The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-08-06
The SmeIser Poisoning Case IN New Orleans.
ADULTERY AND AuRDER-riiE WIFE, THE PARAhouR

ADULTERY AND huRDER-riE WIFE, THE PAKAAou Il
AND FEMALE SLAVE IN PRISON.
- From the New Orleans Eelta, July ~
FOR the last two weeks our citizens have been IN q
great STATE OF excitement IN regard 10 she rumored
poisoning OF Mr.. Levi Smelser, an old aud respect.
able citizen, who had long enjoyed the confidence OF
the community, and had followed his business Of a
tin and copper smith. at No. 2l9 Tchoupitoulas
horrible affair, is something, AZ follows -
Mr. Smelser was about thiIty-five years Of age. a
native Of Pennsylvania, and his mother is still living
in the good old Keystone State. About three years
ago he married his present wife, it being his second
marriage and lived with her Josephine street, in
the Fourth district, where he owned very pleasant
residence, which he built for his wife, the present
widow Smelser. So soon AZ he was married, he
surrounded her with every comfort, and they appa.
rently lived happily together; but Mrs. Smelser soon
began to quarrel with her husband on account of his
two sisters, Matilda and Eliza, who reside in Penn
sylvaniathe cause OF this quarrel arising from the
fact that he had been supporting and assisting them
in pecuniary manner This was continual cause
Of quarrel between them.
About six months before his death Smelser made
will leaving all his property 10 Mrs Smelser ex-
cept $1,000. which he beqncathed to his mother.
After this all went well Tor whe-and perhaps
would have continued so, had not Sraelser in an
evii hor taken serpent to his breast, and warmed
Il into life which has since fatally stung him,
unto death.
Smelser 20 far as his education was concerned.
had but little TO boast of. He could scarcely read
or write, and as he did an extensive business ne was
forced to depend upon whoever might present him
self to keep his accounts Under these circumstances
about nine months since, Smelser. who had long
been acquainted with and conceived strong pred-
lection in favor OF young Adam Scott, who at
the time employedas clerk in the dry goods store
OF Benthuysen & Co., on Magazine street. aud who
was smart accountant, concluded, at Scott's own
request, " take him into his employment as an APP
anti xJ,l<,s tIa1 IN aalxav
soon became great favorite with Smelser. who at
once gave him almost the exclusive control of his
concern-his principal business being to keep the
books, collect accounts, &c. Scott was at
ceiyed as one Of the family. He was soon
on very intimate terms with Mrs. Smelser-on
terms indeed too intimate for the saety Of her hns
bands honor. His familiarity with Mrs. S.-a ia.
miliarity which she seemed very willing to recipro
cate-was soon the subject of remark among the
servants and neighbors, who had more than one
convincing proof of ingratitude on his part and
Peridy on that Of the wife. Mr.. Smeser was not
long kept in the dark in regard to the proceedings OF
his wife and protege; and although fired with jea-
lousy he still permitted Scott to remain at his house,
but closely watched the manRuvres Of him and the
wife Finally, becoming fully convinced Of the
that he would, If possible, get rid Of his protege,
Scott, in as quiet manner as possible. To accom-
plish this object, he disgaced him from his position
as confidential clerk, and sent him out under the
charge Of workman in his employ, named Paul
Halter to roof the Medical College, at the same time
giving Haller instructions to cause him to work.
According to instructions, HITLER sct him to work.
Smarting under the blow OF his disgrace Scott re.
marked to Halter, Il win not quit, but i win have
satisfaction ! know how stand. Mrs. Smelser
would rather discharge her husband than me, or that
she would rather Smelser would quit than that
should leave her,
Having gone thus far in explanation, it is now ne.
cessary for US to commence statement Of the facts
Of the poisoning detailed before the jury Of inquest
On the evening OF Sunday, the 9th Of May last,
Smelser was taken suddenly ill--and about o'clock
in the morning died with spasms. He was buried,
and nothing further was thought OF the matter at
the time, though the neighbors thought there was
something passing strange" connected with his sud-
den demise. After his body had rested for fortyve
days in the tomb the people of goodly city were
suddenly startled by some most horrible develop
ments made by the slave girl Kitty who belonged to
the estate OF the late Levi Smelser. MIR. j. More
house, builder on Common street, an old friend OF
Mr.. Smelser, was astonished one morning at seeing
Kitty coming into his office with handouts on her
wrists. She handed him small parcel containing ar
seDic and stated that her poor master, Mr. Snelser,
had been poisoned with arsenic, and that that was
what was left of the fatal drug after the hesh deed
had been accomplished She then related to Mr. More
house that on several occasions she had seen her mis-
tress and Mr.. Scott in company; that once she had
told her mistress that it wouldn't do and she would
tell her master, whereupon Scott gave her two dol
lar and half gold piece and told her to say nothing
about it. Several days previous to the death of her
master, she heard Scott say to her Mistress This
thing must be stopped you must either quit him or
me-" Mrs. Smelser said she did not know how to
do II. "Wei," said Scott, ~ know how will give
him arsenic." The wife said. "Do a. you please,
will have nothing to do with it,
On Sunday, the 27th, in the afternoon, Smelser,
Mrs. Smeser and Scott, all three returned from
church. Scott came up to Kitty and said. "Your
master will want drink directly: here are two
but any in the other" He then opened small
package and put about . spoonful Of something
white in the pitcher which had no ice in it, and said,
"When your master asks for drink, give him this
pitcher" Kitty said, ooh, Mr.. Scott, what you
oin-want to poison massa and us all y He said,
ooh! no, that won't hurt him at all!' Mr.. Smell
ser, however, came down, and unluckily picked up
the fatal pitcher himself. He took it up stairs and
were taken sick Immediately, and both commenced
vomiting. Mr.. Scott gave the wife an antidote,
which relieved her at once, but poor Smeser found
no friendly hand to save him from his doom.
He continued to vomt for long time, and finally
had to be put to bed very sick. DR.. Bachiller was
sent for and ordered some medicine and then went
away. Scott waited on Smelser all the evening.
Kitty says she saw him throw two pills in the fire
Smeser. He then went out and shortly after return.
ed with q vol of something which she afterwards
learned was chloroform, with which he wet a hand.
kerchief and placed it over his face. And when he
was about IL o'clock. Kitty told Mr. Morchouse
that after Scott put the powder in the pitcher she
was requested to destroy the balance, but think.
ing there was something wrong, she kept Il. 1.-THE
paper. with its contents, was produced before
the jury, and proved to be arsenic,l Kitty was
told by Scott and Mrs. Smelser that If she would
say nothing about this matter she should be set
free; that they could not emancipae her IN the State
but would give her pass by which she could 20 to
Kentucky, and from there she could get into free
State. (This pass was shown 10 have been drawn
by Mr.. Graham, the notary public) But Kitty
found out that they were deceiving her-that Mrs.
Smeiser had made ont bill Of sale, refinquishing all
title in her to this man Scott-(which bill Of sale
was made out by Mr.. Marshall, in the Fourth dis
estate)-and that instead Of sending her of to Ken
lucky Scott was making preparations 70 take her to
Texas and have her sold-and for this purpose was
keeping her in irons in his house on Tchoupitoulas
street. But she effected her escape, and had come
to relate to Mr. Morehouse the above startling story
Mr.. Morehouse had called in Mr.. Hall, Of the It.
fYho,jaa Hntaf m listen IN thia Rut