22. Old Time Misfortune: The Sensational Case of Clara O'Neill

In this episode of The Lethal Library, hosts Stephanie and Dani dive into a true crime tale from Idaho's early 20th century archives. They explore the sensational and tragic story of Frederick Seward and Clara O'Neill. Frederick, lovesick and desperate, ends up committing a heinous crime in 1908 Moscow, Idaho. The duo brings to light all the gritty details from the time, including the shockingly direct headlines and vernacular of newspapers back then. From Frederick's tragic attempts at suicide to his ultimate fate at the gallows, this episode is packed with historical drama, yellow journalism, and a wild trip into old-timey Idaho. Tune in to learn about the twisted web of romance and murder that captivated a town and ended in a somber execution.

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Transcript

Stephanie: 0:30

Alright. Welcome back to another episode of The Lethal Library. I'm Stephanie. I'm Danny, and we are here to tell you another true crime tale from Idaho. This episode is a little bit different. We're going way, way back in the records, kind of an old timey case, and I'm, I'm pretty excited for it just because it's not something that we normally do. but Danny, what do you got for us? Well, I have to tell you, I had a lot of fun researching this one. I'm actually very excited about this. The old timey, uh, I had fun researching it. Uh, there was a lot of. Uncommon words that we no longer use today. So, if you hear that, know that a lot of this is from news articles and we might be quoting them. Yeah. This is from news articles from the 19 hundreds. So you're gonna hear some words that might be not, not okay. Now. Not. Okay. Now I really try to play them down, but here we be and, uh. Anyways. I hope you enjoy it. Super interesting case. Was this a desperate crime of passion? If I can't have her, no one will. What hold did this woman have on this man? Oh, in Moscow, Idaho. On October 19th, 1908. Ms. Clara O'Neill was found dead. At two o'clock in the afternoon. Frederick Seaward had shot her in a store room in the back of the house that was formerly occupied by Grace Fleming. 20-year-old Clara was found lying in a pool of her own blood that covered the, nearly the whole floor. This was all in the newspaper. They're not holding back. They're giving all the de, all the dets. They hadn't learned that maybe you should keep some back so that you can verify things. Or if someone mentioned something you're like no one else would've known. They're probably like, come in fellas. Take your pictures. Yeah. Uh, not worried about evidence at all. And this was a time of like. I think they called it like yellow news or more sensationalized news. Very, it was about selling those papers. It was so a little sprinkle of like a TMZ vibe. Yeah. Was, I would say very accurate. There was no shame in it at all. Nope. Like who can write the most eye-catching story? Uh, and no regard for her family's feelings or loved one's feelings. They're just gonna give you the dirty dirt. I. They're selling papers. Clara was lying face down with a bullet from a 38 caliber Smith and Wesson 38 special. The bullet wound entered the right temple and exited at her left temple. Ooh, she had two additional shots to her chest. Newspaper's report. CLA paid the penalty of life she had led at the hands of her alleged lover. A little victim blaming here. Yeah, this is the sensationalism that we're gonna get here. Seaward then attempted to take his own life by shooting himself in the head, just above his right eye. A telephone call was made to the sheriff about a murder, and they quickly made their way to the scene. Sheriff JJ Keen and Deputy Sheriff Grant Robbins found both victims lying on the floor. Seaward was moaning and attempting to cut his own throat with a jackknife. Yikes. What a scene to come up on. Isn't it Just so sensa. I It's very sensational. This was I'm sure the talk of the town, so I had to look up what a jacknife was. What is that? It's just a folding knife. Oh, yeah. So, okay. The more you know. Thank you because I was like. Maybe I should know that. I don't know. I'm like, I have no idea what a jackknife is. I go, it's a folding knife. It's a pocket knife. You heard it here first. Folks. Uh, Clara had been living in the house for several months and went by the name of Grace Wilson. Scandalous, very mysterious. She is a daughter of a well-to-do and respectable people. Clara is the mother of a three-year-old daughter that is crippled from the waist down and is living somewhere in Spokane. And this is the kind of language that I'm talking about that was in the paper. We would never refer Yeah. To somebody as, but it was, that was the vernacular at the time. Clara was from Wallace, Idaho and had been separated from her husband for two years. Her most recent employment in Palouse was at a sporting house. What, tell me, Danny, what is a sporting house? Well, a sporting house is where they do a little gambling. Ooh. A little drinking. Oh, a little womanizing. Okay, we're getting the vibes. Okay. We're getting the vibes. Okay. Okay. It was also reported that she came from good parents that did not know of her waywardness until she was murdered a rebel. I think she was probably having a lot of fun. She's 20, she's out there. She's doing what she wants to do. Clara had just arrived in Moscow on Saturday and registered at the Hotel Del Norte under the name of Ms. Lawrence from Spokane. Sounds fancy. I love the, I love the alter egos. I know, uh, seaward has moved to the Inland Hospital where his wounds were dressed, but his recovery is in question.

