Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-06-21
A mad MURDERESS.
Her Tale of Supernatural Infu.
ences Which
Compelled Her to Poison Her Loved
Parents.
PitifuI Picture Of the Pretty, Mad
Girl in Prison.
How She Accomplished Her Terrible
Work.

CHICAGO, June 2O.-Msry Kleman, q girl
in Jail here, who has heretofore persistently
asserted her innocence of the crime with
which she is charged. that of administering
poison to the family of Mrs. Michael
Freeres, her sister, with whom she has made
her home for short time at Rose Hill, has
now confessed that she is guilty, not only of
the attempt upon their lives but of causing
the death Of her mother, father and another
sister in Dubuque, Iowa Her mother died
in July Of last year, her sister Lena
in August, and her father Mich
ael in March of this year. She
assigns no motives for her crimes other
than that she was impelled to commit them,
and is evidently insane. Mary Kleman is less
than ~ years old, slender, rather pretty,
proposing in manner, and an invalid, hav-
ing but partial use of her lower limbs and
feet. She has an innocent expression and
looks even more
0OutnIui
than she is. Her eyes have the strange,
bright, fixed look so often seen with dis
essed mind. For the past two months she
has lived with her sister at Rose Hill, to
whom she came after the burial of her father
in Dubuque.
Several times since she has lived with her
sister she has prepared the meals, and on
nearly every occasion when she had done
so the family, consisting OF Michael Freeres,
his wife and two small children, have been
taken i'll with vomiting Immediately after
ward. Michael Freeres found package of
grayish colored powder in the yard a week
sgo last Tuesday morning. When he ate
his soup at noon he was seized with vomit-
ing and observed q sediment in his soup
plate corresponding to it in appearance.
Upon further examination more Of the
same Substance was found in his wifes and
the children's plates. He carried both
the powder found in the yard and that in
plates to Evanston for analysis and called
in physician 10 attend to the family. The
result showed that the powder was
Poison.
Mary Klemsn was accordingly arrested.
She has wept continually till the last day or
two since her incarceration there, and as
serted that her sister had preferred false
charge against her for the purpose of OBJ
tanning q small amount of money 800,
which she claimed che had. When her
lawyer went to Rose Hill to take possession
of her effects the money could not be found.
The house occupied by Mary Klemsn's
sister stands upon the rise about the village
OF Rose Hill. h is newly painted, neat
little cottage, with green blinds. The
Freereses occupy the rear portion of the
attic, which is unfinished, and rent the
front part. Their home is but partly paid
for. Michael Freeres is carpenter by
trade, and all the neighbors spoke well Of
him and his wife.
Mrs. Freeers Is very youthful in appear.
ance and nearly as fragile as her sister. Her
mouth is surrounded with sores from the
effects of the poison. The children are still
ailiug from it and Michael is not yet able to
60 about his work.
The Freeres family attribute Mary's acts
to insanity. She has always been q wilful
girl, they say, and recently spent her money
capriciously, but they at the time thought
this was oHly the temporary result OF ill
ness. The girl, when seen by reporter,
lay in her cot in very excited and rather
historical condition, the youthful brow be.
ing wrirkled up in a manner painful to
look upon.
Couldn't Help It.
"Did kill my father, my mother and
Lena| said she, reitersting the questioners
words, while her eyes were fixed on the
wall. Then she half screamed with her
eyes dilating, 81 couldn't help it, couldn't
help it. Something came to me and made
me do it." Soon she broke into passion
of tears. 81 always loved my mother; but
she was ailing, and it kept at my side and
whispered in my ears all day aud in the
night: Let her sleep in peace; let hec lie
in the cool earth. So bought the poison
and gave her little at time till she
was gone / was very sad loved
her-except when it came to me. Then
when Lena came here it pointed its finger
at her all the time and gave her little
too, till it was over When l was taken
sick, didn't always remember, but | had q
medicine for my head that brought my
senses back. So when spring came father
wasn't well and 1 thought he'd be better
along WIN mOt0er. Nnou Cduo W u y
sister got another box Of poison. put
it on my feet-it was good for the folks to
put them to rest, and thought 'twould be
good for my feet. 1t stood on the pantry
shelf. l couldn't help putting it in the
soup. / couldn't help 1t. dop't know
why / did it. There is nothing here to tell
me why did it. Sometimes there is.
"Was it to get the money that would come
at your fathers deathY
"wnI They Hang Me?"
"No, no; hated the money. | spent II
as fast as | could. cannot tell why-no
| cannot tell why" throwing her arms
wildly over her head. viii they put the
rope on my neck now and hang me? Will
they hang me to morrow Send for a priest
quick, quick, that l may confess my sins
| Don't LEI him wait 9 moment, l mus
have this load away, and don't leave me
alone. I'm afraid to stay alone; oh, In
afraid"
Then she flung herself on the cot, weep
ing piteously, and the matron stole In
bearing q bottle Of choral and a spoon
Presently, too, 9 Reverend Father Of thu
1 ed naaoad into tha OlrII