NOTE: Two murders, on separate occasions, are attributed to Fanny Scovell ("Scofield"). In our collection of female serial killer case, we ordinarily keep to victim count of three or more (including failed attempts), but in cases where the killer is so young it seems reasonable to make an exception. Cases of children who murder on more than one occasion are, it goes without saying, important sources worthy of study for those who wish to understand the crime of serial killing and the mentality, methods and motives of such killers.
Even local newspapers used three different spellings of the
girl’s name: “Scofield,” “Schofield,” and “Scovell.” The texts below contain
these original spellings. The Mexico Independent uses the spelling "Scovell," therefore this is presumed to be correct.
***
CHRONOLOGY
Jul.
1896 – child under care of Fanny dies.
Oct.
31, 1892 – Fern Field, 2, dies.
Nov.
13, 1892 – Fanny arrested.
***
FULL TEXT (Article 1 of 4): Oswego, N.Y., November 14. – The
police here have placed under arrest Fanny Scofield, thirteen years old, on
suspicion of having poisoned two-year-old Fern Field, the only daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Albert Field, who own a farm in the neighborhood of the village of
Mexico, ten miles from Oswego. The arrested girl is the daughter of a farmer
who lives some miles away from the Fields house, and has been in their employ
for a year as serving maid. She stoutly denies her guilt.
When Mr. and Mrs. Field returned home and found their child
screaming with pain and writhing in convulsions, they dispatched the helpers on
the farm in all directions for medical help. The parents partially relieved the
sufferings of the little one by hot baths, and managed to obtain a possible
clue. The child said that she had asked Fanny Scofield for something to eat.
Fanny gave her some milk, she said, and soon afterward he felt a pain in her
stomach. The information was laid before Coroner Vowinkel, who sent for Dr. W.
Maulins Smith, of Syracuse, to make an autopsy. Dr. Smith discovered traces of
arsenic in the stomach, and it is believed that “Rough on Rats” was
administered in the milk. The coroner issued a warrant for Fanny’s arrest, and
she was taken to the county jail in Oswego last night.
There is a grave suspicion that the prisoner was guilty of
poisoning another daughter of the Fields, who died, under similar
circumstances, in July last. At that time no one thought anything but that
death was due to natural causes, and no autopsy was made. The family now recall
that the circumstances of the first death was identical with that of the last,
and it has been determined to exhume the body and have an autopsy performed.
There is great indignation manifested by the villagers and farmer folk at the
suspicious deaths, and it is only due to the extreme youth and apparent
ignorance of the prisoner that saves her from their wrath.
[“Arsenic In Their Milk. – A Thirteen-year-old Girl Charged
With Poisoning Her Two Charges.” Baltimore American (Md.), Nov. 15, 1896, p.
11]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 4): Saturday, Oct. 31, -- Little Fern, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Field of this town, died after a brief illness. There were such circumstances surrounding her death that it was doomed well to have a Coroner Vowinkel of Oswego investigate the affair and he came here the following Monday morning. Saturday, the child was as well as usual. About half past 1 in the afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Field left home. The little girl was asleep and in charge of Fanny Schofield, a girl thirteen years of age, who has been in the employ of the Fields for the past two years. About 3:30 [?] o’clock Mr. Field returned to his house to get his horse and wagon to take to the potato field. Just as he left the barn, little Fern, who was there with him, complained of being sick, and he told her to go to the house. She stopped twice on the way and he thought she vomited. He hurried to the field and told his wife that Fern was sick and she came to the house at once. The child grew no better and the father came here [to the town, Mexico, N.Y.) for medicine. This did not relieve her and he came after Dr. Huntington about nine o’clock. When the doctor arrived the child was in convulsions. Hot cloths and other remedies were used but the child died very soon after the doctor came. There were strong indications of poisoning and some of the mucous was gathered up by the doctor and Mrs. A. L. Sampson, which contained a grayish powder and excited their suspicions. This was shown to Coroner Vowinkel on Monday, who sent it to Dr. William Manlius Smith of Syracuse to be analysed. Dr. Smith reported he found arsenic in quantity sufficient to produce convulsion and death. Wednesday Coroner Vowinkel came here and with the assistance of Drs. Huntington and Radway, held a post mortem examination. The following jury was sworn in and an adjournment made until tomorrow [Thursday] morning, November 12th: George D. Babcock, Anson J. Hallock, Grove Halsey, J. S. Dawley, L. A. Whitney, Charles H. Everts, Rufus Dyke, Loren S. Tiffany, Herbert H. Dobson, Frank L. Rose, Alfred E. Davey.
