The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-24
The Murderer who is in prison nj steu

7 BMII 2 benViiie.
: Two steriffs arrived at Steubcnville
from Nebraska on Saturday, and recog-
nized S. D. Richards, who was arrested
near Mt. Pleasant on Friday and brought
to the Steubenyille jail on Saturday, ms the
man charged with the murder of Mrs.
IIailson and her three children, near
Kearney, lin Nebraska. Richards was Wis
tod in Jail at stepbenyillc by a reporter OF
the Sunday LQcql, to whom he made con-
fession. We copy the reporter s narrative
Of it, rs follows: 90
Last evening special reporter OF the
Local visited him in his cell, and was III
troduccd to q well.dressed, handsome
Young man Of twenty.three summers, tall
and straight as an arrow, broad chcsted,
muscular, OF herculean physique, but
withal, OF easy carriage and graceful mien,
polite, modest and quiet. He talks in
low musical voice, with his soft gray eye
riyeted upon Ills auditor. "A He related this
strange, startling and Thrilling story, which
II true, Is without parallel In the history
OF a Turpin or AIclleath. .,t-... !,
81 was born in the staid little town Of
Mt. Pleasant, this county, and carly IN I've
had the preCeptsr and character 0i the
Quaker instilled into my mind. l grew
up TO boy hood, and until three years ago,
no event occurred TO interrupt the even
tenor of my way. But about that time
lhayinc desire to roam and rove, started
westward, and then began my wild career
which is soon 10 close. | never was drunk.
|. | do not drink now; never did. l have
lived in Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, IS
souri,, Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado.
and have many friends W hcrever
/ have been. N.Y. rule has been to
confide in no one, but, now that
nv doom Is staring me in the face, tell
YOU have been the cause OF six bloody
murders. No one ever knew this be-
f0re. I have been looked upon as an
Exemplary Young man, and In those places
where I an acquainted, | moved in the
cream OF society. The first man muir,
dered was OH account0i n quarrel We had
lit was in Buffalo county. Then another
man. l butchered!l | went into n house
| one day, the man who lived there heaped
4 vile oaths upon me; Selling hammer that
was near BY, I beat out his brains and
,lleit him; soon forgetting or caring any
thing about it. Once an officer under
took 10 arrestme, We exchanged five shots;
| received two wounds but empowered
him, Then bound up his wounds and
had him taken 10 hospital. Some OF the
bodies have not been found. l left body
lin Kearney county-that was my Inst muir
der. ! made lots OF money ln'Harious
ways. I'expect to atone for my crimes on
the gaIlows. THERE'S no hope for me now.
But shall 90 to the scatiold as would TO
lrny dinner and with rs little concern, | re-
turned home, not 10 escape the vengeance
OF the law, but TO see my friends and the
Companions OF my youth for the last time
knew must at last fall, but / tell you
had Ibeen armel,whene they came after
4 me, l would not have been taken alive;
and when die my death will be avenged,
for my partners will have the blood OF
those that hunted me down. They
tell inc Imight got out on writ Of
lhabeas5 corpus. say no, l can
not. There Is kind and pretty
woman out there that want to SEQ once
more She would sacrifice anything for
me. Her. husband is u drunkard. She
declared to him Il he thought more Of
whisky than her, he might leave her. So,
when the people saw me stroiling through
the streets with her, the gossips took it up
and j was compelled 10 say 10 q patrolman
that II two certain fellows didn't quit
\ talking there would not BIO room for
then and ME in the burg. That
ended i. L own quarter section Of
\ land we'll stocked, and Thought TO have
settled down there. am sorry TO have
brought this thing home. l hate 10 think
they must suffer for my wrongs. oh,
! tellyou, sir, when the blood Of my victims
was on ny hand Ihaye thought the same
Thoughts ! think now; thank you foi
this opportunity TO tell my tale, awful g
il is. i expect to publish a letter myself
ut an early day. eatrtgE