The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-05-18
WHOLESALE MURDER BY POISON.

WHOLESALE MURDER BY POISON.
Recently woman named Phebe Westlake was
arrested in Chester, n u, on the charge OF poi
soning several persons. She was imprisoned,
where she confessed the crime and committed sui
eide by taking poison herself She had destroyed
several innocent persons for what purpose no one
knows \ correspondent Of the \. Y. News gives
the following particulars:
Il knew and know we'll all the parties [ have
mentioned The facts in the case, not stated upon
hearsay, have learned from the District Attorney,
! he confession made to Mr. Wood, the pastor
Of the church to which Mrs ". belonged, and by
the District Attorney told to ne, with request
that i should write them cut for the press.
Phcbe had lived in Chester ten twelve years
She was industrious, and knew how to do all man
ner Of wonens work, and was able and willing
to do It we'll Withall she was rrofessediy pious
She gained friends in the best families in Chester
and VIXEN any OF them needed help, they thought
it loss if they could not get ] hcbe,
About twenty years ago, We hear, her husband
died suddenly. \ paper Of arsenic was found in
his pocket, and upon post mortem examination
al senc was found in his stomach 1t was sup
posed he had committed suicide, and no further
action or inquiry was had.
Four or five years ago, Mr. Pelser, who kept
hotel in Chester, died Of crysipelas He was
widower, and had but one daughter at home,
bic young woman, who before that time had been
affanced to Mr. Hiram Colwell. She and her faith
ers assistant, Mr. Heard. thought it best to secure
phcbe, cook i'll the hotel, and they did So
Shortly after hebe came there, Miss pclser was
taken sick with some strange disease, that her
physician could not understand. Her only sister
and her husband, Mr. Clark, were sent fer, and
came from the South, and took the management
Of iir Pelsers business and property at Chester.
From that time PhcLc was left mainly to nurse
and take care for the sick and dying Miss Pelser.
She fingered and died under circumstances to in
ducc strange suspicious, but suspected her
faithful nurse, Ihcbe.
Last Fall Iiebc was employed as domestic in
the house Of John Z. Tuth:ll, respectable mer-
chant OF Chester. in view Of the prospective con-
tincncnt of his wife, who was the only daughter
of the late Francis Iuthill, Esq.,-littlc Martha,
all who knew her, and many knew and loved
hcr-called Ter. She was confined her babe
never knew life. Sornc unusual symptoms sttentl-
ed her case. DR. Smith, her physician, said they
indicated poison ; hut yet they might be the
vusions which sometimes attended parturition.
Ehcbe Was her nurse and she could not he suspect
cd. Martha died, and
blossom and tough lie withcrcd in one blight"
Mr. John B. 1utl.ilPs family being thus broken
up-for little Martha was all they had-he went to
board with his brother and Partner in business,
Mr. Charles S. Tuthi and l'hebe was duly trans
all work
On the 1st of rril last, Mr. Fuller, clerk in
the Tuthls store, took possession of Mr. j ohm j.
Iuthills house under an arrangement that Mr.
John Il. Iuthill Was to board with him. Mr. Full
or had no family hut his wife. Fhcbe was thus
thrown out of employment but still she was
tanned temporarily between Mr. Tuthills and Mr.
Fuller's. Phebe did many acts of kindness for
both Mrs Tuthill and Mrs Fuller, and carried
delicacIes to and from them.
On the 9th day Of April last Fir Fuller had pro-
vidcd for dinner, OF preserved corn and beans
They not all eaten at dinner. Ihebe was at
Mr. Fuller's. After tea, and after Mr. Fuller had
gone to his business she suggested to Mrs Fuller
that the and beans mis- ht spoil and they might
as we'll eat the little there left. Mrs Fuller
consented, and Fhebe brought up two small plates
of corn and beans, OF which she ate herself and
the other Mrs Fuller ate. That evening Mrs Full
Ter was taken sick, with symptoms of poison. She
died shortly after. No one could be suspected
Her husband loved her. He had no one else to
love. Ihebe was kind, obging assiduous and af-
fectionae. aud remained by Mrs Fuller to the
end. Who could suspect her?
after the death of Mrs Fuller. Thebe remained
temporarily at Mr Chas. s. Tuthilrs, where both
the brothers were perforcc brought into the family
Some ten or twelve days ago both the Iuthls and
the wife of Mr. Charles S, also A!rs rerrick-an
IIIsA "oiIdt-NftI whose HuSbailu L HCDc n3d had
some difficulty about porteraee, taken sick
with symptoms nearly akin to those Of Miss Pelser
Suspicious began to th:cken about hebe. Last
Monday she way tai ken violently i'll with the same
symptoms. Oh Fr lay morning she died In her
LAST agonies she 81 she had sprinkled a little
arsenic on the toast, and little on Mrs Fuller's
corn and beans, aud further said not The grave
has closed over Phcbe and her victims. No more
of the facts will probably ever be known. Her
motives must be left to conjecture, and magma
ton must fill up this tale OF horrors.
OXFORD FEMALE CoLLEGE.-We have before
us a catalogue Of this Institution for the 9TH
Scholastic year. The humber of young ladies' in
attendance is %, of which 81 from North
Carolina, 5 from Virginia, 2 from Tennessee, from
Mississippi, and = from Texas The Institution |
has reached Its present point of success under the
of Rev. j. III. Mills |
The Annual Commencement Exercises occur ON I
the last Thursday in the present month. The
address of the Clio Society will be delivered hy
W. NJ. Wingate, and the sermon before the |
graduating class by Thos- E. Skinner s.