FULL TEXT (Article 2 of 4): Saturday, Oct. 31, -- Little Fern, the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Field of this town, died after a brief illness. There were such circumstances surrounding her death that it was doomed well to have a Coroner Vowinkel of Oswego investigate the affair and he came here the following Monday morning. Saturday, the child was as well as usual. About half past 1 in the afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Field left home. The little girl was asleep and in charge of Fanny Schofield, a girl thirteen years of age, who has been in the employ of the Fields for the past two years. About 3:30 [?] o’clock Mr. Field returned to his house to get his horse and wagon to take to the potato field. Just as he left the barn, little Fern, who was there with him, complained of being sick, and he told her to go to the house. She stopped twice on the way and he thought she vomited. He hurried to the field and told his wife that Fern was sick and she came to the house at once. The child grew no better and the father came here [to the town, Mexico, N.Y.) for medicine. This did not relieve her and he came after Dr. Huntington about nine o’clock. When the doctor arrived the child was in convulsions. Hot cloths and other remedies were used but the child died very soon after the doctor came. There were strong indications of poisoning and some of the mucous was gathered up by the doctor and Mrs. A. L. Sampson, which contained a grayish powder and excited their suspicions. This was shown to Coroner Vowinkel on Monday, who sent it to Dr. William Manlius Smith of Syracuse to be analysed. Dr. Smith reported he found arsenic in quantity sufficient to produce convulsion and death. Wednesday Coroner Vowinkel came here and with the assistance of Drs. Huntington and Radway, held a post mortem examination. The following jury was sworn in and an adjournment made until tomorrow [Thursday] morning, November 12th: George D. Babcock, Anson J. Hallock, Grove Halsey, J. S. Dawley, L. A. Whitney, Charles H. Everts, Rufus Dyke, Loren S. Tiffany, Herbert H. Dobson, Frank L. Rose, Alfred E. Davey.
Suspicion points to the girl, Fanny Schofield, who was alone
with the child, and it is thought rough on rats was the cause of the child’s
death, every symptom indicating mineral poisoning. Should the examination of
Dr. Smith result in finding traces of arsenic in the organs sent to him, the
body of the child which died last July will be disinterred and search for
arsenic made, as that child died in much the same manner as little Fern. There
is no little excitement over the affair and Mr. and Mrs. Field have the deepest
sympathy of all.
There was rough on rats in the house in several places, but
in every case was out of the child’s touch. The girl says that Fern woke from
her nap about half past two, said she was hungry and she gave her some beef
soup with bread in it. Coroner Vorwinkel questioned the Schofield girl, but
nothing can be learned as to how the child got the poison.
[Note: The original article uses the form “little Fern,” the
proper name, rather than “Little Fern,” including in its opening words. A
correction have been made: “quanty” in original has been altered to
“quantity.”]
[“A Suspicion of Poisoning. – Coroner Vowinkel Investigating
The Death of Fern Field,” Mexico Independent (Mexico, N. Y.), November 1?,
1896, p. ?]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 3 of 4): The death of
little two-year-old Fern Field, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Field, of the
Town of Mexico, commences to look at if murder had been committed and that
little thirteen year old Fanny Schofield, the servant girl, who had charge of
the child Sunday afternoon when she was taken sick, will be named as the
defendant.
Yesterday Coroner Vowinkel took a quantity of
the substance ejected from the stomach of the child while sick, to Dr. William
Manlius Smith, chemist, at Syracuse. Dr. Smith made a test and found that the
substance was nearly pure arsenic
This morning Coroner Vowinkel went to the
village of Mexico and disinterred the remains of the child and with the
assistance of Drs. Huntington and Radway held a post mortem examination. The heart, lungs,
kidneys and liver were taken out and placed in glass cans.
The following jury was sworn in and an
adjournment taken until Thursday morning, November 12: George D. Babcook. Anson
J . Hallock, Grove Halsey, J . S. Dawley, L. A. Whitney, Charles H. Everts,
Rufus Dyke, Loren S. Tiffany, Herbert H. Dobson, Frank F. Rose, Alfred E.
Davey.
