The Washington times., 1905-07-05
Father Gipes Poison
To HQlfVitted Sons
ere Burden-One Son Is Killed,
Another Escapes Intended Fate.

MORR1SV1LIE, Pa. July 5.-Driven
TO distraction by pangs of rernorse and
the ever-haunting memory of his crime
Gustav A. Ciesson, sixty-two years old,
has confessed that he cruelty murdered
his eleves-year- son.
He deliberatei,r planned to kill his two
boys, mentally deficient from babyhood,
because their presence annoyed him.
To rid the family and himself of the
burden, Closson gave one of his boys "A
sandwich with paris green IN it, and
sprinkled the beer of the other one with
the same corrosive poison. One of the
boys recovered slowly from the effects
of excess of poison. but the other one
died.
Insurance had been carried On the
lives of both the boys, $500 on the one
that lived and about $500 on the one that
died But for this the crime might have
remained undetected, and the inhunan
father might never have been moved to
conf ssion
The Pinkerton detective agency in
Phiia'aels hia offered its service to the
oi-tri : -ST.e,ieS of the county, and, as
resui, Ciotscr Cd lodged in Doyles-
town jail to await : al for murder.
Word reached n Pinkertons that
Ciosson was ready to confess. Super
intendent II w. Bearce sent his assist
ant, A. A. Esten, here at once Esten
took with him a warrant against Clos
son, and gathered together a party to
hear the old mans gruesome story A
minister was a member of the party
Il am so sick I can scarcely stand, y
the clergyman said after listening for an
hour to Blossoms confession
nave warrant here for your arrest
nF
Esten to Closson as he opened the door
for the party.
That's right said the old man:
that's right. l killed him"
Closson Unfolds Horrible Tale.
Even then the visitors to Closson' s
home were not prepared for the horrible
tale the old man told. Nothing, how
ever hideous. was held back
''On May II, about noon" said Clos
sea, Il went to my tool chest, where
had the box of poison locked up I took
il out. mixed a part of it with a little
water until it was a thick paste abou;
like mustard.
Then l took two pieces of bread and
spread each of them with paste, put
ting them together, face to face. like
a sandwich.
Then l called oyer my boy Henry
fourteen years old.
here S something nice for you
said to him. Just eat it right down
Il saw Henry eating part of the
bread. and l saw 1t made him very sick
kept away from him and went t
work.
They wanted to call physician, but
said no, for you see L expected him tt
die But In the end Henry got we'll
suppose there was too much poison or
the bread. Yes, ] knew there was in
surance on his life, $3.50.
II waited until Friday morning MAJ
10. at 9:30'-Closson seemed particular
about dates-..and / went to the saloor
and got 10 cents worth of beer.
Il went out back of the house with
coffee cup, and in the cup mixed q littl,
water with the poison, not so nucE
poison this time.
When / EgJ the water and loisor
mixed l poured in a third of a cup O.
beer and gave 1t to Walter to drink
Poison in Cup of Beer.
Walter drank the beer and poison
/ waited little. and then gave him
penny and told him to go to the store t.
get some candy. j thought he woulc
be taken sick away from home
But the housekeeper told me he wai
taken sick at home at noon
'6he came TO me and wanted to seus