Boredom of Life
Led Mrs. Sweetin
to Slay Husband
•
No Romance in Home of
Miner Husband; Turned
to Hight to Relieve
Tedium of Living.
(Continued from r*cr One.)
J'.Ut I always remembered l was mar
lied to another man.
“He told me that Ids wife didn't
love him and that he didn't r are any
thing about her. By then lie was like
Hod to me and whatever'tie told me,
1 believed. So, when he told me t
didn't love Wilford, and that Wilford
didn't rare for me, i believed that
too.
“It was dusk one day. and we were
standing on the church steps at Ina
when he told me he couldn't live
without me, that he had to have me
and that If he couldn’t havK me any
other way, he'd get rid of Ids wife
and marry me.
Turn* to God.
"i thought of divorce. I went
home and prayed to remain u good
wife and mother. I couldn’t sleep
and Hod forsook me. Hight no
longer prayed with me. lie just loved
me. T was a slave and he was a king.
1 worshiped him and thought he could
do no wrong. I had erred but never
sinned. For my errors I could ask
forgiveness «nd did, but for my sins
there was no prayer. My lips were
silent and my heart mute.
VI loved Anna, his wife. T thought
sh4 was too good for him. And I
think she loved me, but I couldn't
1-ajse my eyes to hers, for I loved her
husband.
‘'It was on another night and again
ln;,;church that my jmstor told me
Ihbt I belonged to him and that he
was mine. 'We've got to get rid of
Hijjm,’ he said. ‘We're going to kill
t h|*m.'
VI ran down the slepa and down the
roj||i. It was terrible, too terrible to
think about. 1 went home and drop
ped to my knees and prayed and
when my husband came home, I
cojaldn’t talk to him and I couldn't'
coifoe near him.
The Downfall.
jjjThe more I tried to forget what
might had said, the more it persisted
ini,my mind. And then it just seemed
ilfjit I had to do what he told me, so
wfijpn he gave me the poison I put
it In the things my husband ate.
-pit didn't seem terrible any more.
T,fi\e was the greatest thing in the
wbhld. It didn't matter if you killed
frtf it, if you stole for it. if you cheat
ed: and lied. If your love was great
ciijough. and Clodiy enough, all was
fdfgiven. No'one who loved could
do wrong and it didn't matter what
the world said.
“And when Sweetin died I wasn't
n all sorry. The pastor preached
title sermon. I remember that it was
a jjgood m-rmon. jjue line stands out.
said: 'I don't feel'Worthy to do
ttits.’ meaning to preach the sermon
lilt my husband.’
• “After the body was burled, Hight
wplked home with me and he said:
Well, that’s over. I wish the rest
i>( the job was off my mind.'
"We had a $1,000 in insurance and
i paid that on the home and then
I ;bad just a little bit left. I went to
work rlerklng for six dollars a week
but that kept my three boya and me
with the help I got from my family.
“Then I began to think how much
I had loved my husband and how
good he had been to me. He gave me
everything I wanted but he wnsn t
sweet—and Hight was sweet.
Retribution.
“If I could have gotten Wilford
back. I would have. After all, I had
been married to him 16 years and a
women gets used to her man. I was
afraid that Hight would poison Anna
ind I didn’t want him to do It. 1
old him I didn't.
“T didn’t want to many Hight then
'ur he wasn't good to me any more.
I got tired of him. My mind came
i ack to me and I knew he wasn't
nearly as good as I thought he was.
I w>ns a woman and he was a man
ind a preacher and he shouldn't have
nit sin in my mind and murder in
rny heart. I just wanted to think
Hunt my children.
"Do you know, I think he's a cow
i'd. He shouldn’t have said anything
'bout me. And I have three children:
They re so rlotr:
"And then I began thinking that I
nasn't any better than he, and that I
,vaa a wicked woman. He kept tell
ing me he loved me. and we were
planning for a time when we could
go away and forget that there had
»ver been anybody else for either
■if tis.
"I didn't try to pray sny more, and
he didn't pray with me.
“It wasn’t that he was good-look
ing, or appealing, or anything else.
i It was just that he was so different
I and he loved roe.”
The tale becomes repetttlonery as
ithe woman attempts to expound anti
clarify her own beliefs and motives.
He loved nit" becomes the obligato
to the emotional strain lie killed
her.” Klsle Sweetin wishes that II
might have heen dlff rent, but—”
Reward.
