Gilpin observer., 1914-01-22
MYSTERY OF MURDERED INFANTS
IS EXPOSED BY GRAND JURY
FATHER sTRAN PARENT OF THREE
FOUND

The District Court convened at 10
o'clock Monday morning. Every avail
able seat in the court room was fill
ed with citizens who were anxious
to learn the result of the Grand Jury
investigation of the finding of three
dead infants in the Williams house
in Black Hawk, last fall.
1t was a tense moment when the
Grand Jury filed in and took their
seats. The vast audience to a man
concentrated their gaze on the jury,
seeking to read on their countenan-
ces any sign as to what their find
ings might be. Foreman Klais hand
ed Judge Class the report of their
there were three indictments and or
dered the clerk to issue capiases for
same. District Attorney Johnson then
addressed the court and grand jury
and said in part, that without the
aid of this grand Jury, the suspect
ed parties could never have been
brought to trial, and the state was
under great obligations to this body
of men for diligently and intelligent
.ly pursuing their investigations to
the end that the guilty would be
brought to the bar of justice to stand
trial for the most horrible crime ever
committed in the annals of the his
tory of Gilpin county. He stated
that the crimes had covered a period
of fifteen years and the District At
torney's office had failed to obtain
the evidence that would bring the
guilty ones into court. He himself,
since the coroner's inquest, had work.
ed INCREASINGLY to find a clew or
some citizen in the county who would
file an information. No one could
be found who would take the respon-
sibility and the only possible way
was to have a grand jury investigate
all the circumstances surrounding the
crime and abide by their decision,
and that the thanks of the communi-
ty was due the jury for their work.
At the afternoon session, Dan Will
ans, the prisoner, was brought be-
fore the court, and on his stating
that he had no friends and no money
to engage a lawyer, Judge Glass nam
ed over the names of the members
of the bar in the county and stated
that he would be furnished an attor-
ney at the peoples expense and re-
quested him to select one of the
lawyers named to defend him. AZ
ter some hesitancy, Williams, who
wore a most hagged expression of
countenance in strong contrast to
his air of bravado. prior to his ar
rest on Sunday night, on the charge
of making threats. selected the SEN
ior member Of the bar, Chase With
row, as his attorney.
Williams was brought before the
court on Tuesday afternoon, to plead
and his trial was set for the June
term of court. The Denver Post Of
Monday had the following:
Daniel Williams. SO, miner. is
under arrest at Central City. charg-
ed with the murder of three infants
whose mummified bodies were found
on September 25th, last, in the gar
ret of a cottage at Black Hawk, which
he and his daughter, Rosella, aged
80. had occupied for many years. He
was arrested upon three indictments
returned to Judge Glass in the Gilpin
county district court at 10 O'Clock
this morning.
'Half an hour before the grand
Jury made its report, S. w. Johnson,
district attorney for the first judicial
district. says that Rosella Williams
confessed that her father was the
father of the murdered infants; that
she was their mother. and that she
had witnessed her father strangle the
!, little ones to death Immediately af.
ter they had been born. Mr.. John.
son says that Miss Williams broke
down and confessed after she had
steadfastly denied. ever since the
discovery OF the bodies. that she
knew anything Of the murder.
"Mr. Johnson says that the story
told by Miss Williams was one Of
the most grewsome ever heard Of II
the annals Of Colorado crime. Il
was told at the Gilpin county cour
house at Central City in the presenc,
of Mr.. Johnson. Sheriff Gundy and 1
number Of other witnesses. Once sh
had been induced to tell her story
Miss Williams did not stop In he
narrative until she had told ever!
detail. She spared neither hersel
nor her father.
But for the fact that during tn,