Dani: 6:36

Uh oh.

Stephanie: 6:37

Trigger warning, his windpipe had been severed, so the doctors had to sew it back together. I just can't even imagine this. In the 19, in the twenties, 1908, oh God, this is before the Titanic. Yeah. Oh my God. The doctor stated the bullet wound would not kill him, but it will be a couple of days before they will know the true outcome. Well, yeah, they literally sewed his throat back together. They're like, this is probably gonna be infected.'cause we all coughed in it and weren't wearing gloves. Oh, we let all the reporters in. I bet you all the reporters came in and got touch it you. Yeah. Do you need to fill the wound for accuracy? For reporting? For reporting? Yes, I do. Doctor journalistic integrity. I can just picture they, because you know, that wasn't these protocols of no infection. Were they still putting leches on people in this time? Fuck yes. They were. Throw a couple leeches on the wound. Little bloodletting that don't, it's not gonna hurt'em. It's not gonna hurt'em. It's, oh, it can only help. Oh my God. Newspapers report that Clara was living at a house of ill Reput and Palouse. Oh. Not, and that is where she met Seaward, a tangled web. Her recent travels to Moscow was to search for work, and Seaward had followed her. They quarrel, and that's when Seaward shot her. What was the quarrel about? Do we know? Yes. Okay. I'll tell you. While recovering from shooting himself and slicing his own throat, wild seaward, signs of written confession. I wonder what, I wonder how much morphine he was on. Right? Because you know, they just pumped that shit. They're like, I watched Little House be comfy. I watched Little House. We all did right? Our was addicted to it. And you know what? They probably were having that. Cough syrup that had cocaine in it too. They're like, take some of this. Everyone loves this. Everyone feels great. You're gonna feel like a champ. It doesn't even matter if they don't have a cough. You'll feel amazing. Something in this is just very healthy for you. I didn't even if it makes you feel good, if it makes you happy, yeah. During the trial evidence showed that C word was living with Clara and Palouse, and she had left Moscow to escape her life of shame. During the trial, evidence showed that Seaward was living with Claire and Palouse, and she left to Moscow to escape her life of shame. Seaward followed her and tried to compel her to return. He had threatened to expose her to her parents as she did not come back with him. Okay, rude. I'm gonna tell your parents about all of this stuff. Leave me alone. C word. I'm living my life. He lured her into a vacant house outside of the rain, and while Clara was adjusting his neck tie, sea word, put his left arm around her neck and held her until he could shoot her. Not great behavior here. Why are you chasing a woman of the night? Mm. She doesn't want you. She's a professional. She doesn't want you. She has a job. She literally went to another fucking town, ba And I know that this is insensitive as well, but like the term like Captain save ho. Does she even wanna be saved? Like no, she doesn't. She's I be, she is ha She has the choice to be with her rich parents and live a life of Right. Propriety. She's and righteousness. She's doing her thing. Go girl. You do. You don't. You are handy. Back there, but I don't want you anymore. Yeah. Bye. Don't go looking for love at the, what is it called? A game house? Was that what it was? A game house. What is it? It's a racing something. God damnit. I'm gonna lose. Sorry, I thought I wrote it. It's, oh my God. It's racing something. What was, don't be looking for love in a sporting house. Thank you. In December, seaward is convicted of murder. Ooh. Judge EEC Steel, which is a great name, very cool name sentence, seaward to hanging. Yes. He said quote, it is the judgment of the court that you turned over. To the Warden of Idaho, the Idaho State Penitentiary at Boise, and they're executed by said warden, by hanging by the neck until dead, that this death sentence be executed on Friday, February 19th, 1909, between the hours of eight o'clock and 2:00 PM of said day. And this was the time where people were like. Y'all hear there's gonna be a hanging. Get the kids. Let's pack a picnic. Get the basket with the picnic. Honey. Don't forget to make those little things that you make. Those pastries, you can sell them. I love those people will really want those. Honey. Yeah, we can make a little extra money. The kids wanna bring their friends. Let's go play date. So awful. When the sentencing was read, seaward grasp the table for support. Uh, again, it's a little confusing to me because you were ready to try to remove yourself from the earth with very drastic measures. Mm-hmm. Cutting your own throat. I just can't, after you've shot yourself. Yeah. That's, you're, you're dedicated. I don't know what else to say. Yeah. But it's like you're. I guess if someone else is doing it though, and hanging, I mean, is not pretty. In early January, 1909, seaward was transferred to the Idaho State Penitentiary in a disheartened state and was placed under death watch. He had breakfast and then laid down for a few hours, but did not sleep. The 300 mile trip was not an easy one, and Seaward was very tired. So someone's sharing the, because these, this is from newspaper articles. Yeah. Correct. They have all the details. Oh, there's totally sharing. There's no, nobody from the correctional institution is keeping quite how they gonna know. Right. How would they know?

