The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-09-30
THE MURDER CASE.

District Attorney Schmitz appearing for
the prosecution and W. J. Turner for the
defense. The testimony given weighed
heavily against the girl, particularly the
evidence of little girl of ten, who with
some others were gathering thorn apples
in wood near the house of Mr.. Haywood.
Subsequent revelations demonstrate the
caution with which the testimony of
child should be received and the uncer-
tainty of circumstantial evidence. The
evidence of the little girl destroyed the
last vestige of hope that the girl charged
with the murder was innocent, and still,
as will appear, that evidence did the girl
wrong. The child testified that be-
tween the hours of three and four in the
afternoon she saw a woman, whose de-
scription In the main answered to that of
Anna, chase Nancy Haywood through
the garden. That she was seen to drag
Nancy into the house and that short
while after she heard screams. The facts
are, and no one questions them now, that
Annals sister accompanied her to the
house of Haywood. The doors were
locked and the girls ran around the gar
den, went to the door and shouted to
Nancy. These were the screams the
child heard and knowing that Nancy had
been murdered, she naturally supposed
that she was one of the women and that
she was at that time attacked by Anna.
On Tuesday morning Annals mother
called to sec her in the jail. She was
admitted by the sheriff The meeting
of the mother and her child was affecting
in the extreme. Those who were present
withdrew, feeling that their presence was
an intrusion and that the sorrow and
affection of these two under the sad cir
cumstances, were too sacred for behold
ers. Alone with her mother, feeling con
fident that guilt could not deprive her of
that mothers love and sympathy, Anna
made full confession, and acknowledged
that she committed the terrible crime
with which she stood charged. Subse-
quently she made similar confession to
the district attorney and her own lawyer.
The quarrel originated from very trivial
matter. Anna reached home before Miss
Haywood did. When the latter arrived
she unlocked the door and both entered.
Anna went to the pantry for the purpose
of getting something to eat. While there
she put her hand in a sugar bowl and
took out some sugar. Her mistress
abused her for using so much sugar and
said she must be crazy. This exasper-
ated Anna and she pushed the old lady
who fell against the door casing, infict-
ing an injury On her head. Anna was
furious, she seized an axe and struck the
old woman in the face. She then took
the axe in one hand and holding the old
woman with the other, struck her on the
throat, inficting the deep wounds which
it was thought were made by knife
She then washed the blood off the axe,
mopped up the floor and buried the
blood in the garden. She says she was
almost crazy when Haywood came home
and could not tell him the truth.
The provocation for the murder seems
entirely inadequate. No one believes
that the murder was premGditated. 1t
was done in fit of passion. But was
scolding for taking sugar and the epithet
of crazy suffi cient to arouse murderous
passion? The testimony of Mr.. Hey
wood may throw some light upon this.
On former occasion Nancy told the girl
she was crazy. She became Infatuated
and shook her fist in her mistress's face
and warned her not to say that again.
Did the girl understand the significance
of the term or does she suspect in her
self constitutional tendency to Insanity
The girls appearance adds to the mystery.
Her age, habits and manner arc directly
opposed to the theory of natural deprav-
ity. She is mild looking girl, rather
timid than bold, the last person whom
one would accuse of brutality or murder
Gus propensities. Some of her former
employers speak highly of the girls
character and her worth as servant.
The girls confession caused great ex-
element. While everybody could not
but believe her guilty, still her youth
and friendlessness created sympathy
The state had concluded to rest before
Anna had made her admission of guilt
and Mr.. Turner introduced no rebutting
testimony. Judge Kirvan held her to
answer at the next term of the circuit
court and she was taken back to the jail.
Her father visited her on Tuesday after
noon. He was disposed to upbraid her
for the crime but was cautioned by the
sheriff that he was not admitted for that
purpose.
PLUMB & NELSON, GROCERS,