Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-06-24
FROM THE N. 0. DELTA.
THE POISONING CASE IN SHELBY COUNTY



THE POISONING CASE IN SHELBY COUNTY,
TEXAS
Ofthis case, so fiendish in its conception. so
diabocal in its cution and so mournfnlly fatal
in its results, we have the following further partc-
uars from Mr.. Stille, who was the first to inS,rm
the public OF the tragic occurrence, through the
Delta. Many at the time doubted its truth for il
was hard to conceive how any mind could he 81
totally depraved, 50 lost to all the feeling of nature
and humanity, as to perpetrate on innocent and uu
saspecting victims such wholesale murder Yet
true 1t Is, too true, bearing about it though it does
all the malignant and frighiul feature of the 6rst
account. Old Wilkinson, it would seem from
Mr. Stilles letter, is the demon incarnate who did
the deed-this is circumstantially evident. from
the fact of his sending goodly share of the
poisoned meats to Spot Sanders, whom he deemed
ms 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 tina,
g the slave had forty thousand lives,
One is too poor, too weak for their reveneem
But we will not detain the reader from Mr.
Stiles letter:
Bayou SARA, May %, lS47.
,, DEAR -: l returned from flying visit to
Hamilton yesterday, and learned some more mar
ucu!ars In relation to the poisonng-ffteen are
dead, and some eight or ten are expected To die
aaiy-some got better, but took relapse and died.
Ahe poison was arsenic. | will relate the circum-
stance as l heard it:
tappears that old Wilkinson was man of bad
character--a notorious hog thief-and Morris, the
groom, had been whipped twice in Mississippi for ne
gro 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
iliehuIy' mar OF shoat, one turkey, three chick
ems some chicken pie, butter, pound cake &c.
enough TO last the family week. all poisoned. even
the butter, which was elegantly moulded The
iamily eat oilt-Mrs. Sanders, three children. and
negro boy are dead-the other, the only child left
was dying when was at our friend Kerr's Mr..
sanders and seven negroes are yetsck-somc it is
said, will die. Poor Mrs. Sanders did not know
that her children were dead or DYING and told her
husband to rear them up in the nurture and admo-
milton OF the Lord. She requested. when DIVING
that her negroes should come and bid her FAREWELL
they could not, all being poisoned Mr. Sanders
mother, an old lady of seventy, was 4 victim also
Allen fialey lost negro man--thenaR's wife was
one Oh the servants nj the wedding, and took him
n piece OF the pound cake-he eat two mouthstul,
and not liking the taste of it eat no more-yet that
Killed him. An oil lady by the name of Edens.
maze the cakes, and she poisoned together
WIN her son and negro girl-the GIRL is dead
ana her son not expected to recover. The butter
that was left as Sanders was thrown out and some
fowls eat OF 1t and died in few minutes Allen
i',Iy ana ms mother were the only persons at the
wedding not poisoned. They came late, after the
guests were served, and eat with the family. par
taking OF tho Same food they did-even to the cake
va Wilkinson insisted on cutting fresh cake for
mem nut they refused to parake of it, and ESCAPED
death by their refusal The lady that made the
cakes, Mrs Edens, went on the morninn of the
wedding day to look at the cakes, in the smoke
house, where she had put them, and found that the
covering she had put on the ton of them was re-.
moved from all the cakes but one that was covered
WIN custard pe-thcv looked dark and discolor
ed, and she took some loaf sugar which she grated
and put over demonstrating il strange that thew
were SO dsarranged. Old Wilkinson and his wife
ana MOTIFS wife were arrested and examined be
io,e squire sanders. who committed them to prison
Charies Alexander bailed the women, and Wilkin
son was taken ont by writ OF habeas corpus before
the PROBATE Judge. Lester, and set at liberty He
was AFRAID to leave the house during the dav. as
mere were persons determined on killing him
During the night, he escaped on Morris horse
winch Morris brought him. Eight persons are
IN pursuit OF him. who have sworn TO kill him nm
sight. Morris is Wilknson's arent-he was ar
dered to leave. or he would first be whipped and
then hung. He refused to 90. and we NAV there
fore expect that he will be made short work Of
wrote You IN my last that Tie negroes were GUS
pccted OF having been hired to poison the food
oucn Is not the case, as the negroes all pos-
oned. they not belonging to Wilkinson
AZ tne last accounts the pnrsuers were but few
miles behind Wilkinson headed by Mr.. Castle
berry, 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 life. have
p seen some OF the survivors-thev are black under
The eyes. and their finger nails and the end of their
fingers are black-they look like walking ghosts.
They all think that health and strength are gone.
beng every one unable to do any aborious work.
Poor souls!