The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-05-13
SAY IDAHO WOMAN
A LUCRET|A B0RG|A
CHARGE THAT WOMAN OF TWIN
FALLS MURDERED SIX PER-
SONS FOR INSURANCE.

Honolulu, T. H.-Mrs. Paul Vim
cent Southard, also known as Mrs.
Ryde Meyer, was held by the police
here today on orders from Los An
geles, in connection with the death
of four of her husbands, brother
in-law and a child of one of the men
she married.
Paul Sauthard, whom she married
in Los Angeles last November, told
the police here she tried to get him
to take out $4,000 worth of life in
surance. Southland is petty officer
on the U. S. S. Montery, stationed at
Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
Insurance of which she was the
beneficiary was carried on the lives
of all the five men whose deaths are
being investigated.
Mrs. Southland, according to the
police, has agreed to return, without
extradition. Papers for extradition
are being prepared.
According to police Mrs. Southard
legal defense here. She declared she
was prepared to return and face the
charges against her.
Southland, in a statement given
newspapermen tonight, denied the as
sertion attributed to him by the po-
lice that Mrs. Southland had sought to
have him take out $4,000 worth of
life Insurance..
my wife denies all the charges
against her. he said. ''She always
has been a good, true wife to me and
never had any reason to doubt her
in any way. | have absolute conf1-
dence in her innocence
Southland declared Mrs Southard
had not enjoyed good health since
coming to Hawaii and that both he
and she were anxious to return to
Idaho. Mrs. Southard, he declared
wilF make no fight against possible
extradition to Twin Falls, Idaho.
Record of Accused Woman
Salt Lake City-Prosecuting Attor-
ney Frak L. Stephen of Twin Falls
county, Idahos, said in a message to
the Telegram, Mrs. Southard's matri-
monial record was being investigated
for the purpose of determining the
causes and fixing the responsibility
for the deaths of three other former
husbands, an infant child by Robert
Dooley, her first husband, and Doo-
Iey's brother, Edward.
Insurance in which Mrs. Southland
was the beneficiary, was carried on
the lives of all five men, Stephan
said, and of which she is said to have
collected at least $4,000. Mr.. South /
ard, who is % years old, worked for
4 time as a waitress at Twin Falls I
after Meyers death. She departed for
California last winter. Her parents
are Mr.. and Mrs. w. ]. Trueblood,
Who live on farm at Kimberly, Twin
Falls county. I
Prosecutor Stephen said said he i
lad in his possession evidence which /
would establish that poison caused the
leaths Of Robert Dooley, William G.
McHaffie, Harlan G. Lewis and Ed
ward F. Meyer, respectively her first,
econd, third and fourth husbands,
md Edward Dooley, brother Of her
irst husband. Stephen said the bod
es of these men had been exhumed
md the contents of their stomachs
nalyzed by Herman Harms and Ed
vim F. Rodenbaugh state chemists
of Idaho and Utah, and
hat a deadly poison had been found.
he poison in each case was said to
ave been the same.
The woman's arrest on charge of
1urdering Meyer was made as re-
ult of the chemists report, Stephan
aid. II
Mrs. Southard's ratrinonial his
ory and the dates of her a,-soands
eaths as given out by the authorities,
ollows: II
Married, Robert c. Dooley, an Ida
0 farmer, at Twin Falls, March II,
912; died in Twin Falls hospital
october IL, 1915, typhoid being as
igned as the cause.
Married William G. McHaffie, Twin {
'alls, waiter, at Twin Falls in June. J
917; died at Hardin, Mont, October {
1918; death reported to have been |
.om influenza and diphtheria. I
Married Harlan C. Lewis, auto {
lobile mechanic of Billings, Mont,
t Devada, Colo, March 10, 1919;
led at Billings July 6, 1919; cause of )
40 th ronortad as Castro-enteritis T