The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1904-11-16
WILLARD BOYD CHARGED WITH
The CRIME OF INFANTICIDE
1t is Alleged that He Smothered to
Death His Own Illicit Child
Crimes Charged by Peter Nc
Callum.

Willard Boyd. a young man quite well
know in the city. the son of Wesley
Boyd. proprietor OF the Palace Hotel on
| First street. is confined within Il cell i'll
the county Jail, charged with the crime
of murder 1t is alleged that Boyd is
the father of two illicit children born
to Miss Blanche McCallum of the Nat
chez. the first of which was born about
the 25th day of May. 1908. and the last
about two months ago. The last is still
living. and it is claimed in a complaint
| filed by the father of the young woman
that Boyd made away with the other by
smothering it. The following charge is
made and sworn to before Justice j.
a. Taggard Sunday afternoon. That
on the 18th day of May, 1903. one Mil
lard Boyd. then and there being. did UNI
lawfully. felonously. and with deliber-
ate and premeditated malice, strangel,
smother. kill and murder certain male
child born to one Blanche McCallum, on
the said 25th day of May, 1908, said
child being there and then unnamed"
The entire matter was first brought to
public notice last Thursdy, when Boyd
was brought before Justice Taggard
and charged with the crime of seduction.
1t was alleged that he was the father of
two children whose mother was Blanche
McCallum, and that her ruin was ac-
complished by him before she reached
the age of Is, the lawful age of consent
in the state of Washington. The father
of the girl. Peter McCallum was the
complaining witness, and the facts
brought out in the evidence introduced
at this examination have apparently
disclosed the far more serious crime
with which Boyd is now charged, and
for which he will have to stand trial.
The father of the girl, after Boyd had
been remanded to Jail in default of $500
bond in which he was held to the sup
erior court, swore out the complaint
above quoted, and will prosecute the
; young man to the last resort. 1t is said
that until last Thursday he and his wife
were in ignorance of the birth of their
daughters first child.
The narrative of the crime or crimes
with which Willard Boyd is charged is
enough to make ones blood run cold
then boil with Indignation If the facts
alleged are proven, he will stand as one
of the most heartless and depraved Grim
inals ever brought to Justice in this
county. the accused formerly resided in
the Naches valley. and his acquaintance
with Miss McCallum extends over sew
eral years. 1t is said that when her
first child was born. or shortly before
its birth, he brought her to the city and
engaged a room in the notorious Kan
CARGO" house; mere its birth occurred,
and she was unattended by any phys-
clan. As soon as the child was born, it
is claimed, Boyd smothered it in an old
grain sack and carried it down the rail
road track to the first culvert south of
town, under which he threw the sack
and its grewsome contents. Some time
after this the body was found, still in
its rude wrapping. Acting Coroner
Taggard was notified, and after view
ing the remains, then in an advanced
state of decomposition from having lain
| in the water, decided that an inquest
would bring out no facts regarding the
child or its parentage, and for this rea-
son no inquest was held. The officers
believe that they will be able to proev
that the infant found in the old sack
was the illegally born child of Willard
Boyd and Blanche McCalum.
Sheriff Grant arrested Boyd Sunday
morning on the warrant charging him
with murder, issued from the court of
Justice Taggard. As the Justice was
acting coroner and viewed the remains
alleged to have been those of the defend
ants nameless child, ne will of necessi-
ty be witness in the preliminary ex-
animation, and for that reason the
hearing will probably be before Justice
Nichols, although the time for the same
mas not yet been set Attorney II. j.
Snively has been engaged as counsel
for Boyd. The latter takes his confine-
ment philosophically, and does not ap-
pear to be worried about the matter.
or to be giving his predcament much
thought.
The preliminary hearing will be be.
fore Justice X. X. Nichols tomorrow
Thursday morning at 10 o'clock