The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-18
A HUMBLE CONFESSION.
M!ra. Eckert's BIood-CurdIing Con-
fession OF the Murder OF John

fession OF the Murder of John
Denn.
a Helena. Montana, telegram says:
Mrs. Sarah Holmes. tho nurse TO wnom
Mrs. Eckert made confession concerning
the murder Of John Dem, has made pub.
lie the confession. OF all the crimes per-
pctratcd in Montana, this was tho most
brutal and mysterious. Three men hMve
already been called upon by the vigilantes
to suffer for it, each OF whom escaped tho
moose by mere accident. Prominent men
haze been suspected. and one of them,
John Shobcr. mentioned in the confession.
has suffered much from the insin,iation
cast upon him. A reward of S12.OOO was
offered for the criminal. and now after
nine years comes the sensational end. Mrs.
| Holmes said:
AT about o'clock in the morning OF tho
twenty fourth day before Mrs. Eckert t.icd
she called mo to her bedside and told me
she had IL terrible confession to make.
Partly rising as by some suncrnatur,ll
| power she threw her sunkcn eyes
upon me and said: "Iromisc me that
you will never, so long as am alive, givs
away what am about to tell you. Will
You"
Please don't tell me nything, Mrs. Eek.
ert, !" replied.
"lf you love the you will listen to me-"
sho hissed as loud as her enfeeblsd voice
would permit.
81 have suffered the tortures OF hell too
long. J cannot sleep. | cannot die with.
out telling it. Listen. Mira. Holmes, do
you know who killed John Donn'"
NO. replied, then said: ~ always
Wi'liams did it"
You are away off" said Mrs. Eckert.
"Listen again. Shober has been blamed.
have tried to blame him, and have told
tn" officers as much. but there il nnthins
in il. 1t was not shober. Now close all
the doors and come to me quick. | Will
tell you nee il Maggie is asleep; cover her
up. is Lou asleep? Close the doors -sh,
sh. sh; oh. Mrs. Holmes, this is ~
! fearful night. Horrible pl,ant",ns
fit before ms-l must tell you it is wnisn-
in. me down-kiIling me. oh. insufierahle
! torment They tell mo to leave here. liza.
la, leave hero don't ! leave here aud
don't come back. cannot lenve here.
What hihc"us power draws me and holds
me to his damned spot? DEM was MIR.
'!cred here. and am glad my hoy Harry
was not here at the time. "Come." she
ahrckcd. 'inm must hear! cannot sleep.
Put your arms around me.
IkIl.LEp John DEM!
My God, don't believe it; it cannot be,
Mrs. Eckert. You are dreaming deliri-
ous."
''fea yes; Madam Eckert killed John
l'enn will, u hatchet-with n hatcl,et. la
Lou ci,"ppins wood with hatchet? II she
only knew what chat hatchet has done
ahe would never touch it. Horrible mur.
der! went in tho night to D.nn. called
him up. took ~ fnttIe. wanted liquor.
went in the cellar witt, him aud
hit him lick" There sl,e
stopped. st,c asked tho for aome
wine. She drank II litti" then said: ~
swear 4" thin: Twent* years hard labor
worked twenty years for this. There are
no pape TO condemn any one. What pa.
perE there were have destroyed. | frel re-
lisvc'l. - Her n,nd WAS perfectly clear as
she again warned mo "Sot 10 give it
away Sh" subsequently said abe thought
rhe had been shadowcd through this con,,.
try aud Europe, hut that no one had beer,
smart enough To catch her.
The Lou and Maggie referred to by the
woman are her daughters.