Dani: 13:58

They're never gonna know.

Stephanie: 14:00

Um, so that's quite a track.

Dani: 14:03

Hmm.

Stephanie: 14:04

Um, and I did some research on that and I'm pretty sure it was done by a horse and carriage travel. Um, I don't think that they, I mean, I, I don't think they had the railroad system from clear up north down here. Mm-hmm. And there are dirt roads and probably terrible dirt roads. Yeah. I mean, some of those canyons are fucking scary, so they probably use like an old Oregon trail. They're like, we can take this. That'll do see the ruts. Let's go follow the ruts. In early February, friends of seaward are trying to get a stay of execution. They're asking for a co, a commutation of a sentence, big word. The governor, James H. Brady is reviewing the transcripts from the trial to decide if a state should be issued. So the pardon board can take a look at the case. I can't even imagine what these transcripts look like. And this is interesting that the governor is the one reviewing. Mm-hmm. So clearly the legal system was quite a bit different. Yes. Like maybe, so governors can commute still. Mm-hmm. But like for appeals and things like that. And he's like, let me take a look. Let me see what I can do. Yeah. Interesting. I think governors had way more power. I think so too. They were like the president of their little state. I'm the president of Idaho. Uh, but they're not scheduled to meet until after the scheduled execution date. Oh, everyone's busy. We've got John's going on vacation. He's going down to the Hell Canyon. It's gonna take him 17 business weeks like we've got. So, you know, Mary's having a baby. You need an appeal. Shit, wait. It's really, we're just booked. I'm so sorry. All a Goldie. Nobody looked at my calendar. Yeah, I have a vacation. We're going to Reno. Prison officials say seaward seems to be resting with a fairly clear mind, very detailed. He is reading a lot. Sleeps fairly well. And eats with a normal appetite. He's fairly, fairly, fairly, fairly. Well, they've got like their notepad, they're watching him sleep. Mm-hmm. I bet you these guys, how much are they gonna pay me for my story? Exactly. They're waiting for something juicy. They're like, you know, the other day he farted and smelled it. John, you wanna meet me at the bar when we're done? And I will just tell you his whole day I kept notes. He ate. Three servings of corn from the cafeteria. Could you believe it? Yeah. He liked his cold alt oatmeal. Wild. Uh, Seward's father came to visit him and also met with Governor Brady to ask for a stay of execution for his son. On February 18th, the governor granted a state until April 7th. The state is so seaward may appeal the case to the Supreme Court or present it to the board of Pardons. Okay. Either way, and I'm sure Seaward, it's like, I'll take whatever. Yeah. They're giving him some more time. Sure. In April, the Board of Pardons extended this stay until May 7th, so they can review his case, get back from vacation, but we're all booked after their meeting on April 27th, they declined to intervene. They're like, no. Seward's attorney argued before the board that seaward is facing death without friends or sufficient funds to pay for an attorney, but to no avail. I Nola speak. I know I love it. But to no avail. No avail. so they're pleading, I mean, this is, he's gonna die alone. Mm-hmm. A lonely death. And they're putting this in the newspaper like this is their DEF defense. Give him hard time. He's lonely. He's gonna die alone. Mm-hmm. After the rejection, it is reported that Seaward had seemed to accept his fate and is actually jocular. Jocular. I know a bonus word. That's not even in my vocabulary. It's joking, humorous. Thank you, Danny, because I was like, I'm gonna have to fucking look it up now. Um, I don't know if I said it correctly, but that's what that word is. That's what it looks like. It says. So sound off if let us know. He is again, under death. Watch when Seaward learned of the board's decision. He stated. All right. Let them shoot their wad. When is this big thing gonna come off? I can just picture like some guard in the corner and be like, quote that directly. Yes. Yes. They're gonna pay me 17 cents for the story I'm going to. It could be just to get some beers down with the pup. It could be generational wealth. You never know. Warden Snook. It said sea word showed brutal indifference, but with his impending death, he is slowly becoming humbled. Sea word professed to have accepted religion and is relying on his faith. He is ready to pay the price of his crime. Sea word is spending most of his time writing letters to relatives and friends, and he is talking about his salvation and his belief in the hereafter. Dead for him. I just love the verbiage that they used in favor. Yeah. Warden Snook is preparing for the