Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1892-01-29
WOMAN TO WE'D WOMAN.
Alice Mitchell Was Engaged to
Her Victim, Freda Ward.
SHE WoULDHAVE SHAVED FOR HER.

And She Vow Means to BE Allowed 60
Lie with Her in Her GONNA strange
Story of the Unaccountable Infatuation
[ OF Two Girls for Each other.
AlFmrHIs, Jan. GAS time goes along
the developments in the Ward-AIitchell muir
der case are Of most astounding character,
A number of letters have been found con
stituting the correspondence between Miss
Mitchell and her victim. These show that
the strange inflammation Of Miss Mitchell FOR
Frsda Ward was reciprocated by the latter.
The fact was also developed that Miss
Mitchell had proposed marriage 90 Freda
and the latter had agreed to it. Three times
the girls made arrangements TO wed each
other, but something always occurred to
prevent it. The last time an elopement was
planned One Of the girls was to assume
masculine attire and they were 20 fec TO
St. Louis, where they were TO be married
under an assumed name These facts are
corroborated by the evidence Of Miss John
son and Mrs. Nolmar, the sister of the dead
girl
Alice Wanted to Marry Freds.
Miss Freda was warned by her sister TO
keep away from Miss Mitchell and Miss
Mitchell then swore that rather than live
without her she would kill her The letters
written by Alice have been turned over To
the states attorney. They are full Of en-
dearing terms
The night after the killing, when Alice
was IN JAIL she asked her attorney where
Freda was He told her that the body was
at the undertakers, whereupon she mplored
her mother to take her to see Freda, and
said that she could lie down by the coffin
and sleep as peacefully as a child. When the
permission was refused she broke into a tor
rent Of tears.
why did you kin Freda'7 asked her at
torney.
Because / loved her and I wanted to
marry her and she refused TO marry me. 1
asked her three times to marry me and at
list she consented We were going 20 marry
here and 60 TO st Louis
"What would you do il you had married
hergr
"Ah, would have worked for her like q
slave
''What did you intend 10 do in st. Louise
asked one of hor attorneys.
"Oh, / don't know But when Freda
promised TO marry me ] was so happy. 1
sent her an engagement ring and she wore
it for "A time but when it was returned to
me ! was miserable. ] could not bear TO be
separated from her and ! resolved to kill
her. i would rather she We're dead than
away from me-
1t has been learned that Alces mother
after the birth of her first child, WIS men
tally unbalanced After the birth of Alice
she was also insane for a time.
Was There a Man in the CaseF
The grand jury viii take cognizance Of the
case today Lille johnson is in the samo
cell with Alice but her father spends tho
night at the Jail, fearing that Alice viii do
her some bodily harm.
There has been developed considerable
public feeling against the officers OF the law
for holding Miss Lille johnson in custody.
but IL is claimed that they have evidence IF
confidential relations existing between
Alice Mitchell and Miss Johnston, which
warrants them in taking such action
The devotion Of J. NJ Johnston, father
OF Lille, does much to increase the sym
pathy fal. for his daughter He has not left
the Jail since his daughter was placed there
md remains ON guard continually at The
cell door or in the corridor
Il Is the general belief now that the kill
ing OF Freda Ward had been planned by
Alice Mitchell for some time A story IS
atloat that on the trip Of the steamer Ora
Lee, just previous to that when the tragedy
occurred, Alice Mitchell went alone 60 th,
boat, believing that Freda Ward was thei
going TO Memphis, and waited in the cabin
until the boat was ready to pull out
A new piece OF evidence was uncarthed {,
tho effect that a young man ia a buggy FOL
lowed that of the murderess, and rs soon a
the deed was committed he drove rapidly
away. This is the first intimation Of a MAJ
in the case.