"I couldn't have been happy.” she
philosophizes. "Ills face—my hus
band's—was always before me. It Is
now. I think of hint and I know
now that l loved him more than I
could love Hight. He was a coward
not to protect me. lie drew me out
of my happy life wilh a promise of
something better, anti 1 have—this.
"Why did I do It? That's what 1
am thinking about. But I didn't
have any sense. I just knew that
somebody was commanding me to do
things and 1 did.
“There is no more murder in my
heart. I couldn't kill again—not
even Hight. My heart is clean.
"But what can 1 say? 1 have
killed because I loved too greatly
and now I have nothing.”
The story of a burned out passion
is glided. The undefined shounders
shrug with inner cold. The eyes look
out dully as If visualizing the vast,
dreaded future stretching endlessly
ahead. And the woman who killed
turns to the hard cot In her cell as
the steel door clangs shut behind her
interviewer.
Sans prayer, sans faith, sans love
Klsle Sweet!n stands alone with her
thoughts.
20 Bands to Combine
in Concerts at Kearney
Kearney, Xeb.. Sept. 24.—Twelve
bands have accepted invitations to
participate in Kearney's musical fes
tical October 7 and 8. It is expected
that the entry list wiien completed
will total 20 bands scattered through
(he trade area. A $350 cash prize
goes to the winner in the band con
test and every entrant is assured a
premium down to $25, the total prize
money exceeding $1,000. A feature
on both evenings of tlie band festival
will be a concert participated in by ail
bands assembled^ here, in which be*
tween 300 and 400 pieces are expected
to take part.
--si
Nebraska
News
Nubbins
__—-*
Beatrice.—Rolf Huls, farmer and
stork raiser In Hanover township,
died at his home, after a brief Illness.
He was «0 years of age. and leaves
his widow and a family of grown
children.
Bine Springs.—Mrs. W M. Cope
land died at her home at Fayette.
Idaho, after a prolonged illness. The
body was brought to Blue Springs,
the former home of the deceased, for
burial. Her husband was formerly
Burlington agent at Blue Springs.
C'oluinJiiw.—Knights of Columbus
elected the following officers: Grand
knight, John Miller; deputy grand
knight, Joseph Stanzel; chancellor,
A. W. Filscholz; recording secretary,
Martin Messing: financial aercetary,
Ij. K, Ilerrod: treasurer, I.eo Mosr
sen; advocate, William O’Brien,
warden, Clarenre Sihwlnd; inner
guard. Dr. F. W. Heonard; trustee,
Thomas AVade, and lecturer, Henry'
Woerth.
Beatrice.—B. H.. Oden, for more
than 40 years a Beatrice resident, was
given a dinner by his daughter, Mrs.
, Pearl Hamilton, in celebration of his
I 70th birthday aniversary. Fourteen
| members nf the family were present.
I WHY I QUIT
GOING
TO CHURCH
Rupert Hughes is
so drastic in this
article that,if you’ve
been backsliding,
he may irritate you
into going bach to
church just to prove
how wrong he is
in October
(Ssinopolitan
Out Now
Suite Will Not
Seek Death for
Woman Slaver
; Prosecutor to \>k Extreme
Penalty for Hight, but
Life Sentence for His
Accomplice, He Says.
(Continued from I’tut* One.)
j do. He suggested poison as tht* solu
tion. She was frightened at first.
Rut lie won her over—she poisoned
her husband.
Jlight breached the. funeral ser
mon. walked home with her after the
body was burled.
“As be walked homo with me be
said. ‘Well, that's o\a*r. 1 wish the
rest of the job was off my hands.'
The rest of th»> job was the slaying
of his Wife.”
Six weeks later Mrs. Might was
dead, lie had poisoned her. as he
said he would. Then the horror of
it all dawned on Mrs. Sweetin.
• Idol is Sheltered.
“My mind came back to me.” she
said. lie wasn’t nearly as good as
1 thought he was. J couldn't marry
him. His face—the face of mv hus
band. was always before me. 1 knew
then it was my husband T really
loved. J.ut It is too late he’s gone-*
I killed him.”
Might is a coward, the woman de
clared. He is repulsive to her. Hone
is every hit of love she thought she
had for him. swallowed in the abyss
of the crime.
“He was always a coward/' she
cried, “or he would have protected
me when he found I was weak. It
was he who put murder in my heart,
and he knew better.' ’
The children of the two families—•
innocent victims of this crime-—were
taken from their broken homes today.
