The national whig., 1847-06-11
From the Nsso Orleans Delta
THE SONIN CASE.
In SHELBY County. Texas.
BAYoU SARA. May %, ls47.

Il
BAYoU SARA. May %, l847.
Dear - returned from flying visit /.
Hamilton yesterday. and learned some more
particulars in relation TO the poisoning fifteen
are dead. and some eight or ten are expected
to die daily-some got better, but took relaps.
and died. The poison was arsenic. will re
late the circumstance as heard IL:
Itappears that old Wilkinson was man Of
bad charac,er--a notorious hog thief-and Nor
rs. the groom, had been twice whipped in
Mississippi for negro stealing. Wilkinson was
accused OF stealing the hogs Of Spot Sanders,
and you will perceive, from what follows, how
he revenged himself. He sent to the house OF
Sanders. who lives some two or three miles
from him. and who was not at the time friend
| ly, a half of shoat, one turkey, three chick
ems, some chicken pie, butter. pound cake, &c.,
enough to last the family week, all poisoned,
even to the butter, which was elegantly mould
ed. The family eat of it-Mrs. Sanders, three
children, and negro boy. are dead-the only
child left, was dying when was at our friend
kerr's. MIR. Sanders and seven negroes are
yet sick il is thought, will die. Poor
Mrs. Sanders did not know that her children
were dead or dying. and told her husband 10
/ rear them in The nurture and admonishes ol
The Lord. She requested, when dying, tha,
her negroes should come and bid her farewell
they could not, all being poisoned Mr.. San
ders' mother, an old lady Of seventy, was a
victim also. Allen Haley lost negro man
the mans wife was one Of the servants a, III.
wedding, and took him a piece of the pound
cake-he eat two mouths full, aud not liking
the taste of it, eat no more--yet that killed
him. An old lady by the name Of E1ens. made
the cakes, and she was poisoned, together with
her son and negro girl-the girl is dead, and
her son not expected to recover. The butter
that was left at Sanders was thrown out, and
some Of the fowls eat of it, and died in few
minutes. Allen Haley and his mother were
the only persons at the wedding not poisoned
They came late after the guests were served
and eat with the family, partaking Of the same
food they did-even TO the cake. Old Wilkin.
son insisted on cutting fresh cake for them,
but they refused to partake of il, and escaped
death by their refusal. The lady that made the
cakes, Mrs. Edens, went on the morning Of
the wedding to look at the cakes, in The smoke
house, where she had put them, and found
that The covering she had put on the top Of
them was removed from all the cakes but one
! that was covered with custard pie-they
looked dark and dscolored, and she took some
| loat sugar, which she grated and put over them,
| thinking it strange that they were 50 disarrang-
| ed. Old Wilkinson and his wife, and Morris
| wife, were arrested and examined before Squire
Sanders, who committed them to prison
Charles Alexander bailed the women, and
Wilkinson was taken out by a writ OF habeas
corpus before the Probate Judge, Lester, and
set at liberty. He was afraid 10 leave the
house during the day, as there were persons
determined on killing him. During the nigh,
he escaped on Morris horse, which Morris
brought 10 him. Eight persons are 10 pursuit
Of him, who have sworn 10 kill him on sight.
Morris is Wilkinson's agent--he was ordered
to leave, or he would frs. be whipped and then
hung. He refused TO go, and we may there
fore expect that he will be made short work Of.
wrote you in my last that the negroes were
suspected Of having been hired to poison the
food. Such is not the case. as the Legroes were
all poisoned, they not belonging to Wilkinson.
AT the last accounts the pursuers but few
miles behind Wilkinson-headed by Mr.. Cas-
tleberry, who was one Of the poisoned, and
lost his sister; he swore he would follow him
TO the end Of the world. being bent on taking
his lie. have seen some of the survivors,
they are black under the eyes, and the ends OF
their fingers are black-,hey look like walking
ghosts. They all think that health and strength
are gone, being every one unable TO do any la
borions work Poor souls s,