The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-12-13
HAYWARD'S AWFUL DEEC

Crime for Which He Suffered the Ex-
treme Penalty.
The crime for which Harry Hayward
paid the extreme penalty of the law
was one of the most remarkable in
modern history Reared in the lap of
luxury, the pet of his fathers HOUSEHOLD.
Hayward had from a life of ease and
idleness turned to gambling, which,
from pastime, grew into passion.
His love for gain developed till the in
stincts of humanity were fairly crowded
out of his life.
Part of Harry Hayward's time was
occupied in managing the Ozark flats
for his father, w. w. Hayward. There
he and he and his older brother, Adry
lived. There also lived Catherine
Cling, dressmaker, quiet, thrifty
young woman, who had saved several
thousand dollars by her industry and
economy. Harry was a frequent caller
at her rooms, and gradually he acquired
a certain influence over her. She be-
came party to his gambling schemes
to the extent of furnishing him funds
with which to play the faro bank.
The Murder of Miss Cling.
On the morning of Dec. 4, 1894, Min
neapolis was electrified at the news of
a most mysterious murder. About $50
ON the previous evening the dead body
of woman was found on a lonely por-
ton of the Excelsior road. 1t was
taken to the morgue and later identified
as Miss Cling. Detectives went to
work on the case but for time did not
find anything that might serve as a
clue Then Hayward told a group of
friends that she had been murdered,
and murdered for her money. He told
the police that he had loaned the MUIR
dered woman $4,000 with which to en-
large her business, and as security had
taken $40, 900 policy on. her life. This
insurance policy excited suspicion aad
the police looked up the movements of
Hayward ON the night of the murder
1t soon became evident that he could
not have committed the deed as he had
attended the theatre the night in ques-
ton.
Put in the Sweat Box.
Notwithstanding Hayward's alibi his
familiarity with all the business deal
ings and habits of Catherine Cling was
such that the officers felt warranted in
subjecting him to close questioning.
Accordingly he was put in the sweat
box and for 16 hours was, subjected to
almost constant questioning by Mayor
Eustis in his private office in the city
hall. He answered all questions fully
and was released, though kept under
constant surveillance by the police.
Meanwhile new light had been
thrown on the case by L. M. Stewart,
the family lawyer. He wrote note to
Assistant County Attorney Hall, telling
him of a conversation which he had
with Adry Hayward few days before
the crime. Adry had outlined the plot
to kill Miss Cling to him, as Harry told
it, including the hiring of Claus A.
Blixt, engineer of the Ozark, to do the
deed. Blixt was at once arrested and
on Sunday, Dec. 9, broke down and
confessed that he shot Miss Cling at
Hayward S request, the object being to
secure the insurance money.
His Trial and Conviction.
On Jan. 81 Hayward was put on trial
and it proved ohe of the most protracted
and sensational ever witnessed The
most damaging testimony was that of
Blixt the actual murderer, and Adry
Hayward, who helped with his testi-
mony to tighten the moose about his
brothers. neck. Over 100 witnesse were
examined ana mountain OF evidence
was piled up against the accused. On
March verdict of guilty was
brought in by the jury and Judge
Smith sentenced Hayward to death.
An appeal to the supreme court was
taken, new trial denied and on Dec.
Z, after all dilatory moves had been ex-
hausted by Hayward's attorneys, Gov
ernor Clough named Dec. IL as the day
of execution.