execution and is limiting the audience attending per Seward's request. How gracious. I bet. I bet. People were pissed. They're like, oh, you can't just go see a hanging anymore. What does this world come to? Gosh, we can't even have fun activities anymore. What the hell? Government overreach. And I'm not even gonna be able to sell my wife's baked fucking goods. We made 300 pastries for this event. We're fucked. Can we, is that a write off? Probably not. This. Okay, sorry. Warden Snook will also stretch a canvas over the scaffold in order to block people from viewing the execution from the hills that surround the prison high tech. They're like, we know you're gonna walk up there or get up there with your horse and try to watch. We're putting a tarp up. Well, and if you know where the prison's at Yeah, it is. You can see literally in a little valley surrounded by. These little hills. Yeah. Yeah. The, the hills. This is the old Idaho pen penitentiary, isn't it? Yeah. Oh yeah. It's, it's a concert venue now. If you're not from the area, please go look it up. It's so you can still visit the prison. Mm-hmm. It's like a museum. A lot of it's like just tucked in, right? Like hills on three sides. A lot of, there's, they do field trips there. I went on a field trip there in elementary school. Um. The only, my, my dad took off work to chaperone, He just wanted to go see the penitentiary, like, so anyway. Fair. But it's that, and like the botanical gardens right. Is right there. Yeah. And they have, have the, so have a huge garden bishop's house right there. And it's a concert venue that is, it's, it's a nice venue for like. Smaller concerts, you won't see big, big, big names there, but like Willie Nelson played there just a few years ago. Went to that salt and pepper. I mean, yeah. So it's, it's a really cool venue. I have a soup in my brain. Stop. Sorry. Um, I've, I have been there I think within the last, uh, six years. Really? Yeah. Seven years. Um, and. Uh, it's creepy, but cool. It's very cool. Um, it's a cool piece of history and to be able to do those tours. Yeah. And see all of the conditions and like what the isolation looked like. And there's a lot of like ghosty stories that they have. They do paranormal out there. Yes, they do. And so it's, if you're into that, if you're in the area, definitely do it. If you're not from the area, look it up because it's just. A cool piece of history that's like right there in Boise. It's like a little baby Alcatraz right here. It really is. It's a big deal here, so. Mm-hmm. Everybody's like, oh, I've been there. And every kid has went on a field trip there and was absolutely horrified when they sh, I don't know if they, they shut you in the, in the cell. They show you and then they make the parents laugh at you. They show you the hanging thing, the execution chamber. Mm-hmm. Me. I'll never forget that. I was like eight. Maybe they, or nine, maybe they've, maybe they cut that out. Now they're like, you know, maybe we shouldn't show them the like we should Execution devices. I don't know. They're six. Maybe we shouldn't bring the children in there. They're six 10. Yeah, I was probably six to eight. I think it was probably that age. Like maybe eight. Yeah, like third. It was elementary for sure. It was not middle school. School. It's let go scare the fuck out of these kids and they would put. Part of the tour is they're like, yes, everyone go look. And then they put you in the cell and they lock it and all the chaperones are like, ha ha, ha ha, smile. And you're like, oh my God, I am gonna die in a prison cell. Yeah. Like, but it is really, it's a cool piece of, uh, history architecture. Just the whole thing. Yeah, it's, it's, I think it's cool they've preserved it. So sorry to get off the beaten path, but interesting stuff. Check it out guys. So Snu is wraps his canvas. Mm-hmm. So he has some privacy. Um. And you know, we're not gonna get a lot of people viewing because See where he blocked you? Yeah, he didn't, it's blocked. C word quote. I have the instinctive fear of death that is given to all men, and I do not believe that I deserve to die. Although I realize that the state has a moral, as well as a legal right to exact the penalty for my deed, seaward signed in a, in a signed statement, Seward's father again visits him from Washington as reporting that their partying was one of the saddest in the Penitentiary's history. Seaward statement is issued, so I'm gonna read his statement. I was born on January 11th, 1881 on a farm about seven miles from Palouse City, Whitman County, Washington, and I lived on a farm where I was born until about 13 years old. During that time, I went to the country school for a number of terms, but did not make any great progress in my studies as it was difficult for me to learn. When I was about 13 years of