The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-05-13
The Ella O. Heck Case.


charged with the murder Of the two infants found
in the well on the farm Of Henry II. Hess, in the
town of Dayton, on Friday, the 2lst OF April last,
: by Howard Heck, took place on Thursday after
noon before V. B. Weeks, Esq.
Before any testimony was taken, Mr.. Blake,
her attorney, entered motion to quash the writ
and warrant on the ground that v B. Weeks is
not justice though he issued the papers as such.
G The motion was overruled, the Court holding
5 that justice and police magistrate are aboutthe
. same thing.
a Coroner Wcs was the chief witness for the
people. He said he saw the babies, on Saturday
afternoon. They were lying on grass plat
near the well, which was about 800 yards from
the Hess house near where Howard Heck and
Ella o., his sister, lived This we'll was about 225
#. north Of the barn. and some 80 IT, from the old
) plank road Both children were males; and TO
all appearances had not been washed after birth.
They were wrapped up in a woman's old under.
shirt and an apron, and a woman's stocking lay
near thcm the string OF the apron was wrapped
, around the neck Of the children. Both were dead.
Having examined the bodies he empannelled a
jury whom he adjourned for a week The chill.
dren he brought to Ottawa, where they were ex-
amined by himself and Dr. Dyer in the latter's
Office The head of one was dark, but from what
cause is not clear. They appeared to have been
in the well two three days-more or less,
though they were not shrired up. The larger
weighed lbs. and the smaller 514 lbs. The
smaller had dark spot on its face as if from de-
composition; the abdomen was not dark. From
the mouth of this one piece OF lucifer match
was taken, On their necks were distinct marks
Of violence, as of finger marks on their throats.
The eyes blood shot and projected, and the navel
cords were torn from the body On cutting into
the breasts the lungs were found to fill the entire
cavity; had the color of lungs that had been In.
Aated, and pieces cut from them dOated on water
and if held under water sent up air bubbles.
These are proofs that the children had been born
alive. Under the skull bone was found in The
larger clotted blood, and the skull was cracked
into four pieces as by blow or coming in con-
tact with hard substance. The smaller child had
its tongue partly torn from the jaw bone. The
bodies were left with DR.. Dyer. Having spent q
few days in looking up points in the case with
the sheriff, the Doctor called at Heck's house and
asked for defendant, and talked with her about
her sickness. She said she had had dropsy for
year or two and had suffered much. He pressed
her ankles with his fingers Saying he was
young physician interested in her peculiar case)
but found no dropsical condition of flesh. After
he had recalled his jury he told her that facts he
lad obtained east suspicion on her as being
the mother Of the children; and that the best
way TO show that she had not been mother re-
Gently would be to submit herself to q physical
examination He explained to her that he could
not compel this but that II he made the exami-
nation it must be entirely by her consent and de.
sire. He made the suggestion as likely to be
usesV, to her. After some hesitation and on the
advice of her sister law she consented to an
examination, and the Doctor made 1t In tho pres.
ence Of Mrs. Heck, who also assisted. This ex.
animation showed that she had been delivered OF
q ch,lsi or children very recently-thought within
ten days Of the examination. On being informed
Of the Doctors conclusions and urged to explain
she bust into tears, and said she had, some ak
months before, given birth to six months foe
tus whiah she cast into Fox river near Aurora,
at which time she was living with Mr.. Benja
min, some distance from Aurora. At the inquest
she testified she had had sexual intercourse with
one Geo. Morrison at dates eight and IS months
before The dead children were fully developed
and had been born alive.
H. b. Densmore, tsther-in law of the Mr.. Ben.
jamin mestioned, WAS called. He lives with his
son-in law, "A miles west and half mile north
of Aurora and four miles from Fox river. Ella
Heck caIae to their place about 9th Sept. 1881,
and lived, there until about 25th March, 1882.
When she came she was heshy and in poor health
and duriag her stay SHE increased very much in
size She said it was from dropsy. When she
left for ottawa she was very large. She was al
ways complaining of poor health but was not
fin cd IN h.r mr. ipInr nptpd in bpr work
Never heard of her having given birth to a fHtus.
During October and November she went few
times with the family to Aurora; but never knew
of her leaving the place after the middle of De-
cember until she came to Ottawa; and in day
time could hardly have gone away without his
knowing of it. She increased in size gradually
during her stay there, and was much larger than
she now is. On cross-examination he said she
mighs have been absent from the place during
the night and that she had once gone to Kane
Vile (some four miles in northwesterly drec-
ton from his housel to look after carpet.
Henry H. Hess of Dayton, owner of the farm
on which the babes were found and who lives in
the same house with the Hecks, said he had seen
defendant last Summer aud also about April 1st
when she came from Aurora. Her appearance
was unusual with her. Her feet, ankles and face
were swollen, and her body very large. During
the first week he saw little of her. On Saturday,
q week after her arrival, as he started for town,
Mrs Heck asked him to bring some elder flowers
for defendants dropsy. Some five or six days af
ter this Mrs. Heck called his attention to defen-
dants appearance, asking if he didn't think her
looking better. He said the change was decid-
eddy Tor the better. Her color was better-less
pussy in appearance and with breasts much
reduced in size. After this change he saw much
more of her about the house and met her FIRE.
quently. On cross-examIaton he said during
.ho hrst urnk Of hnr stay n frennentlv was ah.