The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1900-01-17
CHILD TELLS
OF MURDER
And Her Testimony May
Cause Her Father
to Be Hanged.


Before Justice Garrison, in the
Camden Criminal Court yesterday,
9year old Edna Oswald told in a
childish treble the story OF the kill
ing OF her mother and sister on the
morning of April Is last. which may
send her father, now on trial Tor the
murders, to the gallows.
| After a happy evening spent with
his family at the home of relatives,
Oswald returned to his own home
with his wife and two children, and
at 3 o'clock in the morning arose
and made a vicious attempt to muir.
der all three and end his own lie.
The youngest child, Gus sie, aged
E, he stabbed to the heart; his wife
he stabbed repeatedly. So that she
tdled the same day, and the MUIR
derer was only saved for trial a ter
he had cut his own throat, bv the
watchtul care OF physicians at the
Cooper Hospital.
Edna, the only member of the
little family who escaped, slipped
past her father when her sister fell
beneath his knife, and clutching a
doll baby In her embrace, ran
screaming to nelghbor S home and
raised the alarm.
The child faced her father yes
terday for the first time since the
crime was committed, and though
only Chances passed between them,
both seemed to realize the serious.
ness OF the ordeal. She told her
story simply and straightforward.
Little questioning was required on
the part OF Prosecutor Lloyd to
bring out the details in all their
gruesomeness.
Edna, her father and mother and
little sister had visited the aunt the
night before the murder. She and
Gussle had been asleep long while
when they heard their father and
mother quarreling.
Then" continued the child.
papa came into our room and
looked at lis, and then he went
downstairs, and came back with a
big knife. and he killed Gusse and
mamma screamed, and he cut her
with a big knife. Then took nv
Jolly and ran downstairs. and papa
vas cutting mamma. and she was
dreaming ali the time. -
This much of the story the child
.old without question being asked
20 the closely listening Judge and
Iurymen, while the accused father
shaded his eyes with his hands and
wept. Asked give further details
concerning the home life of her
parents, the child said:
Mamma and papa always quar-
relied on Friday night, When papa
came home drunk and did not give
mamma any money. One time he
threw an iron and tea kettle at
and said he would kill us
all II mamma tried to leave him.
When we went over to Aunt Bellies
papa would smash all the dishes
and threaten to kill us. ="
Cross -eXamlnatlon did not shake
the child S story. She admitted to
ormer Judge Westcott who is de.
lending the accused, that she had
been told what to say, but press ure
along this line merely elected this
simple statement:
"Aunt Belle told me to tell all
hat | had seen and heard"
The other testimony taken during
he trial, which began Yesterday
afternoon, was mainly corrobor alive
't the child Edna story. Assist
Int Prosecutor Archer, in his Open
ng address to the jury. announced
hat the prosecution would ask fer
verdict OF murder in the first dc.
free. There was little difficulty
in securing a jury, the
'nly incident in this connection be-
ng the rejection of all negro tales
men. The jury is composed chiefly
II Camden county farmers.
John Roosevelt, brother-in-law of
he murdered woman. the first wit
less called, testified to hearing Os. !
valid threaten his wife life.
Mrs. Roosevelt, wife OF The pre-
cdins witness, said she was awak.
ned on the morning OF the murder,
" screams, and going into the
treet, met Mrs. Oswald, bleeding
rom knife wounds. She cried;
Save my child" She assisted
lrs. Oswald into a neighbor' $ house
nd picked up the dead BODY of
'usslc. where it had been dropped
y the mother, who had snatched
up when she fled from her hus- i
and. While Mrs. Roosevelt was |
arriving the body OF Gussic into G
he house Ednaran up to her, and ,
lInglng to her skirts, cried j
don I let papa kill NE! kill. {
d mamma and Gussc and tried 10 !
i'll me-" l.
The defense will plead tempo. {
airy insanity. More than a score {
expert witnesses have been sum- !
oncd to give testimony bearing on i
lie mental condition of the pris- I
Ter. \
Jont Tobacco Spit and Smcku Your life Avnv. a
10 quit tojacco easily and forever, be mag.
VIC, iuii OF NE, nerve ana vigOr take No.To.
&c, the wander WGrlie" that makes veal, men >,
roNg All Drug SITS, zoe orsl. Cure guaran. +,
'i Booklet AID sample free Address :,
e!IIng Remedy Co. Chicago or New York. -
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The first Grand hop If the Railroad b
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Fourth and Orange streets. this Wen. !,