31:
268:
so he could collect $ 5,000 in life insurance policies from each. According to his confessions, Roberts had given his first wife Aletha
Ainsworth some poisoned ice cream circa August 1931, while she lay pregnant at a hospital in Jackson. The second killing occurred sometime in 1933, when he had given
234:
On July 16, 1949, the elder of
Roberts' granddaughters, 5-year-old Mary Louise Hill, was admitted to St. Dominic's Hospital due to multiple convulsions, to which she succumbed at the hospital. For unclear reasons, no post-mortem was done on the body, and she was quickly buried at the family plot in
302:
to prevent him from further harming himself. Four days later, on March 21, he was executed at a prison in
Jackson in the state's portable electric chair. Before the procedure had begun, he had spent the day mostly praying with the prison chaplain and other inmates and repeatedly reiterated that he
289:
On
December 11, 1949, Roberts was found guilty and sentenced to death, but appeared seemingly unmoved by when the verdict was announced. At the time of the trial, the press compared him with another defendant in an unrelated murder case, focusing on Roberts' lackluster education and low IQ of 73,
247:
policies issued on them in which their grandfather was the beneficiary. Due to these circumstances, Roberts was arrested on suspicion of murder, but he initially denied responsibility, claiming that he had used half of the policies to pay for
Shirley's hospital bills. These claims were disproven
285:
was selected for the upcoming murder trial. At one of the pre-trial hearings, Roberts' court-appointed attorney, Forrest
Jackson, claimed that his client had told him that he had made the confession when he was "tired", a notion supported by his daughter, who believed that he was innocent. As a
260:
Five days after his arrest, Roberts signed a written statement to Police Chief Joel Holden, in which he confessed that he had poisoned Mary and
Shirley in order to collect the money from the life insurance policies, implicating a woman named Ruby Pace as his supposed accomplice. Following this
273:, where the family lived at the time. For unclear reasons, Roberts refused to make written statements about these confessions but supposedly claimed they were true. Despite this, Roberts was never charged with either case, presumably due to lack of evidence.
239:. Suspicions were raised when the younger granddaughter, 4-year-old Shirley, was also admitted to the hospital in October, suffering from similar symptoms. While she managed to recover, an analysis of her urine determined that she had been poisoned with
297:
On March 17, 1951, several days before his scheduled execution, Roberts attempted suicide by slashing his wrists with a razor blade he had hidden in his shoe. The injuries proved to be superficial, and from then on, he was kept in a
286:
result, Jackson requested that the confession be thrown out on the grounds that
Roberts was questioned without a warrant, but his request was denied by Justice Harold Cox, who ruled that the admission could be used at the trial.
198:
who was convicted for poisoning his two granddaughters in 1949, one fatally, but later confessed that he was also responsible for killing two of his wives in 1931 and 1933. He was never prosecuted for the former murders, but was
303:
was innocent. As he was strapped to the chair, his final words were, "Well now, bye bye." His execution came as a huge disappointment for the surviving family members, who hoped for a last-minute reprieve from
Governor
261:
revelation, the local coroners were tasked with exhuming Mary's body to test whether she had traces of arsenic, but the probe was temporarily suspended until they could produce a proper report on the results.
231:
on
January 13, 1940, where underwent medical examinations. After spending twelve days in the hospital, Roberts was determined to be sane and released, with the charges against him dropped altogether.
252:
reported that an examination of five arsenic bottles determined that some of the arsenic had mysteriously vanished, Roberts was charged with capital murder and attempted murder.
692:
662:
697:
687:
657:
677:
707:
294:, Roberts' initial execution date was stayed. In the end, however, the verdict was upheld, and Roberts' death sentence was finalized.
203:
for his granddaughter's murder and subsequently executed in 1951, despite recanting his confession and claiming that he was innocent.
