The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-10-03
Cambridge tre Scene Of Many
TrIgeiies, Say Residents
THE DEAD SWEDISH GIRL
HEADS LONG LIST OF CRIMES IN.
cLUDlNG THE WIPlNG OUT
OF FAMILY BY INSANE
WOMAN.

children wiped out by violent deaths, |
was buried in single grave. Two
plain black coffins containing the bod
les of Clarence Markham, aged Al,
suicide, and his wife, aged 50, murder.
ess and suicide, were ranged along
with the seven little white caskets
containing the bodies of their chil-
dren, slain by the mother. These
were Clara. aged 8; Harry, aged Z;
Charles. aged 8; Mary aged A; Lucy,
aged 8; Eliza, aged Is months and
AISLE, aged A months.
Following the simple service, strang
ers buried the family in one large
grave The only relatives were two
sisters of the woman.
The Markham tragedy, appalling in
its horror, has fallen like blight up
on the community, and there is much
wagging of heads and whispering over
the curse upon this locality Those
who would talk reverted back to the
mysterious death, a few years ago, of
homeless, friendless, unknown Swe-
dish girl. No one can recall her name
She was the victim of evil passions,
died in agony and was buried In the
ground at night, no inquest ever being
held
Owing to the prominence of the qer-
sons supposed to be implicated in this
affair, nothing was ever said about It,
and almost the entire community en-
deavored to hush it up. Out of the
pitiful death OF that friendless girl
has grown endless strife, bitter enmi-
ties, suicides perhaps murder, the
breaking OF lifelong friendships, the
destruction Of homes and the breaking
up Of families.
Superstitious persons hereabouts
tell one that the death of the unknown
Swede girl has proved a deadly curse
upon the entire community, and that
her blood is still crying for revenge
No one associates the Markham horror
with this case beyond saying it is a
part of the curse hanging over the
community.
Since the death Of the Swedish girl
there have been nine murders, inclW-
ing the Markham tragedy, two sui.
cides and two sudden deaths.
The first was the suicide of Dr.
William ID Powell, veterinary sur
geon, who had been active in pursu-
ing those who were endeavoring TO
hush up the death of the Swedish
girl
At his death Powell passed the
heritage of knowledge along to John
V. Streed, prominent attorney, and
vice-presldent of the Sweedish-Amer-
can Republican league of Illinois. A
week ago Streed was murdered. appar
entity called from his office some time
during the night and shot in the back
of the head.
1t is considered singular that in
small town no one heard or invesGi-
gated the shooting, and the fact that
week has elapsed without the slight
est light being thrown upon his muir
der is exciting comment outside of
Cambridge.
While the excitement over the muir
der OF Streed was at its height the
town was shocked by the announce.
ment that Miss Matte Chilberg, dau-
ghter of the postmaster and friend
Of the Streeds had fallen dead, pre-.
sumably superinduced by excitement
over the Streed and Markham hor-
rors, The sudden death last night of
f. P, Wilkinson, very prominent IN
politics, received more than passing,
interest He resided at Kewanee
and there is not the slightest intima.
tion that he was in any way connec.
ted with the sad history Of the com
munlty His sudden death Is simply
another in the long history that has
horrfed the people
There Is also some mention of the
death in Colorado of Miss Nan Cal
houn, former schooteacher here,
but her sisters emphatically resent
any intimation that MISS Calhoun was
ever prosecuted by Attorney Streed.
In any event since the mutilated
body Of the friendless Swedish girl
was hurried into the grave at night
but a few years ago, Cambridge and
It's immediate vicinity has witnessed
an appalling series Of tragedies.
Some Of them may be traced directly
to this source. others have no bearing
on II Whatever, but by the supersilt
ious ones are hazily linked with whal
they term the curse" upon Cambridge
With the Streed murder still unsolved
and the clay still wet upon the grave
OF the Markham family, the people
shudder and wonder what next.
They learned today that Mrs. Mar,
p. Johnston mother of Mrs. Markham
had been adjudged insane at the
county almshouse at Knoxville.
Mrs Johnson has suffered from de
mcnt'a for many years, but Ii was
not until September - that she wa,
adjudged insane. News Of her moth