Paul Pueller.com

Stephen D. Richards, who was hanged on the 26th day of April, 1879 at Minden, Nebraska,

for the murder of Peter Anderson, was born in the state of Ohio

and came west in 1876 in search of adventure. Besides killing Anderson, Richards confesses to the

murder of the Harleson family, consisting of four persons, the mother and three children,

and three other similar crimes committed in various

parts of the state and a cold-blooded murder in Iowa. From this, it will appear that the playful

Stephen was considerable of a butcher, said the archfiend, speaking to the author of the sketch,

I have killed nine persons, and I can't say that I feel any the worse for it.

I have only one wish now in the world.

I wished to kill two more persons.

The writer held his breath, doubting, wondering, and fearing, he asked,

who?

The quick reply was, a preacher and a reporter.

When Richards was interviewed by a Times reporter in Chicago, he threatened to break the young man in two.

Just what the grievance was, the writer has not been able to discover, but at any rate,

the Times man went away without so much as a syllable of sensation to give his paper.

Richards never had a friendly feeling for any newspaper man, and often expressed a wish to

get away with some member of the fraternity, which, if done, he said

he could die happy.

But how about the preacher, Richards?

He smiled blandly and said, it would sort of give tone to my life if I could kill a preacher,

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