Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2026 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== USGenNet Data Repository Notice: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== Detroit Free Press Tuesday, 5 April, 1859 Another terrible crime was yesterday added to the list which has within a few months swelled to a frightful ex- tent in our city. A man named EDWARD H. BENEDICT, an Ameri- can by birth, living on Michigan avenue, in the Ninth Ward, stabbed his wife through the heart at about 11 o'clock, inflicting a wound of which she died within half an hour. The deed was committed under the influence of passion, which was perhaps inflamed by indulgence in liquor. There were more remote causes which led to the tragedy, which we shall endeaver to explain. The first intimation that was received of trouble in the family was cries issuing from the house, followed by the appearance of MRS. BENEDICT, who ran out of the front gate and immediately fell to the ground. Several persons hastened to her assistance, and carried her into the house when she was found to be in a dying condition. At the same time her husband was discovered running out of the barn, and making for the woods, which were half a mile or more distant. - He had a chain in his hand, which appeared to be intended for a weapon of defence, but which would seem to have been for another purpose, which afterwards transpired. He was pursued, and seemed bewildered, and finally stopped until his pursuers came up, when he made no resistance to his arrest. The citizens who took him into custody gave him into the charge of officer MAHANY, who came up soon after, and he was taken to jail immediately. Upon being taken in- to custody he acknowledged the deed, and fell on his knees, with hands clasped, imploring mercy from heaven. While on the way to jail he made several statements, which did not differ from those which he afterwards made to our reporter, and which are given below. The pair lived in a small brown house which stood by itself, and had three children. The house was filled with people when our reporter arrived on the spot, a short time after the occurrence, and the corpse was laid out on the floor, where a post mortem examination was made by Dr. DAVENPORT. The wound penetrated the heart. There was very little bleeding outside, but the cavity of the heart was filled with blood. Justice MARTIN impanneled a jury, who were sworn, and adjourned to meet again this morning. At an interview which our reporter had with the prisoner at the jail he made a statement which he maintained to be true in every particular. In this he stated that a diffi- culty had for some time existed between himself and his wife, on various causes. One was that some time since he deeded to her a farm worth $3,000, which she has since held, and refused to allow him to particupate in. Lately she declared that she should leave him, telling him openly that there was a man in the city whom she liked better, and who was the father of her last child. This exasper- ated him, and perhaps induced him to drink more than he had been accustomed to. Yesterday he had some whiskey in the house, of which he drank moderately. She had $40 in her possession which she had lately received, some of which he desired her to let him have to pay debts with. She re- fused to do so, and an altercation ensued, in which there were hard words on both sides, and the old matter of the other man was brought up by her in a manner that greatly enraged him. She again declared her intention of leaving him, and had packed up some things preparatory to doing so, when he again demanded the money, and was answered by her that he must take her heart's blood first. With that he drew out a pocket knife and plunged it into her breast. He instantly recovered from his passion and realized the extent of the deed, and, in a fit of desperation, ran to the barn, where he seized a chain, and attempted to hang himself to a beam. The chain slipped off the beam, and, hearing people in the house, he took it in his hand and ran for the woods, intending to accomplish his object there, but was prevented by the pursuit that was made. He was evidently desperate, and determined to commit suicide if possible. He is an American, as above stated, and has the appear- ance of being an intelligent man. His reputation is that of a quiet, inoffensive person and many who have known him a long time were astonished that he should commit the act. His wife was considered an energetic woman, and was universally esteemed by her acquaintances. He has been doing nothing for some time. Her relatives say that they have had very little difficulty, and that he never offered her violence before. He is cast down completely, and de- clares that no punishment in this world or the next would be too heavy if he could, by enduring it patiently, bring her back to life. The act was evidently committed in a sudden and uncontrollable fit of passion, and as quickly repented of. - He was formerly turnkey in the jail in this city, and went to Mexico in the regiment which left here for the war. He was also concerned at one time in an af- fair with a man named McLAUGHLIN, in which he was severely stabbed, but from which he was exonerated. His father lives in the township of Redford, in this county. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lansing State Journal Tuesday, 7 June, 1859 EDWARD H. BENEDICT, convicted in the Recorder's Court of manslaughter, in the killing of his wife, and who was sentenced to fifteen years in the State Prison, left for Jackson on Wednesday, in charge of an officer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Transcriber's Note: There are many newspapers that carried similar articles regarding this murder. None of them mention the wife's name, referring to her only as "Mrs. Benedict", "his wife", or similar names. My research has found that her name was EMILY (HAGGERTY) BENEDICT. In 1850 they lived in Redford Twp., Wayne County, MI. At that time Edward is 30 years of age and Emily is 19 years of age. ===============================================================================