Evening star., 1905-10-01
TELLS STRANGE TALE
Story Related by DR.. Powell
at Chicago.
SERIES OF TRAGEDIES
ALLEGED MURDER OF A GIRL
LEADS TO OTHER CRIMES.
One Of Those Who Knew the Facts
Driven to Suicide and Another
Killed.

CHICAGO, September 30.-Details of a
series of sensations which are alleged to
have smoldered for months in Cambridge
ILL.,, and which may explain the mysterious
death of John V. Street, a prominent at
torney, and politician, who was found life
less at his office door in Cambridge week
ago with bullet through his head. were
revealed here today.
DR.. Byrd c. Powell a veterinary sur
geon, living in Sandwich, Ill, came to Chi
cago and told a story back of the recent
suicide of his brother, William d. Powell.
of Cambridge. The story disclosed a chain
OF facts concerning the Powell and Streed
cases with a virtual murder of a Swedish
domestic at the home of a wealthy man
III Cambridge more than five years ago.
she was buried secretly without a death
cectifcate CT Inquest. In the opinion of
Dr. Powell, Attorney Streed was murder
ed because Streed knew the truth about the
woman's death. Streed got the facts from
William ID Powell. who committed suicide
August &c last, after William PowelIs home
had been broken up and the guilty per-
sons shielded, it is alleged, by an influential
political friend
Driven to His Death
DIR. Powell declares that his brother was
driven to his death by a clique in Cam
bridge It is said Powell went TO Cam
bridge to live about the time of the death
learned accidentally. His own domestic
life was unhappy. He suspected several
men CT promise of being too friendly with
his wife and encountered, as a result per-
secution, which, IL is said, drove him to
suicide. First, stories detrimental to Pow
ellis business were circulated. Then the
crowd made it their business to offend
him in the street. He wanted to arm him.
self, but was told the sheriff would arrest
MIN for carrying concealed weapons. Men
came to him at unexpected hours day and
nlgntssat his home and at his office, and
toid MIN ne had better leave town. He
refused to be intimidated.
Finally came a climax. Powell awoke
one morning to find tar and feathers
were on his door with note ordering
him to leave town within four days or
suffer violence at the hands of a mob.
Then Powell summoned his brother. They
talked all night long, William detailing the
story of the troubles, his love for his wife.
the prosecutions and the threat of DEATH
What shall l do2' he asked in despair &
"Gafafter them,' replied his adviser. You
know something of the death of this Swe-
involved in that case. Go after them''
Two detectives arrived in Cambridge as
result TO work up evidence in reference
to the death of the domestic.
Streed Knew the Facts.
w. D. Powell took the evidence to At
torney Streed and asked him to persecute
the men. Streed refused to do it because
1t involved some of his best friends VIM
d. Powell's suicide followed.
DR.. Powell believed that Streed and some
of the suspected friends of Streed betrayed
a knowledge of the domestic tragedy.
My brother" said DIR. Powell today
was bounded TO death by clique that con-
trolls everything in the administration of the
law in Cambridge. If Streed was MUIR
dered 1t is a simple matter for the Cam
bridge authorities to figure out who are
the persons interested in bringing about
his death. But they have purposey sup
pressed the truth which, if revealed. may
lead to the discovery of Streed's murderer
and bring to light another murder"
More Tragedies at Cambridge.
ROCK ISLAND. ILL.,, September 30-Mrs.
Clarence Markham of Cambridge near here,
In fit of temporary insanity today killed
her seven children with an ak, after which
she placed their bodies on a bed, saturated
IT with coal oil and set fire to it She then
hacked her throat with knife and threw
herself on the burning bed. Neighbors res
eued her. but she was so badly burned
that she died soon after she had made a
concession. The oldest child was nine years
of age. the youngest a baby in arms
Neighbors, attracted by the smoke of the
burning dwelling rushed to the rescue and
Iound MRS. Markham covered with blood
and badly burned. Barely able to tell her
story, she at first declared the crime had
been committed by strange man. but
later. when the sheriff arrived she admit
one and attempted to destroy their bodies
and her own in the fire.
Soon afterward she died When the RUNS
of the home had cooled confirmatio of
her story was had in the finding of the
charred corpses, each with its skull
crushed.
The Markhans lived apart from neigh
bors, the husband being employed as a la
borer on nearby farm. He was COM
PEELED to be away from home during the
day Having noted his wife acting aueerly
for several weeks. he had kept the children.
the oldest of whom was but nine years of
age, out of school to be with the mother.
She was never known to exhibit violent
tendencies previously.