Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-06-02
MURDER WILL OUT.
Mrs. PosthIowait confesses TO the
Crlme--Further Evidence
duplicating Others
on Tap,

Interest In the circumstances OF the
murder OF W. @. Boyd, which occurred
now nearly two weeks ago, continues
ut fever point and divides the public
attention and gossip with the incidents
of war TO an extent hardly to be ex-
pected, The coroner's inquest was re-.
sumed Friday evening. The sittiDgs
are held In the evening as 1t Ia some
what difficult for many Of the witnesses
to get away In the daytime and this
arrangement WAS made for their bene-
At.
Matt Pierce, who workssfor the Van
Zandt Implement Company, selling
machinery, was placed on the stand,
but little was got out OF him.
1t was not until Monday evening
that any sensation was sprung. Mrs,
Posthlewait was brought into court
with her two boys. She was very pale
and 30 nervous and shaky she could
scarcely control herself. Just before
she took her seat she turned TO her
boys and with hoarse, apparently fran
tic voice said, Boys, Boys, Don't de-
sert me now!" When County Attorney
Fall commenced questioning her he
asked II she WAS down stairs again af-
ter eleven O'Clock as she had testified
before. She replied, ~ was" Asked
IL she knew who killed Boyd, she said,
II do" "Who did It," II did" she
said In her clear deliberate voice. With
this there began to be huzzng around
the court house and soon there was
scarcely standing room for either man
or woman, for many of the gentler sex
with the big flowers on their hats, APP
peared on the scene, eager to catch
each word, some of which were spoken
provokingly low.
HER CONFESSION.
Then followed Mrs. Posthlewait's con-
fession. She said that after her boys
had all gone to bed, probably near
o'clock. Boyd came to the door Of
her room up stairs which was not
locked, said he was In trouble and
wanted to talk with her. She went
down stairs with him the front way
Out by the bridge at the corner of the
court house, he said to her. II fell
down and cut my face, and have spent
all the old mans money" He took
out his keys and knife to show her that
1t was all that he had in his pockets
and gave them to her. He said "D-n
you, If you would marry me would be
a better man" He wanted her to 10
out on some strange dark street with
him but she was afraid, and wanted
him to 90 up behind their buildings
where she was acquainted. After they
had gone up behind the court house in
the alley, he took hold Of her hand.
She said what have you got in your
handY He said that is my woman
killer. He gave her piece OF metal
about foot or fifteen inches long
and about the size Of the bars In her
prison cell, Of some light colored metal.
He grabbed her and forced her up
against a chicken house. Said now
you must answer my question and
marry me. She said "Never" and
struck him in the face with his woman
killer" He said ~ believe you have
got me bleeding,' and picked up a
yunny sack which he wanted her to
put around his neck. She did SO. Then
he said "You will kill me tonight or
III kill you" and ran after her and
caught her by the dress sleeve. Then
she went round and round him and
struck him over the head again and
again, caught him by the coat collar
and pulled him down. He wanted her
to take the sack from around his neck,
1t was too hot. She did 80, threw away
the woman killer" and threw the
sack and bis keys down into a water
closet Thenshe saw light and ran
toward it. When she got to it she
found 1t was her own back steps.
Some one called to her to 20 to bed.
She then went to bed.
She was cross questioned by the
county attorney for long time but
stuck to the principal features of the
story as told above. In the details she
crossed herself several times.
The story, in less serious affair,
would be ridiculous for the doctors all |
testified either one of the two blows on |
the head would have killed him in
stantly. But she had him calling to
her to take u sack away from his neck |
because 1t was too hot after she had
struck him the last time. Beside there
was no indication of a scufile near
where he lay, and as Boyd was big |
strong man, such killing as described
by her was impossible. She did not
think he was drunk, at least according
to her story. he was not dunk enough |