Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-09-30

AWFUL PorsoNINe CAsE.-One of our subscri-
bers, from Pike county, Informed Us yester-
day of horrible and atrucious case OF poisoning
in that county. jasG below the line OF Montgon'
ery, and in the neighburhoud of Bruceviiie.-
The annals Of crime will hardly showa more
extensive and daboiical piece of Villalny"
1t seems that German, or Hungarian, whose
name our informant had forgotten, was on init
mate terms with negro woman, the property
of old Mr.. Thomas Frazel one of the earliest
settlers of Pike. This man had once been in
the employ OF Mr.. F., and was familiar with his
premises. Some time since, he had been detect
ed in gambling with Mr.. F.'s negroes, and Sat
urday evening, 18th inst, he was seen in Con-
versation with the negro woman alluded to, at
the well, although he had received orders from
Mr.. Frazell never to come about his premises o.
gain. ~
On Sunday there were some thirty -seoen per-
sons dining at Mr.. Frazell's house, of whom a.
bout thirty were yisiters from the neighborhood.
All these became sick after eating, vomiting VI
olently, and the cook being arrested immediate
ly, on a suspicion of poisoning, at once proceed
ed to state as follows: She said the white man
above referred to, while at the well, had given
her vial containing arsenic, which he had IN
structed her to mingle with "the meal, the
milk, the butter and the coffee" He was par
ticulary DESTROYS that it should go into erery ar
ticle of food, because old Mr.. Frazell was in We
ry delicate health, and generally ate very spar
inely. The negro woman said she followed the
Instructions of her lover to the letter-who, by
the way, added to his Instructions the remark,
that s'after the old man had taken that, he
would hardly prosecute him in that case.
The poison was administered, as we have
seen, but too successfully The whole assemblage
of persons were put under its influence; and at
last accounts sir had died from its effects. Old
Mr.. Frazell died about sunset of Sunday, the
same day of the poisoning. His overseer's
wife and two children; Mrs. Cloud, widow
ed daughter of Mr. F.; and Mr.. F.'s grand
daughter died the next day. Several others
were living in a critical condition, and doubt
less there will be more victims OF this awfully
fendish crime.
Mr.. Jack Frazell, son of the old man happen
ed to be out of meal, on the day of the poison
ing. and sent to his fathers and borrowed bush
ell All who partook of this, including BROTH
er who declined to eat at his fathers, having
come in after some of the company had got
sick, were more or less affected.
After we had written the above our inform
ant, j. NJ. Johnston, of Pike, called on us again,
and gave us the name of the posoner, which is
Comiska. Mr.. J. further states, that the infuri-
ated people of the neighborhood have burnt the
negro woman, and will perform the same service
for Comiska on next Monday. In the mean
time he is safely lodged in jail at Troy: He nei-
Their denies nor admits anything. Montgomery
(Ala) Mail. fl
The Mail of the 18th, from conversation
with grandson of old Mr.. Fraze'l, is ena-
bled to make some corrections in the above ac-
count. Only four persons died from the poison,
viz Mr.. Frazell, his grand daughter, and over
seer's wife and child. The rest were recover
ing. The four mentioned above, all died before
the morning of the next day after taking the arse
mic. The negro woman had not been burnt,
but had been sent to Troy Jail. The spelling OF
the prisoners name is Kamiski, instead OF Co
miska. He is said to be Russian.