Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-02-15
Buries His Child Alive.
ANOTHER DEvOURED BY HOGS.

A special to the Milwaukee Free
Press from Prairie du Chen says:
In the preliminary trial Monday OF
William Crawford and his sister-in-
law, Frances Crawford. horrible and
revolving series of crime was revealed,
which resulted in both being bound
over without bail stand trial for
murder.
William Crawford, who has a wife
and four children, aud Frances Craw-
ford, his si8ter-in-law, a married wom-
an whose husband is in Mendoza asy-
Ium. were arrested last week. The
woman is sister eff Crawford's wife
and has been living with her sister
and brother-ln-law for several years.
The wife objected to their relations,
but it is alleged was threatened if she
interfered It was shown that at least
three children have been born to the
unlawful couple and each time the off
spring. it is charged, has been hid
away.
The oldest Of the sons of Mr.. and
Mrs. William Crawford, aged 20. left
home, but warned the younger
brothers to keep close watch and
the next time something would be
done.
Another child, a girl weighing seven
pounds, was born on Jan. 10 to Frances
Crawford, and Immediately after the
birth, it is charged, the nude form of
the infant was carried out of the house
by the father and buried in a barn
yard manure heap. 1t had showed
during the night and when one of the
sons went out to do the chores the
next morning be noticed the tracks,
but as the entire family had been
threatened with death If they inter
fered, they awaited an opportunity to
get to the city and report to author
tiles.
Crawford and his sister-in law were
arrested Wednesday and then the boys;
together with Sheriff Sine, uncovered
the body which had been buried five
weeks ago, face down, two and half
feet deep An examination and post
mortem examination by County Physic-
ian G.. E. Cole before jury disclosed
the fact that the infant was alive when
born. During the post -mortem the
family together with the grandfather
and the wcmans son, stood by and
watched the physician open the little
body. None Of the family can read or
write.
In the sweat box the man would re-
veal nothing, but the women gave the
sheriff q statement admitting her guilt
and duplicating her brother-in- law in
the crime. Five witnesses were ex-
amined, among whom was the 16-year
old son of William Crawford and wife,
who gave damaging testimony against
his father, as did the 18-year-old son
Of Frances Gre wford. When ques-
toned severely on the stand ir regard
to home relations the woman laughed
at what she supposed was joke.
1t also developed that an illigitimate
child was born to this same pair two
years ago and disposed Of in the same
manner. but the hogs had found and
devoured the body.
When the bones where discovered
In the barn yard the father threatened
to kill auy member of the family who
exposed the crime and all lived in fear
of him.
At noon Monday the wife called at
the court house to be present at the
trial, Her husband saw her through
the bars and asked the sheriff to call
her to see him, but she refused.
Nc one knows the wretched life [
have lived the past ten years. she
said. land the boys and l can live
happier without him and her.
The hut in which the family lived
has but two rooms. The one on the
second foor was occupied by the boys
and the lower floor by Crawford, his
wife and two small children, the sister,
in-law and grandfather.