South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-05
VirgOCaIm While
Reading Story of
Tabor Confession
Declines TO Comment on Ac-
cusatiOn of Moral Guilt"
of Death.

Joseph c. Virgo had no statement
10 make last night regarding the
death bed" confession Of Mrs.
Sarah ]. Tabor, given out Friday az
her nome In Lawton. Mich. In
which she said her daughter COM
mitted suicide. and was not muir
dered by Virgo, as she previously
had testified.
Seated by the side OF his wife and
rosy-cheeked baby girl in his coy
little home at 3Os =. Ohio St. this
city. he read the entire confession"
slowly and silently. As ne finished
each typewritten sheet ne handed It
to his wife. who also thoughtfuliy
perused them.
No change Of eNI ression was ap-
parent as he read in turn Of his vim
dicatIOn and accusation OF being
the indirect cause Of his former
wife's death.
When Virgo finished reading he
thouRhtfully folded the sheets and
merely said he had no comment TO
make al this time.
when Il was pointed out 20 Virgo
that Mrs. Tabor had made a very
strong accusation against him In
saying that he was morally as gull
~ as II he had driven a knife into
the girls back" ne intimated he
might in the near future have
public statement
Blamcs Virgo.
Virgo appears TO manifest no ami
mostly toward his mother In law.
whose confessions and implications
brought him within the shadow Of
the electric chair. Neither did he
appear 20 bear any III VIII toward
any OF his Gccusers. His chief dee
sire apparently is 20 avoid any fur
ther publicity or nOtOriety.
Mrs. Tabor III and believed to be
near death after more than so years
OF life. as she unfolded the story
that officers believe has solved the
mystery surrounding the death of
Miss Maud Tabor. whose body. con-
cealed in a trunk. was found In the
cellar at the Tabor home in Lawton
Mich. where n had been hidden by
the mother said that her daughter
was a suicide. She FASTENED 20 ex-
plain. however. that she held Virgo
morally responsible for the death.
SO far as I know" the aged wo-
man said. Joseph d. Virgo had
nothing 10 do with the actual death
or my daughter. But feel that
morally ne is as guilty as II ne had
driven n knife into her back His
love making 10 her. his friendship
his marFiaHe 70 her and the subse-
quent resur can be attributed 70 no
one but him.
Gave Her Pledge.
II have long Warted to give the
world tho truth about this case 9"
Mrs. Tabor continued "Maude and
I were inseperable loved her
more than anything i'm the world
ON the day Of her death. MAY
1915 Maude asked me II 7 would
get her some chlOroform. She had
been using Il for asthma. They re-
fused TO sell IL to me IN I.awton. so
] went 20 Paw Paw. Mich. 7 was
gone for three hours and purchased
a bottle OF chloroform 7 brought
II home 20 her She was melancholy
and reminiscent. She insisted she
had a dread OF being buried with
the other wives of Virgo in what
was known as the Virgo cemetery.
Il gave her the chloroform. She
asked me 20 her side and took my
hand.
" Promise me- she said. that you
will not let him have me-
II promised.
" Mother. promise me YOU viii
always keep my body near you. that
it is
81 took her hand tighter in mine
and ! zolenlnly Eromised her. feel
CONTINUED on PAGE FOTRO