St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-14
Startling Story Of a Lady
Now in a Baltimore
Asylum.
A Seemingly Straight Story
Which Explains a Noted
Mystery.
Suicide Albert X. 0rdWay, Of
Chicago, Aided in SHELLS
Murder.
Printers in Nashville Have a
Narrow Escape From the
Flames.

BALTIMORE, Md, Oct. 13.-A woman
of unsound mind was conveyed to Bay
View asylum to-day from her residence,
951 Hartford avenue. says the Ameri-
can. She is the widow of the late AL
bert K. Ordway, clothing cutter from
Chicago, who committed suicide at his
home, 1906 Hartford avenue, March 10
last. Mrs. Sophia Elizabeth Ordway-
the proper name of the wOman-claimS
that her late husband was the CON-
panion of William Tascott, the man
who is supposed to have murdered
Millionaire Amos j. Smell in Chicago
couple of years ago. From her and her
aged mother, Mrs. Mary Ann Watts,
was learned the following story to-day:
Mrs. Ordway had been living in Chi
cago since 1870, having gone there from
Baltimore as the bride of Mai. Beach
man, a wealthy merchant. The great
fire there one year later completely de-
strOyed her husbands business place
and handsome residence, leaving the
couple almost penniless. Her husband
was taken i'll a few years later, and died
from the effect of wound in his Shout
der, received in the late war at Cedar
Mountain. She remained in Chicago
and accepted'a position in store, earn
ing herself fair living.
Everything Seemed Bright
for her, and she continued in happy
state until she married Albert K. Ord
way in 1881, having become acquainted
with him year previous. Her huS-
band was in business with his father,
Ira K. OrdWay, as clothing cutter,
with an Office OH Madison street, and
made money. He took TO drink soon
after his marriage and began TO assOci-
ate with disreputable people. Things
gradually grew worse and no money was
coming into the household, when one
night Albert stood before the mirror
with mask on his face, and, firmly
declared that he was going to have some
money of old man Smell, rich mer-
chant, that very night, or kill the -
-. She pleaded with him TorenOuDce
his wicked Intentions. He, however.
was resolved to act, and left the house
In hurry.
That night he did not return, but the
next morning he returned to the house
without any shoes, with bloody hand
kerchief. This handkerchief he tried
to wash at a saloon before returning
home. When questioned by her he said
that he had loaned his shoes to TaScOtt,
who had been injured by being shot,
and was lying III the rear of saloon on
West Madison street. TascOtt, at that
time, rented and occupied room on the
corner of Elizabeth and Madison streets,
and Mrs. Ordway and her husband lived
at No. $50 West Morgan street, between
Monroe and Adams. One of the most
important statements in the woman's
story is that she declared that
TascOtt Is Dead.
She says she knows he was strangled
to death and his body made away with
by his pals. In that connection she fire.
quently mentioned the names of Funk
houser, Marsden and Reynolds. Ord
way was acquainted with Millionaire
Smell. as he made great many clothes
for him and had borrowed money from
him at times. One day Albert intro
duced her to Mr.. Smell while walking
along one of the streets in Chicago.
Subsequent to the murder of Million
aire Smell she says her husband was
continually nervous and always seemed
very anxious to leave the city. After
good deal of persuasion she agreed to
accompany him to Baltimore. Mrs.
daughter for the trip. After they ar
rived in Baltimore she told him she in
tended to expose his crime. This made
HIM grow Respondent, and be took to
drink. He always had money. but did
not work. She sometimes spoke of
his connection with the crime to
her mother, but was silenced by Albert
reminding her that she loved him, and
that she had frequently declared that
she would die for him. This usually
had the desired effect.
Mrs. Ordway is thirty-eight years old
and was born in this city. She grew to
be beautiful girl, tall and of a good
figure, with black hair and eyes. Her
hair is now gray, her cheeks sunken
and her forehead wrinkled, but many
traces of her former beauty remain.
She was three times married. Her first
husband was named John Chesiey.
Mrs. Watts, the unfortunate wOman's
mother, is eighty-four years old. She
said her daughter had singularly attract
i've manners and conversation. She
was used to life of luxury and plenty,
and being childless. and az her age UNI
able to stand life of poverty, the mem
DRY of the past dreadful events continu-
ally unbalanced her mind.