682:
672:
236:
47:
211:
At the time of the crimes, Roberts, an unemployed dairy herdsman, lived with his daughter Gladys and her family, who operated a
264:
In the meantime, attorney Julian Alexander claimed to the press that Roberts had admitted to poisoning two of his wives with
228:
290:
stating that he represented one of two extremes of a murder defendant. Following an appeal lodged by his lawyers to the
316:
667:
422:
372:
404:
610:
632:
627:
568:
493:
291:
249:
269:
strychnine capsules to his second wife Etta McRaney after she had returned from hospital to their home in
521:
224:
78:
550:
475:
457:
564:
390:
358:
652:
647:
582:
536:
507:
440:
408:
339:
270:
243:. This information was passed on to the police, who further discovered that both girls had
216:
66:
8:
479:
461:
702:
376:
304:
220:
200:
126:
596:
611:"Houston Roberts, Convicted Child-Poisoner, Dies In State's Portable Electric Chair"
436:
340:"Houston Roberts, Convicted Child-Poisoner, Dies In State's Portable Electric Chair"
223:
in 1940, but after suffering an attack during the trial, he was remanded to the
244:
212:
102:
641:
391:"'It Does Look Suspicious', Mother Says Of Probe Into Death, Illness Of Tots"
195:
613:. The Clarion-Ledger. March 22, 1951. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
342:. The Clarion-Ledger. March 22, 1951. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
299:
169:
282:
265:
110:
496:. Delta Democrat Times. November 21, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
524:. Delta Democrat Times. December 8, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
425:. Hattiesburg American. October 27, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
585:. The Clarion-Ledger. February 13, 1951 – via Newspapers.com.
553:. The Clarion-Ledger. December 11, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
510:. The Clarion-Ledger. November 30, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
88:
599:. Delta Democrat Times. March 21, 1951 – via Newspapers.com.
393:. The Clarion-Ledger. October 25, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
361:. The Clarion-Ledger. October 23, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
240:
30:
194:(1905 – March 21, 1951) was an American murderer and suspected
116:
248:
after a check from the hospital, and after chemists from the
482:. November 9, 1949. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
464:. November 9, 1949. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
16:
Executed American murderer and suspected serial killer
476:"Held In Girl's Killing, He Admits Poisoning 2 Wives"
458:"Held In Girl's Killing, He Admits Poisoning 2 Wives"
276:
693:People executed by Mississippi by electric chair
639:
539:. The Clarion-Ledger – via Newspapers.com.
537:"Defendant Calm As Jury Verdict Decrees 'Death'"
571:. December 22, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
443:. November 6, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
411:. October 25, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
379:. October 27, 1949 – via Newspapers.com.
219:. He had previously been charged with passing
565:"ELECTROCUTION HALTED FOR GRANDCHILD SLAYER"
405:"Grandfather Is Accused Of Poisoning Child"
663:20th-century executions of American people
534:
29:
698:People from Covington County, Mississippi
688:People convicted of murder by Mississippi
658:20th-century executions by Mississippi
640:
206:
522:"Ask Confession Be Ruled Invalid Now"
494:"Poison Case To Go To Grand Jury Now"
353:
351:
349:
334:
332:
551:"In Defendants As Pitts Trial Nears"
452:
450:
678:American people executed for murder
13:
597:"Roberts Attempts Suicide in Cell"
346:
329:
14:
719:
708:Executed suspected serial killers
621:
447:
317:Capital punishment in Mississippi
277:Trial, imprisonment and execution
683:Executed people from Mississippi
535:Bill Keith (December 11, 1949).
603:
589:
575:
557:
543:
528:
514:
508:"Roberts Denies His Confession"
500:
486:
373:"Roberts Once Whitfield Inmate"
673:American murderers of children
468:
429:
415:
397:
383:
365:
255:
1:
359:"Local Man Held In Poisoning"
322:
569:Chattanooga Times Free Press
292:Supreme Court of Mississippi
250:Mississippi State University
7:
310:
10:
724:
225:Mississippi State Hospital
79:Execution by electrocution
35:Press photograph (c. 1949)
185:
175:
163:
155:
145:
137:
132:
122:
108:
98:
94:
84:
74:
55:
40:
28:
21:
668:American male criminals
633:Roberts v. State (1951)
423:"ADMITS POISON ATTEMPT"
48:Hopewell, Mississippi
441:Delta Democrat Times
409:Hattiesburg American
307:, which never came.
