FULL TEXT: A signed confession admitting to smothering baby
twins, whose skeletons were dug out recently in a chicken pen in the rear of
the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Blatky, of McMahon street, Monessen, was produced
as evidence last evening when the mother. Mrs. Anna Hlatky, was arraigned
before Alderman Fred Upton of Monessen, on a charge of murder.
Mrs. Hlatky, who has been a patient in the Memorial Hospital
since August 25, was taken from that institution yesterday for the hearing. She
was represented by Attorneys Vincent R. Smith of Monessen, and Philip K.
Shaner, of Greensberg, who entered a plea of not guilty, but after two
witnesses, Health Officer Frances E. Gibson and Dr. M. E. Griffith, has been
heard, Alderman Upton held the defendant for court without bail.
The confession was produced by Health Officer Gibson who
secured it from the woman at the hospital a few days ago, it is said. Mrs.
Hlatky was kept in Monessen last night and this morning was taken last night
and this morning was taken to the Westmoreland County jail at Greensburg. The
charge against her was preferred by Sergeant James Buckley of the State Police.
More than 500 persons crowded around the office of Alderman
Upton last evening while the hearing was in progress.
[“Hlatky Woman Jeld For Murder,” The Daily Republican
(Monessen, Pa.), Sep. 7, 1928, p. 6]
***
FULL TEXT: Defense attorneys will not seek a new trial for
Mrs. Hlatky of Mosessen, who is held in the Westmoreland County jail today
awaiting sentence after being convicted of voluntary manslaughter in connection
with the discovery of two sets of twins buried in the chicken yard ion the rear
of the Hlatky home in Monessen.
John Hlatky, husband of the convicted woman, still faces
trial charged with being an accessory after the fact.
Mrs. Hlatky was convicted this week by the state when her
four purported confessions to smothering the infants was introduced in the
trial and damaging testimony was given by her own 12 and 13-year-old daughters.
The infants’ bodies were found last August.
The case opened Tuesday afternoon [Nov. 20], the entire
afternoon being taken up in the selection of a jury and the first witnesses
were called to the stand Wednesday morning. The trial finally went to the jury
shortly after 5 o’clock Thursday afternoon and at 8:30 reported that a verdict
had been reached. There were only a few persons including the Commonwealth’s
attorneys and the defense attorneys and the defendant in the court room when
the verdict was rendered. John Hlatky, husband of the convicted woman, charged
with being an accessory after the fact, secured a continuance and will be tried
at the next term of court.
Thursday, the early part of the morning was devoted to a
series of calling and recalling of witnesses to the stand who had already
testified for both the Commonwealth and defense.
The defense recalled Sergeant James Buckley, of the state
police, who had charge of the case for his trip to the stand no less than three
times. The defense, attorneys, P. K. Shaner and Vincent R. Smith, quizzed the
state trooper again as to the means of getting the confession the state police
secured on their visit to Mrs. Hlatky in the Monongahela hospital. In addition
to Sergeant Buckley, both Corporal H. C. Johnson and Private A. A. Drenning
were summoned by the defense for cross examination. All three said they came to
witness a statement made by Mrs. Hlatky.
Then Sergeant Buckley was called to the stand by District
Attorney John R. Keister. He denied that any force or threats were made during
the visits made by the officers to Mrs. Hlatky's hospital room either on Sunday
or on Tuesday, last August.
Mrs. Hlatky was recalled by the defense in an effort to test
her hand writing against that appearing on some of the confessions made by her.
Apparently satisfled, the defense excused her after Assistant District Attorney
Fred B. Trescher of the Commonwealth's side, had her write her name. There was
an objection made by the Commonwealth and sustained by the court to the
admission of the handwriting.
Despite the objections of the defense counsel four of the
confessions alleged to have been made by Mrs. Hlatky were admitted and read to
the jury.
Three of these confessions follow.