Coroner Vowinkel left for Syracuse with the
heart, lungs, kidneys and liver to deliver the same to Dr. Smith, who will
subject them to the test for arsenical poisoning. Should poison be found the
thirteen months old baby, which died last July, will also be disinterred and an
examination for arsenic made. Fanny Schofield, although not under arrest is
being carefully watched. This morning while at Mexico Coroner Vowinkel held a
half hour's talk with her in which he used every means in his power to endeavor
to get her to tell what she knew about the poisoning.
But his efforts were of no avail. The girl
claimed she was in ignorance of how the child had received the arsenic and
could not be trapped into making an admission of any kind. The case is exciting
no little interest in the town of Mexico, the people being not a little
exercised over the matter.
The inquest will be
at Mexico.
[“It Looks Like Murder. - Chemist Smith Finds
Large Amounts Op Arsenic – The
Remains of Little Fern Field Taken Up and a Fort Mortem Hold – Heart, Lungs,
Liver and Kidneys to Be Examined for Arsenic – Fanny Scofield, the Servant
Girl, Closely Watched – Inquest Adjourned.” Oswego Daily Times (N. Y.), Nov. 4,
1896, p. 4]
***
***
FULL TEXT (Article 4 of 4): Mexico, Nov. 27. – The inquest on the death of little Fern Field who died of poison two miles from the village of Mexico on October 31st and for which Fanny Scovell [sic], the thirteen year old servant girl, is now confined in the county jail under the suspicion of having administered the poison, was held at the office of W. M. Richardson in this village to-day. Considerable interest is felt here in the case and the office of the justice of peace was crowded to its utmost capacity, while many were turned away.
The first witness sworn was Dr. J . W. Huntington
who attended the child and assisted Coroner Vowinkel in performing the post
mortem examination. He told of the autopsy and how the skull was removed and the
brain found congested. The lungs were normal; heart, with the exception of one
or two spots, was normal; liver was normal; stomach contained about six ounces
of fluid and appeared as if irritated, a line of discoloration running along
the border; inside the stomach was found in the same condition; the bladder had
nothing in it; spleen and kidneys were normal; was called to the Field house October
3lst; arrived about 8:30 p. m, asked the father what had made the child sick;
he said nothing unless it was that she had fallen down stairs the night before;
he examined the child and found her in a cold sweat; there was no pulse and he
gave her some brandy and spirits of ammonia but the child died ten or fifteen
minutes after he arrived; told of preserving small quantities of the vomit
having examined it and became convinced that it contained rat poison. Fanny
Scovell, the servant girl, told me she had burned the johnny cake which had been
sprinkled with rat poison. Symptoms of poisoning would have developed from one
half an hour to two hours. The spots on the heart I would not expect to see
from any other cause.
Dr. C. W. Radway was the next witness. He
assisted at the autopsy and his testimony was the same Dr. Huntington’s.
Dr. William Manilas Smith of Syracuse, the chemist
who made the examination of the vital organs of the deceased child, said he had
analyzed the portions brought to him by the coroner and had found arsenic amounting
to .67 of a grain. There was arsenic in the liver. Arsenic was also found in
the stomach.
Mrs. Ella Field, mother of little Fern Field,
was next called. She is a woman about forty years old and seemed visibly
affected by the inquest, and gave the details of the sickness of the child; her
little daughter was as well as usual in the morning. At dinner Fern had bread
and soup in a tin basin and a piece of pumpkin pie. That was all. Fern was then
put to sleep and the witness went into the field with her husband. The husband
went to the house about 3:30 o’clock. Fern complained of pains in the stomach
and vomited three times before she got to the house, having met her father
outside; when she arrived at the he use Mr. Field was holding Fern by the
stove. The witness took her daughter, who commenced vomiting again; Fannie said
Fern had been drinking a lot of water; Fanny said when Fern awoke she ate some
of the soup left at noon which was in the tin dish; the medicine brought from
the doctor had no effect; we had in the house a box of “Rough on Rats,”
purchased last May; a portion of it had been
mixed with johnny cake, and divided upon six dishes and placed on different
shelves where it was impossible for Fern to reach them with the help of a
chair. Mrs. Drake had the box and returned it to me in August. I handed it to
Fanny and she put it away in the cupboard; the soup which was left at dinner
was put in the well room on a table; a shelf was over the end of the table;
there was a cup with fly poison in it on the shelf; the johnny cake in the well
room was destroyed in June last and I know the dishes were not thrown out on
the ground; none of the rest of the family was sick that day; there were not
over two tablespoons of soup left in the dish; there was nothing in the well
room on which Fern could have climbed to the table and reached the shelf; the
child which died in July last was eleven months old and the symptoms of its
last sickness were the same as those of Fern’s.
