True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-05-08
The Piqua Poisoning Case.

-AA"' A'''S"ii NA"i t,Vu NAtH COuSp pltluS 10 pOl-
son the husband of the latter The parties
are said to have been considered very re-
spectacle previous to the occurrence of the
terrible tragedy terminating in the death
of Ragan. Before his death he Informed
his attending physician that he was 'pois-
oned, but did not. il. we are correctly in
formed, direct suspicion upon any one. A
post mortem examination of the deceased
rendered 1t certain that he had been the
victim of poison. Circumstances existed
which had the effect of fastening suspicion
upon the wife of the deceased, Some
time siuce-in December last-it was as
certainea beyond much dou3t, that Mrs,
r. wrote letter to a man by the name of
Mowrey, residing in Colesville, o., (and
who was formerly lover Of the lady, in
which u proposition was made to despatch
her husband by administering poison to
him. The letter, by mistake, was taken
from the post-ofice by gentleman named
Murray, the address being similar to his
own. The next link in the chain was the
tact that Mrs. Il. purchased poison at Il
drug store in Piqua, a short time before
the death of her husband. These suspi-
cious circumstances were considered suifi-
cient to warrant an investigation of the
affair, which resulted in her being bound
over to answer the charge Of murder. The
il.n Mowrey is now upon his trial before
Justice Sage of Piqua, charged with being
accessory to the murder Of Arthur Ragan.
During the trial the following letter was
introduced, the writing of which was ac-
knowlcdged by Mrs. Rasan. We copy
from the Dayton Gazette:
plQuA, December 9th, 1854.
"DEAR JIMMY:-Onee again | am seat
ed to write a few lines to you. | said l
would not write any more but you know |
can't refrain from it, as | have been living
in perfect hell, if you will allow me the
expression--it is hard one but neverthe
less true--and | have been tormented day
and night since came home. lie saw
NE kiss you, and that was enough. O,
how have had to suffer for it, did
not think he saw me; but he was Watching
NE. | ain so near beside myself hard
ly know what | am doing. lie says | shall
net 60 home any more, and says he will
not get me any more clothes and then
can't go as much as have. Now can't
stand this any longer, and | appeal to you
for help. | have thought of one more
PLAN | am going to make one more propo-
sition to you, aud if you will do it | will
grant you the request you have so long
asked of me, as soon as you do what
want you to do, or befoIe, if you will only
do as | want you.
Now it is this, you make a proposition
to him to 60 with you to look at some new
country-to Oregon or Wisconsin, or some
other place-and name the period right of,
and if he says he has not the means YOU
tell him you will furnish him the means if
he will 60 for company; then | will per-
suade him to 60, and then you can 90 on
horseback or on the cars, and you can take
your two horses and go part of the way Oh
the cars, and then you can take the horses
aud 60 the rest Of the way-that is, till
you get "a good ways from here, and you
can procure your poison and administer il
in his oysters and he will never know the
difference; you can cat your oysters on
the road or you can give them to some
farm house; they will never know the diff.
erence, and you can pretend to take ii
hard to think you have to turn back.
When you can accomplish what l have
told you, then you can telegraph Inc that
he is dead.
will tell the Templars and haye them
to make up thirty dollars and send to you
to bear his expenses. If you will come uT
as soon us you get this l will tell you al
about it, and then will grant your request
Come up right away, [ can tell you better
Now Dear do come, you know | love yor
you are well aware of it. will writt
no more till see you. Come up righ
away. My ink is pale. Yours in life o.
death.
From yours, OR one that loves you"
Mrs. Ragan is thus described by the re
porter Of the trial for the Dayton Dali,
Gazette:
"This morning Mrs. Ragan, the widow
OF Arthur Ragan, who was present al
though under arrest as the principal in hi.
murder, consented to be sworn. She cam,
into court at 8 o'clock, leaning on the arm
of her father. She is lady of about 2:
years, possessing graceful figure, and al
intelligent countcnanca indicating mucl
firmness and energy. She is quite attrac
tive in her appearance and manner, witt