age, I went to the home of my uncle Span Bryant in Stevens County, Washington, and stayed with him for some time working on his farm when I was about 15. My father moved to the village of Republic Ferry County, Washington, and I went there and worked for about two years in a laundry, which he was conducting. I went from there to Kettle Falls and worked in the livery stable. Later I went to Spokane and worked for about two months on a rock crusher at the New Depot, which was being constructed. I later secured a position driving Dre. A Dre. I had to look it up. Yeah. I'm like, who Dre? It's a flatbed wagon, a horse drawn wagon. Oh, we're talking the day. Yeah. Uh, so he did that and he said quote, which lasted for eight or nine months. And from then on, I worked on different ranches, mostly in the Palouse County country until the latter part of the year, 1907, when I went into the employ of CB LIC at Palouse Washington, I worked for him steady for about a year, and when his employee was up to the time when the offense for which I was convicted was committed, was committed by me, LIC was a saloon keeper. And this was the first time I had worked in a saloon. Just this is scandalous, right? Mm-hmm. All the stuff he's now, he's a saloon worker. Scandalous. I have worked and struggled hard even since I was 13 years of age and been honest and have endeavored to keep the laws of my country. I have a father and a mother. My father is about 50 years old, and my mother 45. I have four sisters. One whom is married and two brothers, my family has done very little to help me since I got into this trouble. They are poor and were unable to give me any assistance in furnishing money. Mother is heartbroken over the trouble. The effect of the execution upon her is what I fear more than the execution itself. Mm. I feel it will eventually cause her death. And that's real talk and listen, everything that he said, of course it's not an excuse. I can see it's interesting to see that attitude.'cause people are always like, we were always taught to pull ourselves up by the bootstraps. And this, you know, he isn't making excuses, but this is a kid that's worked in jobs, probably unpaid a lot of it since he was a a child. Mm-hmm. And so he's trying to say. Yeah, I've done all this. It's, this is gonna kill my poor mom. So far he hasn't blamed the victim, which is very surprising. No, and I just find that these kind of, you know, he's writing his story. Mm-hmm. Like this is his, he's writing his legacy. I want you to know me. This is his legacy. This is me. And I'm gonna tell you from start to finish, I'm a person where this is at and at this point. I don't think that he, he knows that he is gonna get hung. Mm-hmm. Like he knows that. So it's very factual. A lot of it. He knows the paper's gonna pick it up. At least you have something on record. Yes. But the mother thing was heartbreaking. That is tough. Yeah. I thought that was very sad that he was thinking of his mother. Not of himself. Mm-hmm. And that's probably the reasons he was fighting it as well, because like we said, he's like, it's gonna kill, kill my mom. It's gonna kill. He's like, I already tried to off myself unsuccessfully, but like, my mom kill, my mother watching me hang is not gonna be good. Which a hundred percent. He continues and, and now he's gonna start talking about Clara. I first met Clara O'Neill, the woman whom I killed on March, 1908. She told me that she was married, but at that time was living the life of a sporting woman. I lived with her for about six or eight months before the tragedy occurred. I had expected her to marry me, and she had promised to get a divorce and leave the business. In which she engaged and marry me and greatly desired. She live a decent life as my wife. Morals are very, and that's again, we don't look for women in sporting houses, but he was really trying. Yeah. And, but I mean. I, I wish I knew more about like the industry back then. I feel like she was probably making a good to live as a, this was probably one of the only ways to live as a single woman back then. And have your own money and, and have control of your own self. Yes. Not have a dad. Not have a husband. This isn't promoting it. No, it's just the laws are especially action. You could own shit. Yeah. Even if you're married, no, you are literally like property of your husband. And so this was a different way. So just interesting that this was his choice of where to look for a woman. I mean, I kind of think it might have happened that just, he was working there. I think he was smitten with her. Mm-hmm. And I, and he's like the idea of, yeah, I'm gonna just, we can get outta all this. I'm gonna take care of you. We'll run away from here. You and me. Johnny used to work on the dogs. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Exactly. Sorry. So it's like, I can kind of see, and I mean, he was young and it was a very different time, but if you don't, and he thought he was, I bet you he thought he was saving her. And, and she's like, but where's the money gonna come from? But I don't think she wanted to be saved. I don't think she wanted to be saved. And I think she's like, because she would've went back home to her. Family easily. She was doing her shit. Go get it, girl. So I think that he, I think he was a convenience for her and he thought that he was doing her a favor. Yep. I think, oh. W Well, I'm, she's like, you're sweet. Yeah. Okay. We can live together, but look, this is my job. And then he's like, I don't want this to be your job. We to be a proper married couple. And she's, and she's like, oh, that's not, did you see what you signed up for? Did you see how much you make? Yeah. Did this is not, no, I'm cool, dad, but I don't, no, I'm not changing my ways. Mm. Such a. I like imagining what it might have been because who knows, this is all just con conjecture and us literally from 1908 reading newspapers, but 1909 wild stuff. Yeah. Scandal. This, uh, let me continue on his statement. When I met Clara O'Neill, she was in the House of Grace Fleming, a landlady, and peus. I. Running a house of Ill fame in Palouse City where I was working. Grace fl. Grace Flemings subsequently moved to Moscow and kept a house of the same character. Mm-hmm. Claire did not go there at first. The Fleming woman, however, had a strong influence over her and a few days before the tragedy, she left Palouse City and came down to Moscow for the purpose of engaging in the old life against my desire. Again, women in stem. I know it's not, but I just like this was, she's like, you're being fucking annoying. I am doing my thing. Me and Grace make a ton of money, dude, and I have independence, and you're not the fucking boss of me. I know I'm not gonna settle down and be your little house. That's not what I want. And especially for her having a kid and didn't feel the need to. Because it was so shameful being a single mother back then. Mm-hmm. And so when he's offering like, I can basically make you a respectable woman, and she's still like, eh, not that respectable motherfucker. Her failure and refusal to give up the business worried me, and I felt her associates were prejudicing her against me. Oh, meaning Ms. Fleming said, you're gonna go marry the fucking guy that's cleaning the bar. What are we thinking here? I kind of feel like that's it. Like Grace is a business woman. Yeah. And also running, running a house. If Claire's gonna leave that the making of the money, why wouldn't she hook up with a guy, a rich client? Right. I feel like she knew that most rich clients probably have wives or they just know they could never marry a woman of. Quote unquote, ill repute my face. They, they can't, the, but she surely is not gonna marry the, the guy that's cleaning the bar. Whatever he did. No. Like, no. Oh. I feel like it was infatuation. I, I do feel that too. Uh, he continues a number of days before the crime was committed. I left Palouse City, giving up my job temporarily, and went down to Moscow to see Clara O'Neill, to induce her to go and be with her aunt in Spokane until she could procure a divorce and marry me. She wanna do that. It doesn't sound like she wanted anything to do with that. I had no intention of harming her. She was the last person in the world to whom I wanted harm to come. I do believe that. I always thought that she was a very beautiful and attractive girl, and I expected someday that she would be my wife in my right sense. I would've rather killed myself than to have killed her. And I still regret that I was unsuccessful in taking my own life. Mm-hmm. When I attempted to do so following the shooting, I can see that.'cause he was trying, I. That's not a standard method of suicide. It's not like these lame fucking people that shoot themselves in the leg after they kill their partner and claim it on. Oh, there was a gunfight. Oh, there was the Rob and they came in and they were, they shot? No, two. Two. They shot my husband five times in the head and then shot me once in the thigh. He barely escaped. So it's like a grazed thigh. You're like, wow. They were a markman with her. Yeah. But no, to try to, he shot himself physically and then cut your throat. Yeah. That is extreme and rare with a bullet in your head. Yeah, I think he was just so, this is a crime of passion. I think he was just lovesick. He did not understand. Why she wouldn't quit her sporting business. I think he thought that he deserved her too. Yeah. He's like, yeah, I know I'm poor, but you're also a prostitute. So I am, and I feel like this is the original nice guy. I'm kind to you. Why I don't, I don't try to beat you in our scheduled