Albert Field, father of the child, testified
that about a week before her death Fern had a severe vomiting spell and was
quite sick; told of Fern’s last sickness as described by the mother; he
understood that Fern had vomited this same gray stuff (as found by the doctor
and examined by Chemist Smith and which proved to be arsenic) before; never had
any impression that Fanny disliked the child; never had any trouble with Fanny;
there was no poison in the house except “Rough on Rats.” Dr. Hamilton said, so
the father testified, that an examination of the vomit would make the family
feel bad and “Rough on Rats” might be found.
Benjamin D. Davis, Mrs. Field’s father,
testified that he never saw Fanny unkind to the children or anything that would
indicate that the wanted them out of the way, but on the contrary she was kind
and considerate. He knew of chickens about the place which had died.
When recalled, Mrs. Field, the mother, said very
anxious wash basin that Fanny seemed to wash out the in which the vomit was
before the doctor arrived and that she stopped her from doing so. Mrs. Grace
Spoor and Mrs. Rose had told her that Fanny had said she was sorry that she
hadn’t washed it. Outside the house the mother bad found, on a stone, gray
matter similar to that vomited by Fern. Up to the time the doctor called the
mother had no suspicion that Fern had died of poison; knew of no reason why Fanny
should want to poison the child; had seen her throw Fern down two or three
times about a week before she died; while Fern was lying in the house dead
Fanny appeared very cheerful and happy; Fanny carried bottles containing a
white substance around with her; when asked what the bottles contained she
would reply “I don’t know.”
Mrs. Marilla Rose, who liven at Texas, seven
miles from the Field home, testified to arriving at the house before Fern died;
talked with Fanny who told about Fern’s sickness; the next morning Fanny called
at the well house and said: “Mrs. Rose, how did Fern get rough on rats, and did
it cause the blood to come Fanny told the witness that the poison was placed
where Fern could not
reach it.” On the Wednesday morning when the coroner came, the witness said,
Dannie exclaimed: “I think it would be better for Aunt Ella if an examination
is not made. I wish I had got hold of that wash bowl.” Fanny also said: “Mrs. Rose,
this is not the first time Fern has vomited up gray stuff.” The only thing the
witness saw to make her suspicious of Fanny was her nervousness. This witness
also noticed Fanny was happy during the time the child lay dead in the house.
Mrs. Ellen Drake told of Fanny’s loaning to
her the box of Rough-on-Rats to kill rats which were destroying her chickens,
and of returning it to Mrs. Field in August, who gave it to Fanny to put away.
Miss Grace Spoor, who resides about a mile
from the Field residence, said she was present the night Fern died; the next morning
and appeared elated when the coroner told her he would find some other reason for
Fern’s death than that poison had been administered.
Miss Ella A. Carlton
was the last witness sworn. She lives directly across the road from the Field
home and was present when Fern died; Fanny overheard the doctor tell Mr. Field that Fern would not recover and when
she told me she seemed highly pleased about it; Fanny told the witness that she
did not want the vomit analyzed because the family would feel bad about it;
when the doctor mentioned that Fern had died from rat poison Fanny spoke up and
said: “I didn’t give it to her.” Fanny wanted to clean the dishes the vomit had
been put in but could not find them; this made me somewhat suspicious. The
inquest was adjourned until 10:30 o’clock Saturday morning, December 5th.
[“The Field Inquest – The Session of the Coroner’s Jury At
Mexico Yesterday. – Examination of Witnesses – What the Physicians Testified to
– Dr. William Manlius Smith Testified to His Analysis of the Portions of the
Body Given Him by the Coroner. Mrs. Field’s Testimony – The Inquest Adjourned
Till Saturday, December 5.” Oswego Daily Times (N.Y.), Nov. 28, 1896, p. 6]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 5 of 6): Coroner Vowinkel
is at Mexico today holding the inquest on the death of little Fern Field, the
two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Field, who reside two miles from
the village of Mexico, and whose death, which occurred over a month ago, was
under circumstances which warranted the coroner swearing out a warrant and confining
little thirteen-year-old Fannie Scovell, the nurse girl, in the county jail
under suspicion of having administered the poison which caused the death of the
child. The case is one which has caused no little comment in the town of
Mexico, especially in the village, where all parties, the parents and nurse
girl, are well known. The reason for this is that the eleven months old baby of
Mr. and Mrs. Field, who was also under the nurse girl’s charge, died under
suspicious circumstances last June.
