The Portland daily press., 1883-01-04
AN ASTOUNDING STORY.
A Death Bed Confession of Three Muir.
ders-A Husband and Child Victims.

A Death Bed Confession of Three Muir
ders-A Husband and Child Victims.
CINCINNATI, Jan. 2.-Mrs. Emma Stilwell
who lives in Waterford, Knox County, this
State, and is afflicted with consumption and
ON he death-bed, has made remarkable con-
fession. In it she claims to have assisted in
the murder of her husband and of her child;
that she has three times attempted 10 take the
life of her second husband. and that she assist
ed IN killing stranger who once stopped with
the family In substance, her confession is as
follows: Her maiden name was Emma Hoard
she was born at Miles, Mich, and at 15 years
OF age was married to Benjamin Swigart, of
Maryville, the county seat of Nodaway Coun-
ty, Mo Two children were born to them, who
are still living at Maryville with her brother,
l. ester Hoard, and are and s years of age.
Swigart was "a shoe maker, and had accumu-
lated $1 600 in money and owned besides two
houses and eight lots. He went home intoxi-
Gated frequently. In March, 1877, she claims
that her mother and brother, Chester Hoard,
entered into conspiracy to get him ont of the
way and secure his property; that he came
home drunk one night; that her brother threw
him upon his face ON the floor, when she struck
him on the back of the head with an axe,
breaking his skull. They then laid him on
the bed and left the house. She took her two
children and went to the house of a neighbor
named Hall, where she remained all night.
The next day Swigarts death became known,
and the three men were arrested for the crime
had hearing before Magistrate, and were
discharged, the verdict being that Swigart met
his death by accident while intoxicated. Then
they kept a boarding house. and several
months after the crime the mother, brother
and sister combined to kill q stranger who was
temporarily stopping at the house and supposed
to have money. Getting into his room they
beat him to death with hammer. but were
rewarded BY finding only small sum Of moy4
ey. Near by was ravine, 100 feet deep, where
they concealed the body, which was found
nearly one year afterward, but 80 badly decom-
posed as to be beyond Identification. No ar
rests for the murder we're ever made, and the
tragedy is still mystery.
On Jan. 20, 1878, at Rockport, Atchson
county, Mo, Mrs. Swigart was married to Jay
" Stillwell, who at the time was brake
man on the Kansas City and st. Joseph Rail-
road. Two children were born to them. On
May IL, 1880. Mrs. Stillwell, who had taken an
intense dislike 10 Gertie, the eldest, who was
IA months old, on account of her being sickly
and puny, strangled her in the presence of her
mother, after giving her decoction of stepped
peach-leaves. The family were then living at
Rulo Neb. Stillwell was then running on the
Atchison and Nebraska Railroad. and on COM
ing home the unnatural mother informed him
that Gertie had died natural death. Mrs.
Stillwell next confessed to having been con-
cerned in three separate a tempts to kill her
husband, to secure his life insurance and about
$780, She was to have been aided by her
mother and brother Chester. The Stillwells
removed to Ottumwa, Iowa, in March, 1881.
Mrs. Hoard, who was on her way to visit her
daughter, received injuries in a railroad ac-
cident from which she died at Stllwell's house
about four months laier. The other ACCOM-
plice in the crimes, Chester Hoard, is at pre-
sent living in Maryville. A letter has been
received from him by Mr.. Stillwel, dated
Dec 20th in which he expresses the utmost
anxiety to know if his sister was dead, and if
she had told anything about him, saying he
could not rest until he had heard. Mrs Still
well is still very weak, and could scarcely
speak above whisper when to her husband
she made the confession. The husband kept
the terrible secret aslong as he was able, and
then four of the best men of the neighborhood,
including minister and Justice of the Peace,
made to them, the wife signing the statement.