Speece, John - larcency + - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

The arrest of John Speece on the complaint of John Wilson, charging him with grand larceny, brings with it a review of some passages in the life of Wilson’s wife who, it is alleged, assisted Speece in the robbery and then eloped with him. Mary Edna Wilson, together with her husband and one or more grown daughters, occupied a house on Georgia Street, near the canal in 1848, the property then being owned by her husband, John Wilson. The daughters, as alike the establishment, were not of good repute, and their house at times was the resort of females of doubtful virtue. On the night of November 25, 1868, a young man named Frank Stanley called at the house to see one of the inmates, and was refused admission. He went away, but shortly returned, and while standing at the gate threatening to affect an entrance by force, he was shot dead by someone within the house.

Wilson and his wife were both arrested for the crime and lodged in jail. A day or two later the woman confessed that she fired the shot and her husband was at once set at liberty. At that time, as now, John Wilson was a hard working man, and had the sympathies of all who knew him for the bad conduct of his family and his unfortunate connection with the woman who fired the fatal shot. Mrs. Wilson was put upon trial in the criminal court January 14, 1869, on charge of murder in the second degree. On the second day of the trial the jury returned a verdict of manslaughter, with penalty of imprisonment in the county jail “at hard labor” for a term of six months; and upon this verdict sentence was passed. Nancy E. Clem was also at that date a prisoner in the county jail, and upon her solicitations the Wilson woman was permitted to cell with her. The cell of Mrs. Clem adjoined that in which were incarcerated Wm. J. Abrams and Silas Hartman, her brother, both indicted as accomplices in the murder of the Youngs. Mrs. Wilson was a listener to many conversations which took place between Mrs. Clem, her brother and Abrams, after the cells had been locked up for the night; and she was present and overheard the entire conversation between Mrs. Clem and her brother the night before the death of Hartman.

Although frequently importuned by the reporters, she would never repeat any portion of the conversation that she heard pass between the parties. After she had served her time, and had been at liberty for several months, Mrs. Clem having in the meantime been convicted and sent to the penitentiary, the writer attempted to obtain the coveted information from her, but was unsuccessful. She was then as reticent, as during her time in jail, when she would scarcely speak to anyone except Mrs. Clem.

Yesterday a Journal reporter approached Mr. Speece as to his knowledge of the affair, if any, obtained from Mrs. Wilson. He said that he had often heard Mrs. Wilson speak of Mrs. Clem as an innocent party to the murders of the Youngs, and that she (Mrs. Wilson) knew the persons who committed that murder, but would never tell who they were. Further than this he had no recollection of her remarks. Mrs. Wilson’s statements are not known at present