Fanny Scovell, as described in these columns
before, is very pretty in face and does not look like a person capable of
performing such a heinous crime as the one she is suspected of. She is a
daughter of Mrs. Edward Barker, who resides with her husband in the town of
Boylston. Ever since she was a very small girl she has worked out. She came to the Fern family about one year ago. She
always appeared willing to work and was especially fond of children. In June
last the baby was taken sick and died in convulsions a few hours afterwards. At
the time nothing unusual was thought, the parents being of the opinion that it
was some infant trouble peculiar to children of tender years. But a month ago
when the older child, little Fern, was attacked similarly, the suspicion of the
parents was aroused and Dr. Huntington
was called in. He saw the condition of the child and immediately cams to the
conclusion that death had been caused by arsenical poison. Coroner Vowinkel was
telegraphed to and going to the place prepared to make an examination and hold
an inquest. A post mortem examination was held and the vital organs and stomach
taken to Dr. William Manlius Smith of Syracuse, who submitted them to a
chemical analysis and found large quantities of arsenic. Then the nurse girl was
arrested and looked up in the county jail at this city. Yesterday Coroner
Vowinkel went to Mexico and made measurements of the lower rooms of the house
and located the shelves on which rat poison was placed by the family and from
which it is claimed, by friends of the nurse girl, the child secured the
poison. The coroner found that there were five shelves on which poison had been
placed, but they were from four and one-half feet to six feet from the floor
and impossible for the child to reach up to.
The following diagram shows the ground plan
of the house and the shelves on which the poison was placed:
DIAGRAM
MEXICO, Nov. 27—8:00 p. m.— The inquest is
being held at W. M. Richardson’s office. There is a large crowd present.
District Attorney Bartlett is in attendance. The witnesses are being closely
questioned by Coroner Vowinkel, Drs. Huntington and Radway were sworn in regard
to making the autopsy. Chemist Smith testified to making a chemical analysis
and found arsenic in the different organs of the body, also a large quantity in
the vomited matter.
Mrs. Field testified that the child was
perfectly healthy on the day of death up to time she was taken sick and died
in about five hours after taken sick. She said it was impossible for the child
to get at the “Rough on Rats,” in the places where it was placed. The inquest
still going on. The inquest still going on. C. M.
[C. M., “Searching For Truth. – Coroner’s
Jury Investigating Fern Child’s Death. - Coroner Vowinkel Opens the Inquest
This Morning - Secured Important Evidence and Witnesses On His Visit to Mexico
Wednesday - The Rat Poison Placed on Shelves Out of the Child’s Reach.” Oswego
Daily Times (N. Y.), Nov. 27, 1896, p. 4]
***
FULL TEXT (Article 6 of 6): On Saturday last
the evidence in the Fern Field inquest was read and the case was submitted to
the jury.
Mrs. Field was recalled but no further
evidence of importance was given. Mr. A. L. Sampson was sworn and corroborated
Dr. Huntington’s testimony.
Fanny Scovell was asked some questions by the
coroner, but her counsel advised her not to answer any questions.
The jury, after retiring a short time,
brought in the following verdict:
That the deceased, Fern Field [...] to her death as
the result of an overdose of arsenic which was taken in the form of rough on
rats.
That said poison was taken or received into
the system in a manner known to this jury.
We further a death occurred in the town of
Mexico on the 31st day of
October, 1896.
Mr. and Mrs. Field, parents of the dead
child, request that the body of the infant who died last June should be exhumed
that they may know if its death were caused by poison
Coroner Vowinkel says that the law implies
and he feels in duty bound to exhume the body of the infant who died last June
and ascertain, if possible, the cause of its death. The coroner is expected to
be here to day for that purpose. An intense feeling is exhibited in this matter
and opinions of various kinds are expressed and sympathy is expressed for all
the parties.
Fanny Scovell was liberated on Monday and
sent to the home of Arthur Howard at Port Ontario, where she has lived before,
who has agreed to take her into his family and care for.
[“Verdict in the Fern Field Case.” Mexico
Independent (N. Y. ), Dec. 9, 1896, p. (2?)]
***
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