Emily would stay in Decatur and give birth to a chubby red-headed baby girl in August of 1884. While in Decatur and after the birth of her daughter Emily was living with Mr. and Mrs. Shiveley. Emily loved her child and it was noticeable to people around her, but Charles wanted the baby gone. So wanting to be with the man she loved she tried several times to give her child away.
By March 7, 1885, 27-year-old Charles was done with 21-year-old Emily still having the baby. In news reports, it seems he called the baby it. He was mad that the baby was still there. He told Emily "I'll be damned if I don't find a place for it." her before leaving The Shiveley's home. He would return after nightfall and state he found a home. The three would leave the home together.
They would walk to the railroad tracks and would get closer to an area without visible homes. From what Emily stated was that Charles and she walked to a point and he took the baby with him. He stated that the family lived not much further and he'd take her there. Emily was unwilling, but let him take her daughter. He was gone for 20 minutes before returning.
She was crying by the time he came back. He told her crying wouldn't help anything and they wouldn't be bothered again. What they didn't know is a man named Boyd Shannon saw them from a distance, but he thought that the couple was another neighbor.
She was crying by the time he came back. He told her crying wouldn't help anything and they wouldn't be bothered again. What they didn't know is a man named Boyd Shannon saw them from a distance, but he thought that the couple was another neighbor.
In the time he was gone he threw his baby girl into the river and let her drown. It's unknown if Emily knew that Charles threw their daughter into the water or if she was an unwilling party to the murder. It's believed that he did this on his own.
The two would go to the Humpty Dumpy Theater and then to the Shiveley home stating that Charles gave the baby to a man with the last name Smith. That their daughter was going home with him to California. They handed the baby over at the train depot. Now that their daughter was gone on March 16th the two then got married.
The body of the 7-month-old would soon be found.
Emily wouldn't be prosecuted for the murder as she believed that he was giving their daughter away and not murdering her. It would be said that Emily would regret giving the prosecution her letters and for her testimony against Charles. She was still devoted to him and loved him though he killed their child.
At the trial, they claimed that the baby had to of died after the 7th due to decomposition. They also claimed everything was circumstantial and he could have given the baby away and the "Smith" man murdered the child. He was found guilty at trial and was sentenced 21 years in the penitentiary. Many thought that for the crime he would have hung and was surprised with his sentencing.
SOURCES:
Decatur Daily Republican March 28, 1885
Herald and Review April 8, 1885
St. Louis Globe November 4, 1885
St. Louis Dispatch November 5, 1885
Chicago Tribune November 5, 1885
St. Louis Globe-Democrat November 5, 1885
It was very common in the late Victorian era to refer to a suckling infant as "it". Babies weren't thought of as gendered until they began to talk.
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