Year: 1868

with Administering Strychnine to


her Parents, BROTHER, and Sisters.


From the Chicago Tribune, January 20.


An atrocious attempt to murder an en-
tire family, including the husband, wife,
and three children, by the administration
of strychnine, was perpetrated in the
north division of this city yesterday
noon, and member of the same house.
hold, Elizabeth Stang, not yet sixteen
years of age, is under arrest charged with
the crime. Andrew Stang, the head of
the family whose lives were thus endan-
gered, is probably one Of the wealthiest
Germans residing in the north division.
He, however, continues to labor, and
every member of the family is sup
posed to do his or her share to-
ward increasing the bank account. It is
believed that this desire to accumulate,
bordering nearly on avarice, on the part of
the old people, was the impelling cause
which led the young girl to attempt the
life of her relations. She complains Bit
terly Of having been oVerworked and then
ill-treated because she did not earn suffi-
cient money to suit the grasping notions of
her parents. She totally denies the act,
and even ventures to accuse her mother,
not only of the deed, but also with an at
tempt to fasten the crime upon her, as she
contends, an innocent party. Our reporter
visited her in her cell, and received from
her detailed history Of her life, and also
her version Of the circumstances Of the
crime. Her statement regarding the poi
soniDg was given in remarkably clear,
firm, and unwavering manner, and she had
every appearance of person who was
telling the truth.


STATEMENT OF THE PRISONER.


My name is Elizabeth Stang; I am
nearly sixteen years Of age; I have a
father, mother, two sisters, and brother !;
my father is said to be rich know he
owns houses; several entire squares of
land in the city, and farm but he has
always made me work hard, and earn mo-
ney in way that was degrading to me !;
my father is a gardener, and for years he
has made me peddle vegetables through
the streets. Whenever I objected to do
as I was bid my mother would threaten
to send me to the Reform school,
and for one year I was sent to the
Catholic asylum. My parents told the
people in charge that was very
bad girl, who would not mind them. Early
this morning I was sent to the stable to
feed the COWS. When I returned from
this work my mother found fault with me
and beat me in the most brutal manner.
An hour or so later, my father, mother, and
sister Margaret left home; but before
going, my mother gave me fifteen cents
with which to procure strychnine for rats,
I procured the article and placed it in
tin cup on the table. I made some coffee,
and my sister Rose said there was some
thing white in the coffee. l thought it
was -four, and said so to her. She wanted
me to pour it out, but just then my father
came home, and did not have time to
make new coffee, since he would whip
me if the coffee was not done. l placed
no poison in the coffee, and did not
know what became of the poison after
placed it on the table. I believed that my
mother placed the poison in the coffee, and
then, to hide her own guilt and lay the
blame on me, she made me get some poi
son, and thus make itseem as if had done
it. My mother, about month ago, said
she was tired Of living, and threatened to
poison herself. When she came home to-
day she sat down to the table, and almost
before she had ate anything she said the
food was poisoned, and she accused me Of
the deed. Father seid he could not be-
lieve was so bad girl. I had also taken
some of the coffee, and it made me vomit.
MY mother said 1 had poisoned them, and
I would certainly 60 to the Reform school,
where she wanted me. She then told me
to leave the house. wandered about the
streets for hours, and at last sought refuge
in the house of Mrs. Horn, who lives nearly
across the street from US. From there
was taken away by the physician and lock-
ed up in the prison.


THE MOTHERS STATEMENT.