The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1899-06-30
MRS. ELLIS KILLS HER BABY.
The Woman in Desperation Gave the
Infant Laudanum and Then Drinks
the Poison Herself-Went to
Richmond to Commit
the Deed.

der of her sIxteen-mOnths-Old chilC
and she has confessed that she was th
cause Of its death. The Richmon
Times of yesterday says in part:
"Mrs. Ellis came to Richmond wit
her child Tuesday evening and EN-
gagged room at the Windsor Hotel
y" Eighth aud Franklin.
"Mrs. Ellis states that she brought
}, bottle of laudanum with her Afte
supper she made preparations to carry
t out her plans. She removed her shoe,
: and put on dress she intended for bel
shroud. The baby was dressed i'm the
O clothes she wanted it to be buried in
The mother first gave the little one a
dose Of the drug and then swallowed a
portion Of the contents of the bottle
herself. Then the mother drew the
little one to her bosom and both of
them laid down upon the bed. The
last thing Mrs. Ellis remembers of the
occurrences Of the night is that she
was almost smOthering the baby with
kisses and praying for the end to come
quickly. The drug had already put
the child to sleep.
at was broad daylight when Mrs.
Ellis revived. She jumped up and
seeing the dead body Of the little child
by her side and realizing what hap
pened, she screamed at the top of her
voice. Mrs. Kilbourne and others re-
spOnded and it was with the greatest
difficulty that they could prevent her
from swallowing the remainder of the
laudanum. She pleaded with them to
permit her to kill herself, Coroner
Taylor was sent for, and when he came
Mrs. Ellis begged him to allow her to
put an end to her existence.
'The Coroner could not find out
much about the case at first, as Mrs.
Ellis could not control herself Later
on she became comparatively quiet and
related the whole story.
"When the Coroner told her that it
would be his painful duty to cause her
arrest, she begged that he would not |
do this until her parents could arrive.
This request he said he would grant,
and left Mrs. Ellis under guard at the
Windsor.
"The arrest was made at o'clock in
the afternoon on warrant sworn out
by Sergeant Talley. He and Officer
Foster served it. Mrs. Ellis was car
ried to the station in the patrol wagon
and was taken into Captain Angles
private office. She brought with her
to Richmond two satchels filled with
clothes for herself and baby. These
and the contents of a small paper box,
an umbrella and baby's little pillow
constitute her worldly possessions.
This property was taken to the station
and carefully stored away.
'Some people residing in the neigh
borhood of the station sent for Mr.. l..
o. Wendenburg and told him 1t would
be an act of charity and humanity for
him to defend this woman. He said
he would at once volunteer his services.
Mrs Ellis thanked him for his kind
ness but said she did not care for a
lawyer.
"'The people will not allow me to
kill myself and now | want the court
to do what | am not permitted to do!
"Mr. Wendenburg talked with the
woman sometime and he will represent J
her when the case comes up as she I'M
1Oubtedly needs the services of a law &
yer. f
"Mrs. Ellis asked Coroner Taylor in T.
The afternoon what had become Of the b
body of the child. He told her it was 5
It his Office. She asked him to take n
good care of it for she wanted her v
mother to see it when she comes. C
"Mr. Wendenburg said he could not p
tate as yet what plea would be made b
,y the defense.r
Mrs. Ellis left Farmville last Monday
afternoon with her baby, ostensibly to f
'isit her married sister at Burkeville, i
aging that after a stay there she would a
20 to Waverly to see her husbands p
lister. Il
Lizzie Allen was but a mere child :,
When married clandestiney at Wei a.
lon, n. c., to J. c. Ellis. Her mother ST
lad just broken up her boarding house
t Crewe and returned to Farmville to
eside when Lizzie stole away from
ome and met her fance in Pc Sc
ersburg, from which point they went fr
D Weldon. At that time Ellis was u
wing in Newport News, and for some
lonths thereafter he and his child
fife lived peaceably together. &c
Failing in his work at Newport m
Jews, Mr.. and Mrs. Ellis went to ~ ~
Ills fathers home in the country, Il,
ear Petersburg. From there Mrs O.
Ills came back to Farmville to live IN
18th her parents and was very soon -;
lined by her husband, who was en- nc
loyed in the shop Of w. T. Doyne. 10y
When the call was made for volun- tn
,ers Ellis took up arms and went into a. a.
,rvice, and when mustered out he by
,turned to his wife and child. He pi