The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-20
AURDER BY t,0fsoN.

A horrible case of poisoning has been In
course of investigation before Esquire Kiich.
en- and the Coroner's jerry during this week,
and resulted in The commitment of William
J. Clark, pudIsr, working at the Monlour
Rolling Mill, and Mrs. Mary Twiggs.
The circumstances Of the case as Develop
cd by the testimony, are simply these On
Tuesday. the 2sth of April last, nj re. Catha-
rine Ann CLARK, wife of tho prisoner, returned
from visit 10 Philadelphia, aud became sick
a day or'two after. She took some msgnesia
and neighboring female acquaintance gave
her some oil with whskey. She continued
10 grow worse, when DR.. Simington was sent
for, who treated The case as inflammation of
the stomach and bowels, all the symptoms
indicating that disease. On Saturday even
ing, the 9th of May, she died. During her
iluess she was principally nursed by her
husband and The other prisoner, Mrs. Twiggs,
who resided in the same house. Some mys-
ierious conduct of these Two nurses, their
intimacy. sc. together with the unusual v'o.
lence of Mrs. Clarke's dealh-her vomiting,
nervous twtchings, &c, aroused suspicion
OF foul play among The neighbors, in conse.
quence OF which Clark aud Mrs. TwigGs
were arrested on last Monday, and Coro'
ner's Jury summoned by VIM. Kitchen, Esq,
10 hold an inquest over the dead body. They
caused post morlem examination 10 be
made by Doaors MasilI, Slrawbridgs, and
Frick, who took out The stomach and portion
of the inles,ines. The body was much swol'
len about the face aud very much discolored,
features distorted, with oper mouth, filled
with most offensive dark liquid; the sbdo-
men was also much swollen and dislended
with gas, liver very much enlarged and very |
dark, Sc. The result Of partial analysalion |
of the contents of The stomach, (Which oil
course, must be somewhat imperfect, for |
want of pure reagents and apparatus) Tie
physicians all agree, jus,fies strong suspi-
clon of poisoning by arsenic and DR.. Straw
bridge gave it as his opinion, that her death
was caused By poison.
II was further ascerained, on examination,
that Clark had bought a, Chalfant g. Hughes
drug store one ounce of arsenic about the end |
of March, one ounce of arsenic about the be-
ginning of A pril, one half ounce OF arsenic
about Thursday Of Iast week, and four grains
OF slrychnine about the LIST Of April, and four
grains OF strychEine about OF Gays after
that-all for killing rats, as he alleged. Mrs
Twgss also bought quantity Of arsenic at |
lhe same store from another clerk.
An infant child Of Mrs. Clark, having been
nursed by her up 10 within few days Of her
death, is not expected 10 live, and shows all
The symptoms Of the same disease OF which |
its mother died.
MIR. Twisss, The husband of Mrs. Twisgs,
the supposed 2aramour of CLARK, died about
a month ago, under very suspicious ci'cum.
stances, omplaining OF great pain in The
stomach and bowels, and nervous twchinas,
vomiting, sc. IIe lived in the same house
with Clark, and his body was disin,ered yes.
,erday afternoon by The direcuou Of the Dis.
Wict Attorney, Paul Leidy, Esq, and an in
quest held over ii by Coroner Elias Haas.
The stomach was taken out by Drs Sim
instou and Schuiizler, for the purpose of hav.
ing its contents analysed.
Both Jnries oi Inquest have been adjourn.
ed until Thursday, May 2s,h, when they will
meet 10 hear the result of more thorough
analy zaion now in progress by several OF our
most eminent physicians. The exciemen,
in town is intense, and the verdicis OF the
Ju.es are looked for with the gtee,est anx.
ie;y.
The parties implicated we believe are all
Irish Proiestants, and Clark is prominent
member of the "Prolestant Association" OF
this place Democrat.