Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-05-28
Murder bv Poison.

A horrible case of poisoning has been in
course of investigation before Esquire Kitchen
and the Coroner's Jury during this week, and
resulted in the commitment of VIM. j. Clark
pudder, working at the Montour Rolling Mil,
and Mrs Mary Twiggs.
The circumstances of the case as developed
bv the testimony, are simply these: On Tues
dav, 2Sth of April last, Mrs Catharine Ann
Clark, wife of the prisoner, returned from
visit to Philadelphia, and became sick day
or two after. She took some magnesia and
neighboring female acquaintance gave her
some oil with whiskey. She continued to grow
worse, when d. Simington was sent for, who
treated the case as inflammation of the stomach
and bowels, all the symptoms indicating the
disease On Saturday evening, the 9th of
MAY. she died During her illness she was
principally nurscd by her husband and the 9th
er prisoner, Mrs. Twiggs, who resided in the
same house. Some mysterious conduct OF these
two nurses, their intimacy, &c, together with
the unusual violence Of Mrs Carke'S death
her vomiting, nervous twitchings, &c, aroused
q suspicion Of foul play amorg the neighbors,
in consequence of which Clark and Mrs.
TwiggS were arrested on last Monday, and a
Coroners Jury summoned by William Kitchen,
ESQ to hold an inquest over the dead body.
They caused a post mortem examination to be
made by doctors Magill, Strawbrdge, and
Frick, who took out the stomach and por-
ton of the inteStiGes The body was much
swollen about the face and very much diScolor-
ed. features distorted, with open mouth, filled
with most offensive dark liquied the abdo-
men was also much swollen and distended
with gas, liver very much enlarged and very
dark, &c. The result Of partial analysation
Of the contents Of the stomach (Which of
course, must be somewhat imperfect, for want
Of pure reagents and apparatus) the physi-
clans all agree, justfcs strong suspicion Of
poisoning by arsenic and Dr. Strawbridge gave
it as his opinion, that ter death acaS caused 5v
YoiSoa.
1t vas further ascertaned, on examination
that Clark had at Challant & Hughes drug
store one ounce Of arsenic about the end of
March, one ounce of arsenic about the begin
ming Of April, one half ounce of arsenic about
Thursday Of last week, and four grains of
strychnine about the lst Of April, and four
grains Of strychnine about or days after
that-all for killing rats, as he alleged Mrs
T~iggs also bought quantity Of arsenic at
the same store from another clerk
An infant child of Mrs Clark, having been
nursed by her up to within few days of her
death, is not expected to live, aud shows ali
the symptoms of the same disease Of which its
mother died.
Mr. Twiggs the husband of Mrs Twiggs
the supposed paramour Of Clark, died about
a month ago under very suspicious crcum-
Stances complaining of great pain in the
stomach and bowels, and nervous twitchings,
vomiting, &c. He lived in the same house
with Clark. and his body was dsenterred yes
terday afternoon by the directions of the Dis
trict Attorney, Paul Leidy, ESQ and an in
quest held over it by Coroner Elias Haas
The stomach was taken out by Drs. Sim
iugton and Schultzer, for the purpose of hav-
lug its contents analysed.
Both JureS of Inquest have been adjourn
cd until Thursday, May 2Sth, when they will
meet to hear the result of more thorough
onalyzation now in progress by several of our
most eminent physicians. The excitement in
town is Intense, and the yerdicts Of the Jur;es
are looked for with the greatest anxiety
DaurlLie Democrat.