The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-09-23
WOMAN ADMITS
SHE JOINED IN
KILLING PLOT
Mrs. Sweetin Tells Of Poison.
ing Husband While Min.
ister Killed Wife
PLANNED TO MARRY
Woman Breaks Down After
Long Questioning and De-
scribes Murder Plans

MOB VIOLENCE THREATENED
Mount Vernon, ILL.,, Sept. 23.-
Rev. Lawrence NJ. Hight and Mrs.
Wilford Swcetin, confessed poi
soners of their spouses, today
were removed from the county
Jail here because of reported
mutterings of mob action at
Mason. a small town near Ina.
The minister was taken to Salem
and Mrs. Swcetin to Bellevillc,
Illinois.
Mount Vernon, Ill.,, Sept. 23-(By
the A. PD--After an all night vigil,
Mrs. Elsie Sweetin confessed this
morning that she was implicated
with the Rev. Lawrence M. Hight of
Ina in the plot to poison her hus-
band and Mrs. Hight in order that
she and the minister could be mar
ried. thus confirming the confession
made yesterday by Rev. Hight.
Arrested yesterday evening at her
home at Ina, IL miles south of here,
Mrs. Sweetin steadfastly denied any
part in the alleged poison plot, as
had been admitted by the minister,
but broke down this morning after
being closeted in the same cell with
the minister with States Attorney
Thompson and newspaper men lis
tening at the door of the cell.
The text of the confession made
and signed by Mrs. Sweetin as made
public by the officials follows:
"The first time that l noticed
Lawrence M. Hight had any feeling
of affection for me was in April
1924. My husband for sometime had
treated me without affection.
Continued Advances
"Rev. Hight continued his ad-
vances and l finally discovered that
l returned his affection. About
three months ago he suggested that
he give me some poison to give to
my husband and he would do the
same to his wife.
"At first l was Mortified, but he
talked so plausibly and l had such
confidence in him that it seemed to
me to be right to do it. We then
finally agreed that l was to admin
lister poison to my husband, Wilford
Sweetin, and he was to administer
poison to his wife, Anna Hight, and
when week or two later my hus-
band was hurt in the mine, Law.
renee Hight gave me a paper pack
age which he told me contained poi
son and he told me to give some of it
to Wilford in anything.
"Wilford was hurt in the mine on
the night of July 16 and the follow
ing day we went to Benton and went
to drug store and got some ice
cream and soda water and on the
way home l gave Wilford. my hus-
band, some chocolate candy in which
l had mixed some poison. He be-
came very ill but later seemed to
grow better and on Tuesday gave
him more poison in oatmeal, Mr.
Hight having given me more poison
in the meantime.
Poisoned Again
with medical attention Wilford
seemed to grow better again and
after DR.. S. A. Thompson had wait
ed on him Friday. July rs, ad-
ministered the final dose of poison
and he grew worse and died July 20,
the final dose having been mixed in
tomato soup.
Every time Mr.. Hight came to
the house during Wilford's illness
he gave me a note of encouragement
to give Wilford more poison. did
not know and he did not tell me
when he poisoned his wife but when
she became ill and died l supposed
he had poisoned her. Until 1 be-
came infatuated with Mr.. Hight
had led blameless life and had al
ways been true wife and mother
and it is true, so help me God"
Taken to Breakfast
After signing the confession, Mrs
Sweetin accompanied by the states
attorney and the clergyman, had
breakfast. Immediately after break.
fast she was taken before justice
of peace, waived preliminary hear.
ing and the case was turned ovel
to the grand jury. 1t was said she
would be among those indicted or
October %, together with the min
lister.
Mrs. Sweetin appeared worn anG
haggard, due to the 12-hour grind o.
grilling she underwent when con
fronted with the clergyman. Aftel
the hearing before the justice of th'
peace she was taken to a cell ad
joining the one occupied by the min
lister.
In an interview with an Associat
ed Press correspondent this morn
ing, after leaving Mrs. Sweetin, Rev
Hight gave brief sketch of his lif
and told how premonition tina
something would happen had warne'
him to stay away from Ina and hoy
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