The children of Hight were taken by
relatives and given homes. The
three children of Mrs. Rweetin arc*
to go to the Masonic orphanage. Roth
I’.nt h Might nnd Wllford Sweet tn
Wt'l'p .VlHlHin*.
Girl'ii Identity learned.
The Identity of the little iwhool girl
wfyojw picture was found In Hipht's
home was learned today. She clIcmI
two years npo under c*irruniHtan<'es
that are being Investigated. Her
name was (trace Klliott. She died Oc
toiler la. 1922, after a long Illness,
which the doctors pronounced ty
phoid fever.
The little girl, some 1a years old
at the time, was organist In Might's
church. She spent much time at his
home—his wife became jealous of her.
Might has denied .that he killed the
child. *Bwt arsenic, his favorite
poison, sometimes ads when given in
small doses over a long period like
typhoid The symptoms are said to
tie much the same. The child’s father
said today he never suspected she
died from other than typhoid: he does
not think so now. Hut the authorities
will continue the investigation.
Other Women Involved.
There are other chapters In the life
of the minister that may lie investi
gated. it is now apparent to the au
thorities that while cloaked as a
minister he frequently strayed from
tile pat it of righteousness. There are
women, It is said, who have kept
silent when they might have revealed
the true character of the man. These
may lie interrogated by the authori
ties.
Might said today he would not em
ploy a lawyer. Me expressed ihe de
sire to go into court and plead guilty.
From questions he asketl It was re
vealed tie holies by pleading guilty
he w'ill escape the death penalty. But
it is not believed the court will take
his plea of guilty. Me probably will
lie given a trial before a jury. The
stale's attorney feels sure the verdict
will be deaths
The woman, her relatives say, will
have a lawyer. She has expressed a
desire to fight for her life. She does
not believe a jury will hang her after
her story has been told. State's At
torney Thompson indicated he would
not press for the death penalty In her
case.
Mass of Kvidence.
‘‘I have been too busy getting these
confessions to think much of the
punishment,” he said today. There is
a mass of evidence to he gotten to
get her for the grand Jury. After It
I* all assembled the states attorne>
will know better h«>w to proceed.
The coroner's jury that made Its
re|M»rf today found that Hweqflll
“came to his death by means of
arsenic wilfully and maliciously ad*
ministered by his wife at the instiga
tion of Might, in conformity with an
agreement between them to murder
Swectin.” And this same Jury found
that Mrs. Might “tame to her death
bv arsenic administered with ma
licious aforethought by her husband."
In the eves of the law both are
equally guilty, but the judge may
hold there was mitigation in the
crime of Mrs. Sweetin, in that she
was under the influence of the strong
er will of the minister. So she may
escape with life imprisonment.
Members of the coroner's Jury were
bitter against the minister when they
were dismissed. They openly declared
he should l»e hanged.
The grand jury is expected to re
turn indictments In October and a
short time later, probably at the same
term cf court, the two prisoners will
be tried for their lives.
Burgess Bedtime
Stories
Ity THORNTON W. Ill KOKHS.
R«grel» have ever b*on too lat«;
On thin I pray you meditate.
HowHf-r the Hound.
A Surprise fur Three.
“Bow wow-wow-ow-ow-ow!" roared
Hie gi-eat voire of Bowser the Hound,
as his wonderful nose was filled with
the fresh, strong went of Reddy Fox
besjde the barn. This was the kind
of a trail It was a joy to follow. He
knew that Reddy was only a little
way ahead of him. This was a trail
that could he followed at hia best
speed.
Down along the side of the barn
Bowser raced, haying as only he can
hay. Around the corner, across the
cow yard hack of the barn, around
the next corner and up along the
other side of the barn the trail of
Reddy Fox led Bowser. Then out
straight across the barnyard toward
where Bowser had left Inc' Billy
Possum the trail led.
.Vow, Farmer Brown's Boy had been
very busy In the burn living a pen in
which to keep I’ne' Billy Possum.
He was working by lantern light At
the first roar of Bowser's great voice
he gave a start of surprise. Knr »
moment he stood listening. Then tie
dropped hl« tools and ran for the
barn door, lie got there Just Sn t me
"Bovv vvovv-w ovv-ovv ovv!” mat ed the
great voice of Bowser the llinind.
to see Reddy Fox running across the
barnyard toward where Bowser had
been left watching Unc’ Kill^ Pos
sum. Is- t
In that first, quick glance he saw
that Unc’ Billy wasn't there, lit dis
covered it at the same Instant that
Reddy Fox discovered It. It Is n ques
tion which was the more surprised—
Farmer Brown’s Boy at seeing Red
dy Fox there In the barnyard, or
Reddy Fox at the discovery that Unc'
Billy Possum was no longer stretched
out there, it was hard for Reddy to
believe Ids eves. But he had no time
to try to find out what had become
of Unc’ Billy Possum. Bowser the
Hound was already turning the cor
ner of the barn. Reddy s|>ed away
into the Black Shadows.
