Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-05-11
CASE OF NINA.

'iN iiiui'0i vi "ii. ChaPndl-l HHtt. OdS.
The circumstances as disclosed in the
trial are as follows: Nina called at the
house OF DR.. Chapman, in Bucks coun-
ty, on the 9Th of May 1881, who kept
boarding school for young ladies. and
asked permission to stay all night. DIR.
Z. refused the request, stating that there
was tavern not far off where he could
stay. Mrs. c. spoke up and said she
thought he might stay that night. Mi
ma went into the house and that night
suPped with the family, when he gave
them history OF his misfortunes. The
next day, or the day following, Mrs.
Chapman and Nina went off as thew
alleged, to see Joseph Bonaparte, whom
Nina said knew some of his relations, to
get money or other assistance. Very
soon after Mina's arrival there appeared
to be great intimacy between him and
Mrs. ChaPman-they would frequently
be shut up together in room. Mrs.
Chapman generally rode out with Nina
Nina used to have fits in which Mrs
c. nursed him; the fits were of course
believed to be .eigneG, and Mrs. c. was
seen coming out ofhis room in her night
dress as early as daylight in the morn
ing. On one occasion they went togeth-
er to Philadelphia where they were
three days. DIR. Chapman at that time
expressed his fears to some of his friends
that there was an improper intimacy be-
tween Nina and his vile. 1t was fur
Their proven that the grossest familiarity
had been manifested between Nina and
her, such as kissing and hugging in the
half singing love songs in thecarriage,
he lying in her lap, and she teaching
him, &c. &c"
Nina pretended to be son of the
Governor of Calelornia-that he had
been sent to Europe in the care of an
English physician to whom all his funds
were confded-that the Physician died
suddenly, and the money was taken in
charge by an English Consul, and he
compelled to do the best he could. 1t
had been promised by his family that
money should be provided for him at
Boston, on his homeward way-that he
Immediately set sail for Boston, but ar
rived day or two after the merchant
with whom his funds were to have been
deposited had started for Mexico, &c.
Who he really is, and whence he came,
is notyet stated but it appears that he
was sentenced to the Penitentiary in
Philadelphia on the 18th of March 1880,
for larceny, where he remained till the
9th of May 1881, the very day he went
to DR.. Chapman's. He is not at all pre-
DOScPSCino in o,J ,,,o,
tute OF clothing when he went to Mr.. |
Chapman's, but was soon furnished with
two suits on Mr.. Chapmans credit.
1t was proven that Nina had procur-
ed arsenic in Philadelphia, and from an
examination of DR.. Chapman's stomach
after his death, it was believed that ar
senic had been administered to him, and |
that it was the cause of his death. The |
physician who attended him in his ill |
ness at first believed it was case of
cholera morbus.
1t was but a few days after Mr.. Chap
mans death that Mrs. c. and Nina
were married. After the marriage Mi
ma stripped the house of furniture and
sold it in Philadelphia during short
absence of Mrs. Chapman. For this she.
however, (orgave him; and furnished
him with letters to some friends in Bos-
ton where he pretended to 90 on bust
ness. Here Nina was arrested but one
day before he was to have been married
to niece of Mrs. Chapman's, whose af-
fections he had engaged, and whom he
was hurrying into matrimonial alli-
ance While on his way to Philadel-
phia, in The custody of high Constable
Blaney and Mr.. Fritz, police officer
he confessed to them that he had had
intercourse with Mrs. C.. fire.
quently during Mr.. c. e-time-and
that Mrs. Chapman had put the poison
into the soup out of bottle which he
had
This istruly horrible case, aggravat-
ed by the circumstance that Mrs. G.. is
the mother offive small children Mrs.
Chapman had her trial few weeks ago
and was acquitted according to the forms
oflaw. The evidence however, on Mi
ma trial, shows her to be equally guilty
with him.
Mr. Breckenridge, late Judge of the u
nitod States district court in Florida. but
recently reformed" out ofofice, has appeal
ed to the public, in longarticle published in
The GUS. Telegraph, - which we shall pre-
serve as one of the political curiosites oftbe
lay He charges the president with Gath
less and dishonorable" conduct towards him
and would shew, that, when the positive
was given that he should be re- !
appointed, a successor had been determined
1n.-Such is the judges statement Mr.