Morning journal and courier., 1885-06-22
SHE POISONED THEM ALL. Young Girl Confesses That She Killed Her Father. Mother and Sfs-

Killed Her Father. Mother and Sfs-
 ter.
 CHICAGO, June 21.-Mary Klennan, girl in jail here who has heretofore consistently asserted her innocence of the crime with which she is charged-that of administering poison to the family of Mrs. Mich ael Freres, her sister, with whom she has made her home for a short time at Rose Hill-hss now confessed to a reporter that she is guilty not only of the attempt upon their lives, but of causing the death of her father, mother and another sister in Du- buque, Iowa. Her mother died in July of last year, her sister Lena in August, and her father, Michael, in March of this year. She assigns no motive for her crime ether than that she was impelled to commit them. She is evidently insane.
 Mary Kleman is less than twenty two years old, slender, rather pretty, prepossess- ing in manner and an invalid having but partial use of her legs and feet. She has an innocent expression, and looks even more youthful than she is Her eyes have the strange, bright fixed look so often seen with diseased 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 has done so the family consisting of Michael Freres, his wife and two small children, have been taken i'll with vomiting immediately afterward. Michael Freres found package of grayish colored powder in the yard a week ago last Tuesday morning When he ate his soup at noon he was seized with vomiting and observed 8 sediment in his soup plate corresponding to the powder in appearance. Upon fur ther examination more of the same sub stance was found in his wife's and the chil- dren's plates. He carried both the powder found in the yard and that in the plates to Evanston for analysis, and called in physi- clan to attend the family. The result showed that the powder was poison. Mary Kleman was accordingly arrested. She has wept continuously till the last day or two since her incarceration, and asserted that her sister had preferred false charge against her for the purpose of obtaining small amount of money-S1O0-which she had. When her lawyer went to Rose Hill to take pos session of her effects her money could not be found. The house occupied by Mary Klemans sister stands upon the rise about the village of Rose Hill. It is newly painted, neat little cottage, with green blinds. The Freres occupy the rear portion and the attic, which is unfinished and rent the front part. Michael Freres is carpenter by trade and all the neighbors speak well of him and his wife. Mrs. Freres is very youthful in appearance and nearly as fragile as her sister. effects of the poison. The children are still ailing from it and Michael is not yet able to go about his work The Freres family at tribute Mary's acts to insanity. She has al ways been a wilful girl, they say, and recent ly spent her money capriciously, but they at the time thought this was only temporary result of illness.
 The girl when seen by reporter lay in her cell in very excited and rather hyster- ical condition, the youthful brows being wrinkled up in 8 manner painful to look upon. '.Did I kill my father, my mother and Lena?" said she, reiterating the ques- tioner's words, while her eyes were fixed on eyes dilating, 'I couldn't help it, couldn't help itl Something came te me and made me do itl" Soon she broke into passion of tears. sl alwas loved my mother, but she was ailing, and 1t kept at my side and whispered in my ears all day and in che night, Let her sleep in peace let her lie in the cool earth.' So l bought the poison and gave her a little at Q time till she was gone. I 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 so gave her g little, too, till it was over. When I was taken sick didn't always remember, but l had medicine for my head that brought my senses back. So when spring came father wasn't we'll, and I thought he'd be better along with mother. When I came | to my sister I got another box of poison. put it on my feet-it was good for the folks to put them to rest, and I thought 'twould be good for my feet. It stood on the pant1, shelf. couldn't help putting it in the soup I couldn't help it. I don't know why l die it There is nothing here to tell me why l did it. Sometimes there is." 'Was it tt get the money that would com. 1 at your fathers deatha' "No, no II hate that money. I spent it as fas