The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-06-11
Then Gave Mother Strychnine
When She Asked for Some
thing TO Steady Her
Nerves.
FATHER FOLLOWED SOON AFTER
Deaths of Eight Other Persons, In
Guiding Two Husbands of Pris-
oner. Are Now Regarded
as Highly Suspicious.

kaikaska, Mich. June I1-Prosecutor
Smith announced to-day that Mrs. Mary
Mcknight, who has been under arrest here
for several days. has confessed to the poi!
s0n!nC OF her brother. John Murphy, his
wife and baby.
Other circumstances make It now appear
that the woman may have also poisoned
eight other persons in the last fifteen
years, including two husbands. making
eleven deaths for which she is suspected Of
being responsible.
The prosecutor said Mrs. Mcknight con-
fessed voluntarily to him last night that
she administered strychnius TO Baby Muir
ply. Gertrude and John Murphy.
4 partial confession was made Monday
evening. in which Mrs. Mcknight denied
killing the baby. Late last night Pros
ecutor Smith again called at the woman's
cell at her request, and this time she made
a complete. confession.
In her first statement she admitted CIV
ing Mr.. and Mrs. Murphy capsules OF
strychntne and 1uinine mixed. Last night
she said:
II didn't intend harm to any OF them.
l did give the baby the strychnine. It woke
UP and cried while its mother was gons
glass, with some water, and gave a spoon
full to the baby. did not mean to harm the
little thing ~ all.
I confessed all % the Lord this after
noon. and 1 feel that he has forgiven me.
When Gertrude came home and found
the baby dead she got awfully nervous.
She came to me and said: Mary. can't you
give me something to quiet me; something
that you take YOURSELF
GAVE HER CAPSULES
~ said / would. ard l really did not
think that it would hurt If l gave her one
OF the capsules She had s7asms right after
that and l supposed that the strychn!ns
killed her.
Then John seemed to feel so badly about
it that l often thought after Gerry died
that it would be better for him to go, too.
John was feeling bad one night couple
OF weeks after Gerty died. He wanted
something to quiet him.
I had two or three capsules on my
dresser, and told him to get one, Of them;
I thought that 1t would soothe him. and
then l thought it would be for the best II
He helped fp al hi ms Then he went to bed
and by and by called me. Mother came.
too, and he began to have the same
spasrns."
The whole Of the confession was given
voluntarily. and Mrs. Mcknight signed 1t
after Prosecutor Smith had written II.
Nose ss' murder Tn-tE Mrs. Mcknishs confessed to.
day. investigation shows. have dice IN the
last fifteen years under circumstances that.
in view of the wouIan's confession to-day,
are now thought 10 be very suspicious.
All OF the eight were either relatives or In
innate friends who died while living with
Mrs Mcknight, or while she was at their
house.
POISON SYMPTOMS.
All are said to have shown symptoms that
are now believed to indicate strychnine
-o;Sr-i0g They are
Ernest Mcknight. the woman's husband;
James Ambrose her first husband. who
died at Alpena IN 1857: Mrs. Mcknight, the
wife OF james E. Mcknight. who was the
partner of James Ambrose; Baby Teepie.
Mrs Meningitis niece: Eliza Chalker. an
other niece, who died az Crawling in May,
lsa2: Sarah Murphy. Mrs. Meningitis sis
ter. who also died at Grayling in FeSru-
ary. 1898: Mrs. Curry. who died in SaSi-
nav, in 1885. while Mrs: Mcknight was at
her mothers house, and Dorothy Jensen.
child. who died in Graylisht. while under
Mrs. Meningitis care. during the absence
Of her mother.
There was no suspicion against Mrs. Nc
knight in connection with the death OF the
NVrphyS until she flied a mortgage on her
brothers property after his death. on which
the figures had. it is alleged, been raised
from. 800 to $500.
An investigation was then begun. The
body of John Murphy was exhumed and
strvchnlne found in the stomach. Mrs Nc
knight was placed under arrest, with the
result that to-day she confessed.