The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-09-07
THE MURDERED WOMEN.
How They Were Lursd on to Their Aw
ful Death.

NEwBURGH, N. Y, Sept. There is no
doubt that the two women found murdered
under a pile of hay in the barn at the
Halliday place, Sullivan county, on Mon
day.. are Margaret McQuillan. wife of
Thomas McQuillan, and their daughter
Sarah, all of the town Of Newburgh, about
a mile west of this city Mrs. Halliday,
the alleged murderess, has recently made
three visits to the McQuillan home, the
first Of which was about ten days ago. She
represented she came from Mr. Smith, OF
this city, and introduced herself as Mrs.
Smith. She said she lived at Walden, and
was looking for some one to assist in house
cleaning and would need them about
TWO weeks. She said she had heard
Mrs. McQuillan had daughter who
worked out, and wanted her to
-cnme-and- p-her. - The daughter,
who is usually employed as domestic in
a Newburgh family, was at home spending
a vacation at the time of Mrs. Hailiday's
call, but was indisposed and did not go,
and Mrs. Halliday departed. On We'd
nesday of last week Mrs. Halliday called
again and offered So day and board for
help. The mother accepted the offer, and
she herself went away about D o'clock in
the afternoon in blackboard wagon with
Mrs. Halliday, who drove the horse, head
ing for Sullivan county.
On Saturday afternoon last, between
and o'clock, Mrs. Halliday reappeared at
the McQuillan home, with the same horse
and wagon she had on her previous visit,
and alone.
The daughter was not at home, but re-
turned soon after Mrs. Halliday's arrival.
The father was present when Mrs. Halliday
told that the mother had been injured by
falling from a stepladder and that Mrs.
Halliday wanted the daughter Sarah to go
back with her to care for the injured
mother, and in generous spirit offered
the girl package of candy and some lace.
On this visit Mrs. Halliday stated that she
lived about seven miles back of Walden.
Sarah accompanied her, and the two drove
away about o'clock.
On Monday, Labor Day, the father set
out to find his wife and daughter, but was
unable to do so and returned.
The announcement was made in the pa
pers this morning that the unidentified
bodies were those of women who had re-
sided west of this city, and il was imme-
diately suspected that they were the re-
mains Of Mrs. McQuillan and her daughter.
Charles +. Eaker, who runs the market
wagon between Walker Valley and New
burgh, was here this morning. He had
aided in removing the two bodies from the
barn, and he stated here that he thought
when he was carrying the younger of the
two women ont he recognized the face but
where he had seen her be could not at the
time remember In driving ON the road
homeward bound, past the lane that leads
to the McQuiiian home, Baker was accos-
ted on the subject by neighbors who knew
he came from the section whore the MUIR
der was committed, and his description of
the remains left no doubt as to the identi-
ty of the murdered women. In fact, he
now remembered distinctly that they were
people he had seen in passing to and fro in
his market wagon.
The Identification is made more complete
from the fact that ncighbor of the Nc
Quillan's, Mrs. Berry, recognizes unmis-
takably, from descriptions she has read and
from Bakers story, some of the clothing
found at the scene of the tragedy. Baker
also gives the name of the dealer found on
the inside OF the cellar of sacque that
Mrs Berry recognizes, and this dealer is a
Newburgh man.