Evening journal., 1903-06-11
IS A MODERN
LUCRETIA B0RGIA
Michigan Woman Coolly Ad,
mits Having Killed Her
Brothers Family
MAY HAVE MURDERED ELEVEN

Detroit. Mich, June 11.-A special
from Kalkaslzia, Mich. says that after
two weeks work Prosecutor Smith has
secured the confession of Mrs Mary
Mcknight to the cold-blooded. premed-
itated murder of her own brother,
John Murphy, his young wife and their
3-months-old babe In her statement
Mrs, Mcknight admitted giving Mr.
and Mrs. Murphy capsules Of strych-
nine and quinine mixed She said; II
didn't intend harm to any of them;
] did give the baby the strychnine II
woke up and cried while its mother
was gone. and / mixed up a little
strychnine in glass with some water
and gave q spoonful to the baby
didn't mean 20 harm the little thing at
all. confessed all to the Lord, and
feel that he has forgiven me. really
didn't mean to harm any of them.
When Gertrude came home and found
the baby dead she got awfully nervous
She came 10 me and said: Mary. can't
you give me something 10 quiet me.
something that you take yourselfg
said that I would, and / really didn't
think that II would hurt her If gave
her one of the capsules. She had
spasms right after that. and / suppose
that It was the strychnine that killed
her Then John seemed to feel so bad
ly about IL. so broken up, that ! often
thought after Gertie died that il would
be better II he we're TO go too John
was feeling bad one night, a couple OF
weeks after Gertrude died. He came to
me and wanted something 20 quiet him.
] had two or three of the capsules on
my dresser. and / told him TO go and
get one of them. He helped himself.
/ 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 ne began 10 have those same
spasms. ! suppose that the strychnine
was working"
Eight other persons beside the three
to whose murder Mrs. Mcknight con-
fessed. Investigation shows, have died
in the. past 10 years under circum-
stances that, in view OF the woman
confession. are now thought to be
very suspicious All OF the eight were
either relatives or intimate friends
who died while living with Mrs Nc
Knight. or while she was at their
house. All are said TO have shown
symptoms that are now believed TO
Indicate strychnine poisoning.
They are: Ernest Mcknight, the
womans husband; James Ambrose.
her FIRST husband; Mrs. Mcknight the
wife Of James E. Mcknight who was
the patrner of Ambrose; Baby Teeple,
Mrs. Meningitis niece; Eliza Chalker,
another niece; Sarah Murphy, Mrs,
Meningitis sister; Mrs. Curry. who
died In Saginaw while Mrs Mcknight
was at her mothers house, and Doro-
thy Jenson, a child, who died while
under Mrs. Meningitis care during
the absence Of her mother
Investigation of these deaths shows
that all Of these persons except Mrs,
Curry were taken suddenly i'll and
showed what are now regarded as un.
mlstakable symptoms of strychnine
poisoning. The physician who attend
ed Ernest Mcknight, the woman's hus-
I udhuf says A1 10 INV NoAAlAtnN Ahat
Mcknight died from strychnine. Eliza
Chalker and Sarah Murphy were
stricken at the table while Mrs. Nc
Knight was present. Both died in
convulsions in a few hours.
There was no suspicion against Mrs
Mcknight IN connection with the
death Of the Murphys until she filed
a mortgage on her brothers property
after his death on which the figures
had. It is alleged, been raised from
5000 to 5000. An investigation was
then begun. The body of John Muir
ply was exhumed and strychnine
found in the stomach. Mrs. Mcknight
was placed under arrest, with the re
suit that she confessed Her confes
sion was entirely voluntary and she
seemed perfectly sane. although un
der great mental strain. No motive
for the other crimes can be found.