paid appointments. Mm-hmm. If there were any, I don't know. Right. But. I didn't ever try to hit you. I wasn't mean to you, so I took care of you. You're not wanting to be my wife. This is the deal of a century. Yeah. And because societally it kind of is. Yeah. But not to clear her. She's like, she's like, anyway, I'm not. No, I like you, but I don't like you that much. And she had other avenues. Yeah. Well, she was apparently beautiful and working her thing mm-hmm. And doing her shit. So, uh, he continues here. I solemnly state, I committed the deed, which robbed Clara O'Neill of her life without any premeditation. It was an act done in an instant, and when it was done, I had at the time no desire to live for myself. I. Or hope any further happiness in life. That's rough. And he, he did it. So, I mean, it's not right, but I do appre, you know, this is something I'm appreciating about. He's being honest that some of today's murder, no, you're never, I did not do it. Oh, it's this person's fault. That person's fault. They made me. Oh yeah. No, he's, no, he's like, he's a standup. He's like, I, I did it. This is how I did it. I wish I would've off myself. I hate myself for doing it. Now my mom has to watch me hang. Yeah. Later report state that, uh, seaward was divorced and had a son that was five years old living in Montana. Oh. On the eve of his execution, he ate a hardy supper and slept soundly according to the paid guards. Whoever, whoever was watching that night didn't understand how much people want the deets of the last meal. Hardy, great. Thanks. What exactly was it? Was it Stew? Was it steak? TTMZ wants to know. I know he would. That was an amateur working that night. Yeah. Hardy, did he have potatoes, steak, right. It's ham steak. I bet the jail food was sometimes even better than what they have now. Because they weren't using any like mixes or any No, like it's actual vegetables. They're like, okay. It's like us opening the freezer, but like, fuck What's for dinner? Yeah, they're using, I gotta feed 20 people. Real rice, real bread. Like got potatoes. We got that ham and listen up, Joanne. A potato Beth. Get that ham out. Let's cut it up into some steak steaks. How are we making the taters? We do a mash. We do em fried. We do in sliced. We do, I think with a hams steak, if I'm going with a hams steak, I'm gonna have to say some mashed taters because I, I think that there was probably mashed potatoes for sure. Well, we are in Idaho and listen up, I'm sorry. Potato products are superior. I kind of feel the same way. Mashed potatoes, french fries, potatoes, all groton hash browns. Vodka, potato, vodka. Hello. Name a more versatile vegetable. I dare you. Y'all wanna make fun of Idaho. Y'all wanna make fun of Idaho? No for potatoes. It will never hurt my feelings. I'm so proud of potatoes. We could. Forest Gump. I'm about, I'm about to cry. I am so proud of potatoes. If we could first gump those potatoes. I love fried potatoes. Yes. Mashed potatoes. Baked potatoes twice. Baked potatoes, hash browns. Roasted potatoes. Okay. Stewed potatoes. There's just, you will never, y'all can slander Idaho in so many ways, and you'll probably be right. You will never get me fucked up about a potato. Ever. I literally, it should be our flag. Why isn't it just a potato? We don't need anything else. We don't need just a fucking potato gym state. We should be named the potato state. By the way, we are not named the potato state. We are the gym state. Um, because why is that? We have lots of gems here. We have one of the most rare gems. In the world. It's only found one other place on earth. Oh, do tell, I think it's called the Star Garnet. Oh, yes. That is our, that is our gym. That's our gig. But it's only found like, I think somewhere in India or somewhere very far away that you cannot find it anywhere else. We have mines here. We have, as a kid, I went Rockhounding here. Yes, you go GOs. Yeah, you can go find stuff. Anyways, we're fucking awesome. I hope you enjoyed the break. Do we have more in the case? Just a, just a smidge. Just a, just a little more to close it out. Um, we're talking about his food. Okay. Yeah. Hardy, Hardy food and he slept soundly. There was a potato in there. I know it. He was free of all drugs, often given under the circumstances. Ooh, so what drugs? Cocaine. Morphine. I don't know. They're like, again, this cough syrup with the cocaine in it. We didn't even fucking drug him. It's, it's very healthy for you. He's, he's handling this, he's handling it. He didn't even need any of the cocaine, cough syrup. But you know what? You don't have to worry about his last, I'm gonna tell you about his last male stuff. Mm. His breakfast. And I don't know a person who could eat breakfast if they knew they were gonna be dying in just a little bit. I would be passing, but