Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-01-02
A WOMAN'S CRIMES.
HORRIBLE DEATHBED CONFESSION.

HoKk1BLE DEATHBED CONFESSION.
Acknowledging That She Killed Her First
husband, her Child, a Man, and Tried
TO XIII her Present Husband.
Mrs. Emma Stillwell, who lies on her
deathbed in Waterford, Ohio, has made a
most remarkable confession of crime. She
states that she assisted in the murder Of
her first husband and child that she at
tempted her second husbands life, and
that she killed transient bOarder in the
family. The confession, which was taken
down from her lips, is SO horrible that but
for corroborating testimony it would seem
moro like the fancy Of a diseased mind
than story of real life. The invalid,
Emma Stillwell, arrived at tine home OF
her husbands father, F. n. Stillwell, at
Waterford, Nov. 13, suffering from lung
disease, accompanied by her infant child,
nine months old. Her condition rapidly
becoming worse, her husband, a freight
conductor on the Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy railroad, at Ottumwa, Iowa, was
telegraphed for and arrived home on the
seventh. On the Sunday following the
wife informed him that, knowing herself
to be dying woman, she had comics
sion to make, and imploring his pardon
| related her horrible tale.
She said and has repeated the Statemen,
since, that before her acquaintance with
| her husband she was married when tifteeI
| years old at Maryville, Nodbury county
Mo-, to Ben Swigert, to whom she had
two children. IL March, 1877, assisted
by her brother, Chester Hoard, and hel
| mother, she murdered her husband, whom
| they believed to have had considerable
| money. They were arrested for the
crime, but were discharged for lack o
| evidence, the general belief being that
Swigert came to his death in drunken fit
After the death of her husband the family
| kept boarding house at Maryville for
| some time, and few months after the
| first murder tho same trio murdered 4
| transient bOarder, whose name she was
unable to recollect. She told what dispo-
sition was made of the body, saying thai
| it was thrown into deep rayiEe near the
town where it was found nearly ycal
later, but that they were unsuspected O
| the crime.
She married her present husband, thoI
a brakeman on the Kansas, St. Joe and
Council Bluffs railway, in January, 1878
the family soon after removing to Rulo
| Nebraska, where she cOnfeSses that il
May, 1880, she strangled their fourteen
months old baby named Gertrude, by tho
assistance of her aunt, a woman nameC
| Betsey Sunshine, for the reason that il
was sickiy and she thought she would
have more liberty il it was dead. She dc
scribed how the horrible deed was accom-
plished, the aunt making strong te;
from peach leaves, which she poured down
the baby's throat, while the unnatura
mother held the baby, assisting in it,
death by strangling it with her hand.
Mrs. Stillwell further informed her hcr
rified husband of making three differen
attempts to take his life, the object bein,
to obtain small insurance he was carry
ing in her favor, and related details which
leave no doubt in his mind that his lif
was saved each time by the merest acci
dent. The husband bore tho terribl
secret as long as he was able. Then OF
Tuesday last four of the best men of tn
neighbOrhOod, including minister and
justice of the peace, were called i'll and tn
confession repeated to them, the wifi
signing the statement. The mother O
the woman received fatal injuries in
railroad accident in March, 1881, whil
travelling from Ruio to Ottumwa, TIL
wife says, for the avowad purpose Of con
cocting plan to kill her present hus
band.
A letter was received by Mr.. Stiliwel
from Chester Hoard, the womau's hrothe
dated December co. in which he cxpresse,
tho utmost anxiety to kEow if his siste
was dead, and if she had told anythii:
about him, saying he could not rest unit
/ br nooTd The yyf.y,Ju very yS-rYl- am
can scarcely speak above q whisper, III,
when requested to repeat her story to
correspondent was greatly alarmed, fear
| ing that officers were present to arrest her
| Upon being assured that they were friends
she again related her story and declared
it to be true in every particular.