Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-08-11
SUPPOSED MURDER OF MISS PHARR
BY DOETOk ThOMPSON

The readers of the Star will recollect that
some two months ago We published statement
of the peculiar and suspicious circumstances
attending the death of Miss Pharr, daughter
Of the Rev. Mr.. Pharr, of Covington, Va, by
which guilt was attached to DR.. Thompson, the
fathers family physician. Recent investipa.
lions have strengthened these suspioions of
guilt. The Richmond Enquirer, of August
9th, says:
Son DIT, that suspicion of foul play was Hrst
excited by the attendants who laid her out for
burial, observing igns upon her dead body in
dicatIng pregnancy, and then the fact that she
die! in a few hours with violent commissions
A box Of ergot pills, which are used to produce
abortions, was found in her room after her
death, and she was also seen with large pill
given her by DR.. Thompson, which she kept
for some time and hesitated about taking it.
1t is thought by some that the ergot pills were
given her by DR.. Thompson to produce an
abortion, but failing in the attempt, the large
pill was given her with the damnabie intent to
destroy her life. On dit further, that DR..
Thompson had been engaged to her for some
time, but told some of his friends that he did
not intend to marry her"
The following additional particulars We find
in the Greenbrier (Vs.) Era:
The sudden death of Miss Agnes Pharr, the
daughter OF the esteemed Presbyterian clergy
man at Covington, Allegheny county, last
winter. was remarked upon by the press at
that time. She was in perfect health in the
morning, but died suddenly In the afternoon
under symptoms peculiar to de- tn from strych-
nine.
Suspicion was aroused, and meeting of citi-
sens called. Into this, Dr.: Thompson, the
family physician of Rev. Mr.. PAarr, was in.
vlted. de protested innocence, and also A
desire to have the body examined, that he
might thereby clear himself of suspicion.
with the understanding thatsuch examination
would take place, the meeting dispersed. But
no examination took place. Dr.. Thomson
shirked out Of it on pretence that he did not
wish to wound the feelings of the parents ~
Suspicion was not, therefore, allayed. 1t went
on gathering strength, until there was scarce
matter was not canvassed
About SIX weeks ago two young men wrote
to the editor Of the Lynchburg Republican
upon the matter, which furnished grounds for
the article which appeared in that paper, and
wnlcn We and other editors have copied. EN-
Doidened by tho supposition that the BODY of
the murdered had SO far mouldered away as
70 nioe ail indications of his guilt, DR.. T. went
10 Lynchburg, procured the names of the an.
thors OF the statement in the Republican, and
returned and prosecuted them for slanderfN
lie also prosecuted five other persons in Gov.
ington: Seeing the editorial in the Era of the
18th ultlmo, he sent his brother over to deal
w,tn as. He threatened, but his Jf4lmsn end.
cd in breath.
Wefelt conviction all along that something
was wrong. Our suspicion was grounded upon
the TACT that he was "engaged'' to Miss Pharr
that her death was sudden, with symptoms
peculiar to death from strychnine-that he
showed heartless and brutal insensibility on
inc DAY OF her death-that anonymous letters
were sent to several of our town physicians
with many other correlative facts, Hence. We
spoke with greater freedom than We otherwise
should: Our suspicious were somewhat con-
h,med by the arrival Of two of the prosecuted,
VINO came hither to get physicians to make an
examination OF the buried body. So strong
were the'r suspicious, that they were readv to
prove themselves guilty Of SANDER, by such a
course, " the doctor scas innocent! Thew
Ianed on their mission hither; but they got
aid elsewhere eO'
The body Of Miss Pharr was disinterred last
frlday, and post-mortem examination for
ws1Iy maue under the auspices of Dr. Estell
" Lexington. The examination showed a
letus IN the womb five months old, and the
s.omaSn gave such signs Of containing poison
as authorized an expression of ballet in snch
tsct by the board Of examining physicians,
On Saturday Thompson was brought before
an examining court fully committed for trial
Large Dan was offered, but properly refused.
REsREsHxEsrs or THE EEAsos :-Fin,t
eourse--blue pills, spiced rhub.rb, milk Dor.
ridge; second do.-morphins, Dovsr's powders.
pa,egorio, soda cracker; desssrt-quinins and
n pahayn h,Aad