The following statement was made in the hospital where the
woman was a patient:
"The twin babies born to me on August 11, 1928, were
born alive as they were crying, l kept them under a feather tick until they
smothered. I make this statement of my own free will as my priest, Father Kitz,
is here with me, and now I feel better. They tell me I cannot say anything
about my husband so I guess 1 cannot." -- Signed, Anna Hlatky. --Witnesses: L. G.
Simmonds, Monongahela Hospital.
The following confession was obtained from Anna Hlatky by
Dr. M. E. Griffith and Miss Virginia I. Minger, a nurse in the Memorial
hospital, Monongahela, Pa.:
"I had two babies in July 1927. I forget the exact
date. One baby was born one-half hour after the other. I heard one crying a
little bit. Margaret heard the baby cry and came in the room and asked me what
was Che matter. John buried the babies. John is the boy that is in jail now. I
kept these babies under the covers so that they would not get any air, and
smothered them. When I thought I was able, I wrapped the babies up in my old
sweaters. These babies were my husband's. They were born in the morning and Margaret
was the only one at home. I would not have a doctor or mid wife because I was
afraid of my husband. -- Anna Hlatky. -- Witnesses: M. E. Griffith, Virginia I.
Minger.
A portion of the confession as made to Pennsylvania State
Police, Indicating the method of death and burial, follows:
"I left the babies lay under the tick on the bed and I
didn’t move them until Sunday morning. At that time, 1 wrapped them p" in
a blue blanket which was on the bed and put them in a boiler that Margaret
brought up stairs. The boiler was put into the cupboard in the bedroom. On
Sunday evening, Margaret said to me that there was a bad smell in the room, so
I told her to go out in the back yard and dig a hole and bury what was in the
boiler, In the hole. Margaret dug the hole and buried the bundle. I told her to
put some lysol on the ground so it wouldn't smell. I did not tell Margaret what
was in the bundle, t gave her a nickel for burying the bundle." -- (Signed)
Anna Hlatky. -- Witnesses: James V. Buckley, Hilding C. Johnson, David A.
Drenning.
[“Defense Attorneys For Mrs. Hlatky Will Not Seek New Trial –
Monessen Woman Now Awaiting Conviction – Husband Faces Trial. – Four Purported
Confession of Woman Introduced At Trial.” The Daily Republican (Monogahela,
Pa.), Nov. 24, 1928, p. 1]
***
FULL TEXT: Greensburg, Pa.,
Jan. 21. – Mrs. Anna Hlatky, aged 36 years, of Monessen convicted of
involuntary manslaughter in criminal Court here in November for the killing of
two sets of new born twins in 1927 and 1928, was today sentenced to an
indeterminate term of from 7 to 24 years in the Women’s State Industrial Home at
Muncie, Pa.
The woman, unmoved, took the
sentence calmly, her only concern being for the care of her minor children, who
are now receiving county aid. The bodies of the babies were buried in a chicken
yard at the rear of the Hlatky home. The
woman testified at the trial that her husband had threatened her with death if
she gave birth to any more children.
[“Mother Gets 7 to 24 Years
For Her Crimes – Mrs. Anna Hlatky Of Monessen Killed Two Sets Of Twins – Unmoved
By Sentence,” The Evening News (Wilkes-Barre., Pa.), Jan. 21, 1929, p. 1]
***
CHRONOLOGY
Jul. 1927 – twins born, murdered. (confession)
Aug. 11, 1928 – twins born,
murdered.
Aug. 25, 1928 – Anna enters Memorial
Hospital.
Aug. 31, 1928 – twins born in 1927 dug up.
Sep. 1, 1928 – signed
confession.
Nov. 21, 1928 – trial begins.
Nov. 23, 1928 – convicted.
Jan. 21, 1929. – Anna sentenced
to 7-24 years.
For more cases of this type, see Serial Baby-Killer Moms.
***
[151-1/4/21]
***
No comments:
Post a Comment