Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-12-04
New Program Due
For Sanitary Board
Prisoner, II, Traced
By Last Letter to Girl
BY MARY LOU WERNER
Star Stafi Correspondent

CHARLES TOWN, w. Va, Dec.
4.-"You can have your other
boy friend I have i. another
sweet little girl just as pretty
and sweet as you" 72-year-old
William F. Knighton said in a
letter to 13-year-old Molly Kid
well the day before police say he
poured deadly dose of arsenic
into her family'S drinking cistern.
Knighton, a ragged old man,
who police say was noted for the
attentions he paid teen-age girls
hereabouts. hanged himself in his
cell here early yesterday, after
three murder argos were
placed against him in the arsenic
death of Molly's father, William
S. Kidwell, AZ, and the two
youngest Kidwell sons, Charles.
2, and Thomas, /.
Molly, her mother and six
other children are still in WASH
ington County Hospital at
Hagerstown. Md, recovering
from the effects of the poisoned
water.
Major Clue In Case
The letter, which Knighton
sent Molly on November 8, was
one of the principal clues in
breaking the case, according to
West Virginia State Trooper
y. E. burst.
1t gave police their first real
motive-revenge by Knighton
against the KidwellS because he
felt they made light of his affec-
tons for pretty young Molly. A
subsequent check of hardware
stores showed Knighton recently
bought two one-quart cans of a
poisonous weed killer containing
SO per cent sodium arsenites.
The incident that touched off
the macabre triple Staying &C.
Cured at the Kidwell's hillside
home on November Z. That was
the day the Kidwells buried a
10-month-old daughter who suf-
located in her crib, police said
Knighton, who lived alone in
an implanted hovel at Bolivar,
went to the Kidwell house IS
miles away at Kearneysville to
pay his respects. An 18-year-old
boy who recently became in
.terested in Molly was there.
Knighton. police said, got angry
because the boy was introduced
as Mr.. Kidwell's brother and
left in a hun because he felt
Molly and her family were
teasing him.
Then Bought Poison
That same day, said Trooper
burst, Knighton bought his first
can of poisonous weed killer.
Two days later Knighton sent
Molly the tell-tale letter which
said:
Il am writing you this to let
you know our friendship is closed
as I am not coming back any
more. Wednesday November y
was my last visit. / didn't think
that of you to act that smart,
which is the cause of all Of it.
you won't receive any more
nice things from me, candy, cakes
and chewing gum
"The money you were supposed
to get on the LIST Of December is
all cancelled"
He was referring to a type
written statement Sheriff Shir-
ley Hunt Of Jefferson County
motorized last September 10 in
which Knighton specified Molly
was to get $50 a month from him.
beginning December /, until she
received a total Of $4,000.
Trooper burst said police have
been unable to locate any money,
however. and doubt that any ex-
listed. They believe Knighten
lived only on a small social Sc
lcurity income and relief and had
mo railroad retirement pension,
as he sometimes boosted.
Money to Another
In the letter, Knighton said he
already had transferred the
money to another sweet little
girl just as pretty and sweet as
you are" The letter also said:
She don't have them crazy
ways like you got-so you can
have your other boyfriend now
as you like because / won't be
back anymore.
You know l don't like to be
insulted like / was Wednesday.
j told others why I'm quitting.
That radio you've got Of mine.