Phantom at His Bedside
O’Donnell Said to be Haunted by the Ghost of his Wife
Eau Claire Weekly Telegram | September 2, 1897 

A report comes from Waupun that John O’Donnell, of this city, now confined in the penitentiary for the murder of his wife by administering strychnine, recently applied for permission to have a light all night in his cell; that, when asked why he wanted it and told that if the request was based on reasonable grounds, it would not be refused by the authorities, he said “Every night, when the light is put out, my wife comes to my bedside and talks to me. She says, ‘John I know you ought not be here, for you never did that.”

It is not learned whether O’Donnell’s supposed request was granted. It is reported that he is broken in health and that his hair is almost white.

Chad’s Take
Help that comes a little too late

In 1897, the Chippewa Valley was buzzing with news of the unexpected death of Mrs. Catherine O’Donnell. At the beginning of the investigation Mrs. O’Donell’s death looked like nothing more than another young seemingly healthy person succumbing to one of many illnesses that plagued the 1800s. However, it didn’t take long for the case to start unraveling, and when it did, the lurid details built the case into something right out of a cheap murder mystery paperback.

The investigation into the death of Mrs. O’Donnell was very in-depth and heavily detailed, so I will try to provide you will only the highlights (or lowlights, depending on your level of macabre interest). Late one evening Mr. John O’Donnell had called for the doctor to come and check on his wife, who was suddenly feeling under the weather. When the doctor arrived O’Donnell told him that his wife was sound asleep. The doctor was a bit hesitant to wake up the wife for something that Mr. O’Donnell told him was probably nothing. During the night the woman’s condition declined and early the next morning the doctor was again called on, and this time when he actually checked on the woman, she was dead. At first it appeared as though the woman died of natural causes, a common listing for the cause of death for this time period. Yet when the doctor informed the husband of the terrible news, the doctor noted that Mr. O’Donnell seemed unfazed by the news and calmly asked about speedy funeral arrangements. It turns out Mr. O’Donnell may have had good reason for a quick burial, because for every hour the investigation continued, the possibility of the truth surfacing increased.

So here is where I sum up the rest of the case for you in five easy steps:

1. Upon the doctor’s request Mrs. O’Donnell underwent an autopsy where strychnine was discovered in her stomach.

2. A Sixth Ward pharmacist named A.J. Klofanda testified that Mr. O’Donnell had recently purchased strychnine from his store using a fake name.

3. Mr. O’Donnell was previous arrested with his mistress who provided the court with letters that Mr. O’Donnell had sent her where he told of wanting to “get rid” of his wife.

4. The O’Donnell’s twelve year old boy took the stand and told the jury that he had on several occasions heard his mother talk about ending her own life.

5. John O’Donnell was found guilty for the murder of his wife and sent to Waupun Prison, where the ghost of his wife appeared nightly to proclaim his innocence.

Believe it or not, the ghost of deceased family members haunting their loved ones is an all too common story, especially in the late 1800s. I have collected several other cases where killers have been tormented by the spirits of their victims. I truly don’t know whether or not Mr. O’Donnell actually killed his wife, but I do know that if he would have had his dead wife’s spirit testify on his behalf during the trial, he probably would not have been in prison to begin with.

Keep an eye out …