According to Kelleher and Kelleher Amy married five men whom she is suspected of murdering. [Murder Most Rare: The Female Serial Killer, 1998, p. 31] Other sources describe the five men as comprising two husbands and three boards (with whom she was intimate).
***
FULL
TEXT (Article 1 of 3): Hartford, Conn., May 3.—Mrs. Amy E. Archer Gilligan,
proprietor of the Archer House for
Elderly People, in Windsor, six miles from here, was arrested by the state
police at 6 o’clock last-night, charged-with murder.She is accused of causing the death by arsenic poisoning of Franklin R. Andrews, an inmate, who died on May 30, 1914, from gastric ulcers, according to the certificate of death made by Dr. H. F. King of Windsor, attending physician and also medical examiner of the town of Windsor.
The
body of Andrews was disinterred from its grave in the Cheshire cemetery one
week ago, in secrecy and at night, by direction of Coroner Eli Mix of New Haven
county and the
autopsy was performed by Dr. Arthur J. Wolff of this city, by direction of
State’s Attorney Hugh M. Alcorn and under the guidance of State Policeman
Robert F. Hudley.
The body of another former inmate has also been examined and instead of death being the result of natural causes, Dr. Wolff states that it was caused by poison.
The
state police have been working on this case for more, than a year and, it is
their opinion that out of 48 deaths at the home in five years, probably 20 have
been the result of violence.
Mrs.
Gilligan waived examination and was taken to the Hartford county jail.
~
ACCUSED DENIES CHARGE ~
HARTFORD,
Conn., May 3.—Hartford county authorities and the state police today continued
their Investigation of the death of
Franklin R. Andrews, of Cheshire and other inmates of the Archer home for
elderly people at Windsor. Andrews died on May 30, 1914, and last night Mrs.
Amy E. Archer-Gilligan was arrested charged with his murder by poison, Andrews’
body was exhumed a week ago by Coroner Ell Mix of New Haven county, at Cheshire
and. brought here for an autopsy. This, it is charged, showed that poison had
been administered. Mrs. Gilligan denies any connection with the death of
Andrews.
According
to the authorities secret autopsies performed upon the bodies of two other
former inmates of the home have indicated that other deaths there of the
forty-eight which have occurred in the past five years may not have been due to
natural causes in the cases of the other two bodies on which autopsies were
performed it is alleged indications of poison were also found.
Mrs.
Gilligan is held without bonds and the case may be presented to the grand jury
next month for indictment for the death of Andrews.
“After
our general investigation of affairs at the Archer, home that included
following many cases,” said State’s Attorney Hugh W. Alcqrn, “we became certain
that something was wrong.”
“Then
we exhumed the bodies and were convinced that it was a case of cool, calculated
premeditated murder of inmates of the home.”
Patients
were received at the home under two plans, one providing for the payment of
$1000 for life care, and the other, payment of a stipulated sum weekly. Andrews
had paid for life care.
“Mrs.
Gilligan is 41 years old and before going to Windsor in 1907, conducted. a home
for the aged at Newington.
The
state police have declined to make public the results of a search it is
understood that they carried away with them several bottles bearing various
labels and a number of papers including contracts with present and past
occupants of the home.
[“Woman
Accused of Poisoning Inmate of Her Home – 20 Suspicious Deaths in 5 Years.” The
Lowell Sun (Ma.), May 9, 1916, p. 9]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 3): Hartford, Conn. – Mrs. Amy E.
Archer-Gilligan, on trial here for the last four weeks charged with the murder
of Franklin R. Andrews by poison while he was an inmate of her home for elderly
people at Windsor, was found guilty of first degree murder by a jury late
yesterday. Judge Gardiner Green pronounced sentence of death shortly after the
verdict had been returned sentence of death shortly after the verdict had been
returned, fixing November 6th next as the date of execution. The
method of execution in this state is hanging.
While Mrs. Gilligan was tried on one count only, the
indictments returned against her by the grand jury charged that she had
poisoned to death four other inmates of the Archer home had died under peculiar
circumstances during a period of several years. Her motive, the state set up,
was to profit on life contracts she had made with inmates, whereby she agreed
to provide a comfortable home for them during the remainder of their lives for
a specified sum, generally $1,000.
Mts. Gilligan sobbed as she heard the jury’s verdict. Her
daughter, Mary Archer, who has been constantly beside her mother throughout the
trial burst into tears and clasped her mother’s hands. They gained their
composure quickly and followed the proceedings calmly.
Benedict M. Holden, the women’s chief counsel, gave notice
of appeal.
The trial began June 19th, and lasted about four
weeks. Mrs. Gilligan, who is about 45 years old, was arrested in May, 1916.
Franklin R. Andrews died on May 30th, 1914.
Sensational disclosures immediately developed. Among others who, the State
claimed, were poisoned to death, was her husband, Michael Gilligan. His death
occurred before that of Andrews.
[“Mrs. Gilligan Is Declared Guilty; Woman To Hang –
Convicted of Poisoning Inmate of Her Private Home.” The Syracuse Herald (N.Y.),
Jul. 14, 1917, p. 2]
***
FULL
TEXT (Article 3 of 3): Middletown, Connecticut, March 14— Mrs. Amy E. Archer
Gilligan, accused in 1916 of murdering five patients in her Windsor
convalescent home, has been placed on the danger list at Connecticut Valley
hospital here.
A
hospital spokesman said Mrs. Archer-Gilligan, who is 87 years old, was placed
on the danger list a few days ago. She was committed to the hospital in 1924
after she was declared insane. Mrs. Archer-Gilligan was sentenced to hang in
1917 for one death in her convalescent home.
The
conviction was overturned by the State Supreme Court of Errors.
At
her second trial in 1919, she first entered a plea of insanity, but later
pleaded guilty to second degree murder. She was sentenced to life imprisonment.
[“Aged
Murderess Of 5 Is Near Death,” syndicated (AP), The Bridgeport-Telegram (Ct.),
Mar. 15, 1962, p. 6]
***
For links to other cases of woman who murdered 2 or more husbands (or paramours), see Black Widow Serial Killers.
***
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