Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1895-12-13
Harry H.rwnrd.s Crime.

Harry Haywards Crime.
On the evening Of Deo 8, 1894, the
dead body of, Miss Catherine Cling, well
known dressmaker of this city, was found
lying by the side Of the lonely road that
skirts LakeS Calhoun, one of the favored
summer drives but less used in December.
Harry Hayward's first appearance in
the matter was at midnight on the night
of the murder, wheh"he came to police
headquarters and expressed his belief that
the woman had been murdered, explain
ing that he believed that it was the scheme
of some unknpwn persons to,"do" him
out of several thousand dollars Of insur-
anoe money from policies Miss Cling had
assigned to him as security for loans.
Hayward and the murdered girl had been
CLOSE aoquaintances, and he--a great gam
bler-had placed money for her on the
cards and had been associated with her in
one or two business deals. Miss Cling
lived in the Ozark, ahandsome apartment
house owned by Hayward's father, and
they were able to see much of each other.
Owing to his close friendship for the
woman, Harry was oloseted with the Off
GERS, under tile direction of Mayor Eustis,
for B hours, and during that time was
subjected to a terrible inquisition without
food or rest
His nerve was always remarkable and
was never more evident than then, for
after 90 hours in custody he was released,
the officers being unable to get anything
from him that would seem to connect
him in any way with the crime. The in
suranoe money had made them suspicious.
The second day after the murder came
the unexpected event which led TO the So
luton of the mystery A letter came from
Elder i. NJ. Stewart who had for years
been tho legal adviser of the Hayward
family addressed to the county attorney.
He stated that three days before the muir
der he had a call from A dry A. Hayward,
an elder brother of Harry, who told him
| that Harry and Claus Biixt, engineer at
the Ozark, were about to murder Miss
Cling The elder knew that Harry often
talked in ways he had no thought Of aot-
ing and told 'Adry he was being fooled
and to pay no attention to the matter.
Adry had insisted that it was true, and
that he fully believed the murder would
OCCUR, but he dropped the matter when
told to do so, and nothing more was
thought aboutit until the announcement
of the murder, and that brought the con-
versation to Mr.. Stewards mind, and he
sent the letter to County Attorney Nye.
Hayward's Arrest a Surprise.
On the following day Harry Hayward
was arrested. He had again been subject
ed to a searching examination during the
previous night, and his arrest was a sur
prise. Six. hours later Adry was also he.
hind the bars and the. next day Blixt,
with his wife, were also arrested. Mrs.
Blixt however, was soon at liberty. On
Sunday, Dec,T9, -BliIt made. a confession,
in which he stated that the murder had
been committed by Harry, and that he
had afDNnlu dfoROaeh1 snf. 60
This was clearly false, and he finally. con-
fessed that, inspired by Harry Hayward
and for fear that Hayward would kill
Mrs, Blixt-that threat being held over
him-he had committed the murder, and
he described u as 1t was afterward desorib-
ed by him;on the witness stand. He had,
he said, followed HArry's instructions in
all particulars, Harry getting the girl to
go with him to a point near where the
murder WAS committed and then turning
her over to Blixt, who watched his chance
and shot herin the back OF the head and
then tumbled the bedy into the road,
where it was found. Various oorroborat-
ing circumstances were found later; and
1t was fopthisst that, Harry, Hayward, the
stalwart footer, handsofhe, n6rvy, er-
ratio and reckless, was convicted and sem
tenoed to hang. Claus Blixt pleaded
guilty and was sent to the state prison for
life for his share in the crime.
The trial of Hairy Haywardwas nota-
BILE event In criminal Jurisprudence, full
OF sensational incidents and lasted nearly
seven weeks from Jan. 21.
Governor Clough set the execution for
June 81 but the filing of the appeal to
the supreme court nsoessitated a post
ponement. On Nov. 90 the supreme court
ANNOUNCED its decision, affirming the de-
oision OF the lower court ~,
Executive olomenoy was refused, and
the governor ix6d the day OF the exeou-
tion for Wednesday, Dec. IL, between
midnight and dawn. - a.; a -. II.
The execution took place at 2;O5 O'Clock
this morning Hayward made a statO-i
menf OF nve minutes duration, and whilo
not uaking a confession said he boped
God would forgive him for all the harm
he had ever dOne