The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1883-01-18

| Special 20 The Cincinnati Commercial
| MOUNT NER:oS, o.. December 3l.-A report hay-
reached the city. yesterday of an astonishing con-
iesslon made by woman on her dsth-bed, at Water
for small village in the northwestern part Of this
Sounty correspondents visited the place, and took
down the story as related by the dying woman. a
story so horrible that, but for corroboraing testi-
mony, II would seem more like the fancy of a dis
eased mind than story of true life. The invalid,
OF her hnshrnds father, +. VI. StillwelI at Water
icrd November ID, suffering from lung disease ac-
eompsried by her infant child. nine months old
her condition rapidly becoming worse, her husband
freight conductor on the Chicago. Burlington and
quincy Railroad. residing at Ottumwa Iowa. was
,siegfsphed Tor, Who in response, arrived here on
the lth On the sonday following, the wife inform
ed him that, knowing herself to be a dying woman
she had confession 20 make. and. imploring his
arGoh; reinied ner horrible story She states that,
before her acquaintance with her present husband,
she wos married. when fifteen years old at Mary
vile, Nodaway County, Mo-. to Ben Swiggert by
whom she had two children: that in March 1871
she, assisted by her brother Chester Hoard and
their mother. murdered her husband. whom they
believed TO have considerable money: that they
were arrested for the crime but discharged for
lack of evidence the general belief being that swc-
ert came TO bis death in a drunken fit She also re-
lated that after the deot of her husband the fam
liy kepta boarding house at Naryyillc for some
time, and that, few months Afterwards, the same
trio murdered transient boarder, whose name she
was unable tc reeolleet, and told what disposition
was made Of the body, throwing it into deep "a
vine near the town, where il was found nearly
year later but that they were unsuspeeted of the
CRIME Shc married her present eusband, at that
time a brelkman the Kansas CITY, ST. Joe and
Council Bluffs Railway, in January, 1873 the family
soon after moving TO Rulo. Nebraska, WHERE she
eoriesses in May. 1880, to having strangetl, their
foarteen-Inonths-old baby, named Gertrude by the
assistance OF her aunt. woman Damed Betsy Sum
stne, fer the reason that il puny and sckly
and she thought she would have more liberty if il
was dead. She described how the horrible deed was
accomplished the aunt making strong tea of peach
leaves, which she poured down the baby's throat
while the Unnatural mother held the baby assisting
in its death by stranglng it with her hand She al
80 informed her Mortified husband of making three
different attempts TO take his life, the object being
favor and related details which leave no doubt in
his mind but what his life was saved, each time. by
the merest accident The husband bore the terrible
secret as long he able, and, on Tuesday last
four of the best OF the neighborhood including
a minister, and Justice of the Peace were called
in and the terrible affair revealed to them the wife
signing the statement.
The mother of the woman received fatal injuries
in railroad accident, in March, 1884, while travel
ing from RuO 20 Ottumwa, the wife saws for the
ayowed purpose of connecting plan kill the pres
ent husband letter was received by Mr.. Stlllwel
from Chester Hoard, the woman's brother, dated
December %, in which he expressed the utmost anx-
ety TO know II his sister dead. and il she had
told anything abOut him, saying he could not rest
until he heard. The woman is very weak. and could
scarcely speak above a whisper and when requested
to repeat her story 20 your correspoi great
ly terrified and alarmed fearing that officers were
present to arrest her. Upon her being assured that
they were friends. she told her story and declared
II TO be true iu every particular.