Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1840-01-10
CONFESSION OF A MuRDERER.
From the. ~. Y. Journal Of Commerce.

The POISONING CAsE.---Our reader.
have been apprised Of the death of young
man named John w. Floor, occasioned by
his eating poisoned pound cake, presented
to him by female in Cathorine market
and oflhe arrest and imprisonment of six fe.
males on suspicion Of being concerned in, OF
accessory to the crime committed. Nothing
however appearing to implicale five OF the
females in the guilt Of the transaction, they
were subsequently, discharged, and only one.
named Phebe Ann Simonson. alias Sander
son, who called herself the vile ofihe dc.
ceased. was detained in prison for fumre ex-
animation. This female it is admitted, and
by herself declared, was the wife Of MrFloor,
& lived in apartments in Lewis street, where
he supported her. and where she passed as
his wife, and she is understood 10 be about
or 8 months advanced in pregnancy. After
her arrest, this woman (whose maiden name
was Simouson, and whose parents reside in
New Jersey,) acknowledged that she had
been TO the mail et on the night the cake was
given, and had obtained some mutton chops,
but denied having had any cake that night
ut the market.
After her arrest, the apartments she had
occupied were searched, and saucer and
plate, each containing portions OF pound cake
which adhered to their sides, were found and
identified by Mrs. Fisher and Miss Phil
lips, of the same house, as those she had ba.
ked cakes in on Saturday sen'nigh in the
stove OF Mrs. Fisher 1t was also proved
that when one Of the cakes (ihe smaller one)
was somewhat scorched, that the accused eY-
pressed her regret at the fact, saying that she
wanted that cake for a particular use and
also that when a child Of Mrs. Fisher asked
for piece Of the smaller cake. the accused
said she wanted it for particular use, but
that the child might have piece Of the lar.
ger one on the next day.
The smaller cake the accused said she
had eaten herself on the way 10 the marker.
whlchiwas no, the fact, as il was evidently
given to Mr.. Floor. The saucer that had
contained The cake was put into the hands Of
DR.. Chiffon, the chemist who on king a
chemical analysis OF the portions OF cake ad.
herring to its sides. detected in them consider.
'b'eportion Of arsenic, though there was none
IN the portion Of cake adherng to the larger
plata small iron pc, was also found by
Justice Merritt in the apartment OF the accu-
'ed, which contained fluid with white sed.
ment, being as supposed the washings ofthe
poisonous vessel in which the dough of the
cake was mixed. The substance in the DO,
was also mpregnansd with arsenic. and like.
wise. as we are informed, bowl in which
some ofihe cake had been prior to its being
baked. An apron was also found Of dark
;alico in her apartment, being the one she
wore when she mixed and made the cakes,
which was 6iscoloTed or turned yellow in
several places, as il some acid had been spill.
ed thereon IL was ascerlained also that the
accused had enquired the effect oxalyc acid
would produce on the human system, aud
whether i, would poison or kill a person or
1t appeared that female OF her sp-
oearance had been to one or more apotheca-
y shops, enquiring for arsenic \
Thus things remained until Yesterday.
when other witnesses had been subpunaed
o attend before their arrival, however the
ather and mother fthe accused came 10 the
Prison 10 see their daughter. and she was
brought up into the private examination room
VI the magistrates, where she met them
The interview was solemn and affecting
me. The mother fell on her knees on the
ioor, and wept and walled aloud The faith.
II was also greatly affected In the midst Of
his scene Of grief and agony. the accused fell
IN her knees and confessed the murder. told
he magistrate and coroner that they need |
lot send for the witnesses. for that she did |
purchase the arsenic of boy in shop in
Oliver street, on the Tuesday preceding the !
leath OF her husband She said on tina, NOR |
ling she went TO The deceased for money 10
'ay her rent, and that he gave her only halfI
dollar, and that she then went away in a
tate Of feeling she could or would not de. |
cribe, and proceeding 10 the shop in Oliver
treet,purchased three cents worth OF arsenic. |
nd took il with her over the river 10 her pa. |
enrs house in Bergen. and returned homel
With il on The Saturday before the death of Mr. |
9loor-She said j, was not jealousy, and
he could not tell what it was that caused |
Ter 10 &c, the poison. The magistrate eau
ioned her against inculpntng herself. bu,
he persisted in going,en with her story, and
would not be stopped, though the Justice and
Coroner left the room, long before the COM
letion of her tale Of acknowledged guilt
ot wishing TO hear any thing disc losed thro
er until her regular examination, which |
will probably be this day.
Her parents left in tears, and the accused
vas re-conducted 10 prison. where she also
ried immoderalely. and wished TO tell the
fficer all about it, and declared to her legal
wiser her determination TO confess all that
ad taken place, She has since sent for Par.
on Chase 10 attend in the prison as her
piri,ual adviser. These are all the facts of