217:Jackson, Mississippi
103:Life insurance money
67:Jackson, Mississippi
480:The Sheboygan Press
462:The Sheboygan Press
207:Murder of Mary Hill
147:Span of crimes
75:Cause of death
377:The Clarion-Ledger
305:Fielding L. Wright
281:On November 21, a
201:sentenced to death
437:"Probe Suspended"
189:
188:
63:(aged 45–46)
715:
615:
614:
607:
601:
600:
593:
587:
586:
579:
573:
572:
561:
555:
554:
547:
541:
540:
532:
526:
525:
518:
512:
511:
504:
498:
497:
490:
484:
483:
472:
466:
465:
454:
445:
444:
433:
427:
426:
419:
413:
412:
401:
395:
394:
387:
381:
380:
369:
363:
362:
355:
344:
343:
336:
181:October 22, 1949
177:Date apprehended
166:
123:Criminal penalty
113:
62:
33:
19:
18:
723:
722:
718:
717:
716:
714:
713:
712:
638:
637:
624:
619:
618:
609:
608:
604:
595:
594:
590:
583:"Slayer To Die"
581:
580:
576:
563:
562:
558:
549:
548:
544:
533:
529:
520:
519:
515:
506:
505:
501:
492:
491:
487:
474:
473:
469:
456:
455:
448:
435:
434:
430:
421:
420:
416:
403:
402:
398:
389:
388:
384:
371:
370:
366:
357:
356:
347:
338:
337:
330:
325:
313:
279:
258:
209:
192:Houston Roberts
178:
164:
148:
109:
85:Criminal status
70:
64:
60:
51:
45:
36:
24:
23:Houston Roberts
17:
12:
11:
5:
721:
711:
710:
705:
700:
695:
690:
685:
680:
675:
670:
665:
660:
655:
650:
636:
635:
630:
623:
622:External links
620:
617:
616:
602:
588:
574:
556:
542:
527:
513:
499:
485:
467:
446:
428:
414:
396:
382:
364:
345:
327:
326:
324:
321:
320:
319:
312:
309:
278:
275:
257:
254:
245:life insurance
213:boarding house
208:
205:
187:
186:
183:
182:
179:
176:
173:
172:
167:
161:
160:
157:
153:
152:
149:
146:
143:
142:
139:
135:
134:
130:
129:
124:
120:
119:
114:
106:
105:
100:
96:
95:
92:
91:
86:
82:
81:
76:
72:
71:
65:
59:March 21, 1951
57:
53:
52:
46:
42:
38:
37:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
720:
709:
706:
704:
701:
699:
696:
694:
691:
689:
686:
684:
681:
679:
676:
674:
671:
669:
666:
664:
661:
659:
656:
654:
651:
649:
646:
645:
643:
634:
631:
629:
626:
625:
612:
606:
598:
592:
584:
578:
570:
566:
560:
552:
546:
538:
531:
523:
517:
509:
503:
495:
489:
481:
477:
471:
463:
459:
453:
451:
442:
438:
432:
424:
418:
410:
406:
400:
392:
386:
378:
374:
368:
360:
354:
352:
350:
341:
335:
333:
328:
318:
315:
314:
308:
306:
301:
295:
293:
287:
284:
274:
272:
267:
262:
253:
251:
246:
242:
238:
232:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
204:
202:
197:
196:serial killer
193:
184:
180:
174:
171:
168:
162:
159:United States
158:
154:
150:
144:
140:
136:
131:
128:
125:
121:
118:
115:
112:
111:Conviction(s)
107:
104:
101:
97:
93:
90:
87:
83:
80:
77:
73:
68:
58:
54:
49:
43:
39:
32:
27:
20:
628:FamilySearch
605:
591:
577:
559:
545:
530:
516:
502:
488:
470:
431:
417:
399:
385:
367:
300:straitjacket
296:
288:
280:
263:
259:
233:
210:
191:
190:
61:(1951-03-21)
653:1951 deaths
648:1905 births
256:Confessions
170:Mississippi
642:Categories
323:References
283:grand jury
266:strychnine
221:bad checks
703:Poisoners
229:Whitfield
151:1931–1949
311:See also
237:Hopewell
165:State(s)
89:Executed
271:Collins
241:arsenic
156:Country
138:Victims
133:Details
117:Murder
99:Motive
69:, U.S.
50:, U.S.
127:Death
56:Died
44:1905
41:Born
227:in
215:in
141:1–3
644::
567:.
478:.
460:.
449:^
439:.
407:.
375:.
348:^
331:^
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