he ate a, according to this little snitch guy, his breakfast consisted of mash and milk. What is that like grits or something? What is, I don't know. Probably oatmeal, because I can't imagine it's mashed potatoes. No. In breakfast it's probably an oatmeal or grit type thing. Yeah. Okay. We should, I should have Googled that. I didn't, no yogurt parfait? No. Uh, they said no blueberry allberry and pancakes with natural maple syrup. Well, you'll get your mash and you'll be, you'll be good with it. Uh, he had told his pastor quote, I have nothing to say on the scaffold. But you may say for me that while I've made a failure in life, I have hope for the life to come. God has forgiven me and I have peace. Honestly, I do. I do just have to say that knowing all of the murderers that we've talked about, and listen, you're never gonna get a pass. You're, you're a fucking murderer. But especially in this time, to be so honest and be like. Yeah. Yeah. Um, yeah, I mean, and not blame women or there's no victim blaming here at all. He's saying like, I loved her. She didn't wanna do what I wanted her to do. I lost my shit and I fuck I shot her and immediately wish I to which I was dead to violently kill myself. Thanks, doc. I, he tried to use two methods, like, yeah, thanks Doc. I didn't really wanna live after that. He's like, could you stop sewing up my esophagus? Please stop. But what a wild story. And this was, I can't believe how much info there was on you were able to find. It was so fine. But let me just, let me, there's just a few more. Oh, tell me. Yeah. On May 7th, 1909. Seward walked calmly to the gallows as he passed other, the prisoners of the penitentiary. He bit them a cheerful farewell. Aw. The last words of Seward was quote, rich, make a good job of it. Rich was his executioner. Yeah. He's like, get or done? Yep. Reporter stated, stated that he stepped firmly onto the trap and no weakness manifested until they placed the black cap over his head. The trap was sprung by the warden at 8 0 9. The body dropped seven feet and death was instantaneous. Thank goodness. The neck hadn't been broken. The body was placed in a coffin and taken to the prison yard where the grave was ready, and that's where he's at. And some of these like hanging methods don't always go to plan. So I can totally appreciate being like. Please. Let's do it. Do a good job. I've already tried and failed twice myself. Just do a good job of it. Let's just do it, please. And because it's traumatic if it doesn't go well. So I totally get that sad story all around. I feel terrible for Clara, like she was just trying to do his thing. Oh my gosh. Guys, Google the picture of him. You can see where he shot himself. He like doesn't, he must've lost his eye. Or the functioning of it. Yeah. Or something. It appears to be that way. Google him. Um, he What a crazy picture to have. That's a very clear picture. Yeah. Um, I just, this kind of just came up in an article that I was reading. I'm like, I'm gonna go check that out. So it was fun, it was different. A lot of different verbiage was used. Um, and I really was surprised. I. By his response to the whole thing, because that's not what you get. Now, women were not allowed many of the rights. They were truly viewed as property as a wife. Yeah, absolutely. And he wasn't taking those types of narratives, which is, again, this isn't an excuse, but it was surprising for me and surprising that he was like, yep, I did it and I wish I was dead already about it. Um, I only feel bad that my mom is gonna Yep. This, this is gonna kill my mom. So it was, and then he wrote that whole narrative and was honest. Mm-hmm. No spin. Didn't try to protect himself. No. There's no spin. Which he's like, no, I got, I snapped and I killed her. Yeah. He's like, I wish I was dead about it. He tried to be dead about it and then he was dead about it. But anyway. Yeah. I hope you enjoyed our little. Let us know if you like this kind of'cause. I have a couple other ones on my list that are like these old timey ones. They're a hella fun for me to research. They're very interesting. I will say this is one that was very captivating for sure, in my opinion. So thank you again. Thank you, Danny, for your amazing research finding these 1908 newspapers. I know it, it was a lot of this. I, I was rocking this one. Yeah. I loved it. I just love that there's archives that have this shit. Anyway, follow us again. New TikTok out. We are trying to be a TikTok star. Not really, but um, I will just say, when you guys comment on our tiktoks, we literally will be. Talking about it for days, like, yes. Oh my God, that comment was so funny. Did you say that? Oh my God. Stop. Like, you guys are just cool and we love you, so follow us. Questions, comments, concerns. 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