With a shout Farmer Brown's Boy
ran to head Bowser off. He didn't
want Bowser chasing Reddy Fox all
night. He caught Bowser at the very
place where 1 'm' Billy Possum had
been left. He spoke sharply to Bow
ser. Bowser put his tail between his
legs and erawled to his master s feet.
He whined. He was trembling ail
over with excitement and eagerness
to keep on after Reddy Fox. But he
obeyed his master.
"Well, sir, what do von mean by
this?" dema tided Farmer Brown's
IJo.v sternly. "What ha* become of
that 1‘iiMUtn I told you to watch?"
It wasn’t until that very tnatant
that Bowser remembered t!nc’ Billy
Possum. He looked around, expect
ing to see him lying there. Such *
funv look as there was on Bowser i
face when he discovered that no Pos
sum- was In sight. How rould a dead
Possum get away? It hadn t l>een
over three minutes sinee he had start
ed after Reddy c*oi Yet that Possum
had disappeared. It muat be that
Reddy Fox hod picked him up and
Carried him away.
Bowser waa filled with ahame. You
never have seen a dog more ashamed
than was Bowser the Hound as he
r ZI'
looked up in hla mastar e face. Ha
been left to watch that Posenii* }
an<l now lhat Poasum was go"*
(C’opyrlirhf. 1*24 )
The next atory: -(.lever Old Vn
Billy." _ i_
RESIDENTS FIGHT
RAIL EXTENSION
Stanley and Helen Labedx an<t
Walter and Jennie Wllczewskl. fil-4
suit In district court. Becking to eri.
join the l/nlon Pacific railroad front
extending Its side track across Ihar
intersection of Twenty-eighth and i4
streets and In front of their homes/
~ ' ' —^1
I
PREMIUM
ls SODA CRACKERS
TRY Premium Soda Cracker* with a bit
of cheese and a glass of milk for that be -
fore-bedtime snack. They are slightly
salty and deliciously crisp.
In packages, family size containers or
by the pound, at your grocer’s.
NATIONAL
' Biscurr COMPANY
? i
Jacquettes
Scarfs
Coats
Capes
Old Furs for New
Remodeling at Summer Prices
Really beautiful new garments may be made lrom
the old furs that you do not enjoy wearing, or that
you have packed away as useless. Until September
30, we extend the summer rates of our fur factory.
THIRD FROOR
;
-’-rr nj
A _ )
Omaha’s Greatest Event!
a.hospe co:s
/
50th Anniversary Sale :
Till9p.m.X Scores of Factories Co-operating
^ Make Possible These Lowest Prices
J in the History of Omaha
£. UPRIGHTS C°IT!eT°nl81!1!!
, And See for Yourself the
y Terms Beautiful Pianos at Re
^or ^ dicuously Low
PLAYER PIANOS ^
$A A Beautiful Guaranteed X.’ Arrangements Made Over Six ’
/B /B Months Ago With the Fac
ttttO BABY GRANOS
Reductions as Great as $400 on Fine Grands S&Ve ^/3
CONSOLE PHONOGRAPHS \ to
OO All Makes Priced $68 and Up. 1 \
Out-of-Town Folks Out-of-Town Folks—Please Use This Coupon
r ^ __ UKNTMMEN—Please send me complete list ami »
f 1 1Co‘“H,n -"«—*«««' *"*»«'«" dnrrlptlnn nf N.w l',.n,.. I-...I IM.nn. N.v. Phi,
will bn (Iv.n your l.tt.r- ramMnb.r w. pr,p. »r..,h .r.-U..d l l.y.r. -H.by Grand. Phono,m*h.
and guarantee satisfaction (small town dealers not
included In this sala). (Mark an X After the One You Are Interested in '
This store bsars a national reputation fur l.OW
PRICE SELLING. Name .....
“OUR REPUTATION TOR SQUARE.
DEALING YOUR GUARANTEE" Address . j
I ~ _
A. HOSPE
1513 Douglas Street
t \ a s
