbors that Mel
sen and his wife did not live happily to-
gether. Several other plans were talked
of, among them one of drugging Nielsen,
carrying him to the river and throw the
body into the water and drown him. In
all of these plans Wicklund showed ten
dency to shirk the responsibility although
not Directing to anything the woman might
do to put Nielsen out of the world. 1t was
finally decided that Wicklund should 90 tt
Moline and remain there until Brita had
put Nielsen out of the way. He would
then 60 to some other place and the wo
man should follow him, and they would
then get married. IF suspicion followed
them they were to return to Sweden
otherwise to remain in this country. Brits
says that it had not been decided in wha
way she was to get rid Of her husband, bu
that she was to do something the frs
chance that offered.
1t will be remembered that the murder
was committed on Friday morning, Jan
2Sth, between 2 and o'clock. Brita nov
says that Thursday evening-the evening
before the murder-Wicklund had started
for Moline. He wore his best clothes, apt
took all of his money, (s2s7,) which sh
had been keeping for him. That is tn
last time she saw Wicklund, her accom-
plice.
1t is but natural that as soon as he
paramour was gone she would begin
{ think of some way to get rid of her hus
band. An opportunity Immediately offer
ed Nielsen came into his house and throw
ing himself On the bed was soon ASLEEP
She probably thought that if she killed he
husband and then dragged him into tn
road the public would be led to beGev
y that he had been way-laid and murdere
e by some unknown persons.
+ The result of her plan is known.
When she was arrested Wicklund wa
in Moline, stopping with Swede ma
named Moline. A friend of his read tn
ARGUS of the 2Sth, giving the full detail
of the murder, and told him that Brita wa
then in Jail and had made a full confessio
: of the crime. Wicklund did not stop t
hear any more. He went to Mr.. Moline
: house, procured his money; did not sto
:. to change clothes; said he was going t
!. Iowa, where brother of his, preache,
was living; that he would return in abou
week, and then go to Sweden; left tn
e house, and that is the last heard of Pete
I Wicklund.
II n
J. Sweden, and will not be likely to return t
Moline or vicinity again.
Mrs. Nelson made her second confessio
to Deputy Sheriff Herkert, to whom "
are indebted for the foregoing facts.