Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-06-18
THE POISONING CASE IN SHELBY
COUNTY. TEXAS.

OF this case, so fiendish in its conception, so
diabolical in its execution, and so mournfully
fatal in it's results, we have the following fur
Their particulars from Mr.. Stille, who was the
first to inform the public of the tragic occur
renee, through the Delta. Many at the time
doubted its truth, for it was hard to conceive
how any mind could be so totally depraved,
so lost 10 all the feeling of nature and human
ity, as to perpetrate on innocent and unsus-
pecting victims such wholesale murder Yet
true it is, too true, bearing about it though it
does all the malignant and frightful features
of the first account Old Wilkinson, it would
now seem from Mr. Stiles letter, is the de-
mon incarnate who did the deed-this is cir
substantially evident, from the fact of his
sending so goodly a share of the poisoned
meats to Spot Sanders, whom he deemed his
enemy, or at least, whose enemy he was
But they are now in hot pursuit of him, and
should they come up with him, they will wish
that
g. the slave had forty thousand lives!
One is too poor too weak for their revenge"
But we will not detain the reader from Mr.
Stiles letter:
BAYOU SARA, MAY %, 1847
DEAR i returned from flying visit to
Hamilton yesterday, and learned some more
particulars in relation 10 the poisoning fifteen
are dead, and some eight or ten are expected
to die daily-some got better, but took re-
laps and died. The poison was arsenic.
will relate the circumstance as | heard it:
1t appears that old Wilkinson was a man
of bad character-a notorious hog thief-and
Morris, the groom, had been twice whipped
in Mississippi for negro stealing. Wilkinson
was accused of stealing the hogs of Spot San
ders, and you will perceive from what fol-
lows, 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 friendly, half of shoat, one turkey,
three chickens, some chicken pie, butter, pound
cake, &c., enough to last the family week,
all poisoned, even to the butter, which was
elegantly moulded.-The family eat of it
Mrs. Sanders, three children, and negro boy
are dead-the other, and only child left, was
dying when was at our friend Kerr's. Mr..
Sanders and seven negroes are yet stck-some
it is thought, will die. Poor Mrs. Sanders
did not know that her children were dead or
dying, and told her husband to rear them in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord. She
requested, when dying, that her negroes
should come and bid her farewell-they could
not, all being poisoned Mr.. Sanders mother
an old lady of seventy, was a victim also
Allen Haley lost negro mantle mans wife
was one of the servants at the wedding, anC
took him piece of the pound cake-he ca
two mounth's-full, and not liking the taste
of it, he ate no more-yet that killed him. Al
old lady by the name of Edens, made thu
cakes, and she was poisoned, together with
her son and negro girl-the girl is dead, anc
her son not expected to recover. The butte
that was left at Sanders was thrown out, ant
some fowls eat of it and died in a few min
utes. Allen Haley and his mother were tn,
only persons at the wedding not poisoned
They came late, after the guests were served
and eat with the family, partaking of the SAM
food they did-even to the cake Old vii
kinson insisted on cutting a fresh cake TO
them, but they refused to partake of it, ant
escaped death by their refusal. The lady tina
made the cakes. Mrs. Edens, went on tn
morning of the wedding day to look at tn
cakes, In the smoke house, where she had pu
them, and found that the covering she ha
put on the top of them, was removed from
all the cake but one, that was covered wit
custard pic-they looked dark and discolor
: ed, and she took some loaf sugar, which sh
had grated, and put over them, thinking
strange that they were so disarranged. Ol
: wilkinson and his wife, and Morris wife
were arrested and examined before Squir
sanders, who committed them to. prison.
Charles Alexander baled the women, an
. Wilkinson was taken out by writ Of hobea
| corpus before the Probate Judge, Lester, an
set at liberty He was afraid to leave tn
; house during the day, as there were person
. determined on killing him. During the nigh
i ne escaped on Morris horse, which Morri
brough BIT to him. Eight persons are in pull
r suit after him, who have sworn to kill him o
: sight. Morris is Wilkinson's agent--he wa
" ordered to leave. or he would first be whipped
! and then hung. He refused to go, and W