Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-11
WOMAN POISON F|[ND'
Mrs. Midnight Suspected OF
Killing Eight Relatives Be-
sides Three Confessed
THE TEXT OF HER CONFESSION
In the Case of the Three Murders for
Which She Is Now Held, She States
That She "Really Didn't Intend Harm
to Any of Them"-He Suspected
Victims.

nat one nedIIy OtuH IuSS'a ''e''''
to Any of Them''-He Suspected
Victims.
Kalkaska, Mich. June 1l.-Mrs. Mary
Mcknight yesterday confessed to three
murders and the police suspect her OF
having committed at least eight more
She admits she killed her brother,
John Murphy; his wife, Gertrude Muir
ply. and their little baby, months
old.
The woman insists. however, that
when she administered the poison she
did not intend to harm them. Capsules
of auinine and strychnine mixed were
given the man and woman and strych-
nine in water was given the baby.
Eight other persons, investigation
shows, have died in the past fifteen
years under circumstances that. in view
OF the woman's confession today, are
now thought to be very suspicious.
All eight We're either relatives or init
mate friends who died while living with
Mrs. Mcknight, or while she was at
their house. All are said to nave
shown symptoms that are now beliVed
to indicate strychnine poisoning.
They are:
Ernest Mcknight, the woman's hus-
band.
James Ambrose, her first husband
who died at Alpena in 1887.
Mrs. Mcknight, the wife of James
e. Mcknight. the partner of Ambrose.
Baby Teeple, Mrs. Meningitis niece
Eliza Chalker, another niece, who
died at Grayling in May, 1892
Sarah Murphy. Mrs. Meningitis SIS
ter. who also died at Grayling in Feb
ruary, 1893.
Mrs. Curry. who died in Saginaw
in 1898, while Mrs. Mcknight was at
her mothers house.
Dorothy Jensen, child who died
in Crawling while under Mrs. NC
Knights care during the absence OF her
mother.
Investigation of these deaths show
that all of these persons except Mrs
Curry were taken suddenly Ill, and
show what are now regarded as unmis-
taxable symptoms Of strychnine pois-
oning. The physician who attended
Ernest Mcknight, the womans nus
band, says that he is now conhdent
that Mcknight died from strychnine
The physician, DR.. Leighton, was baf-
fed by Meningitis trouble and the
suddenness with which it came, but
says he can see now that he had every
symptom of strychnine poisoning. Eliza
Chalker and Sarah Murphy were strick-
en- at the table while Mrs. Mcknight
was present. Both died in commissions
in few hours.
There was no suspicion against Mrs.
Mcknight in connection with the death
of the Murphys until she filed mort
gage on her brothers property after his
death, on which the figures had, 1t is
alleged. been raised from 5000 to $500.
An investigation was then begun.
The body of John Murphy was ex-
humed and strychnine found in the
stomach. Mrs. Mcknight was placed
under arrest with the result that yes
terday she confessed. Her confession
yesterday was entirely voluntary, and
she seemed perfectly sane, altho under
great mental strain. No motive for
the crimes can be found.
In the confession, which was made
to prosecutor E. c. Smith, Mrs Nc
Knight says:
Il didn't intend harm to any of
them. did not give the baby the
1t woke up and cried while
its mother was gone, and l mixed up
a little strychnine in glass with some
water and gave spoonful to the
baby. l did not mean to harm the lit
tie thing at all. / confessed all to the
Lord this afternoon, and l feel that
He has forgiven me- l really didn't
mean to harm any Of them.
when Gertrude came home anil
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?" 1 said l would, and I really
didn't think that it would hurt If gave
her one of the capsules. She had
spasms right after that. and l suppose
now the strychnine killed her. real
ly did not mean to hurt her, tho.
Then John seemed to feel badly
about it-so broken up, that I often
thought after Gertie died it would be
better if he We're to go, too.
John was feeling bad one night.
couple of weeks after Gertrude died.
He came to me and wanted something
to quiet him. had two or three of the
capsules on my dresser. and l told him
to go and get one OF them. I did not
mean to hurt him, but / thought that
it would soothe him, and then thought
it would be for the best if he We're
to go, anyway. He helped himself l
don't know whether he took one or
two. Then he went to bed, and by and
by he called me. Mother came, too, and
he began to have those same spasms.
1 suppose the strychnine was work
ing
The whole of the confession was Civ
en- voluntarily, and Mrs. Mcknight
signed 1t after Prosecutor Smith had
written it out.