The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-23
From the Btn1hampton (fa.l Republican,
TRIAL OF YOUNG WIFE FOR POISONING
AN OLD HUSBAND:

A STRONG DEFENCE AND PROMPT ACQUITTAL.
Last week, Sarah Harrington was on trial in the
Delaware Oyer and Terminer, before Justice Bal
com, for the murder of her husband by the means
of arsenic The trial lasted four DAYS and was
concluded last Friday week.
Mrs. Harrington is quite good looking. She was
married at or near White Haven, Luzerne county,
Pa. on the 10th day of July, 1859; when only fl
teen years and ten months old, to James Harring-
ton, who was then thirty-six years of age They
did not live together in Pennsylvania. Harrington
was very sick at White Haven, three weeks, in
February and March, 1860. His wife was then
living only one-fourth of mile from him, but
went to see him only once during the time She
then stayed one night with him, and went back to
the place where she was living. In the fore
part of April, 1860, they went to a place called
Clovesville, in Middletown, Delaware county,
where Harrington commenced working for some
tanners. He worked there until about the 4th of
May following, when he was taken sick. lie died
on the 23d of that month. The symptoms exhibited
in his last illness were such are ordinarily pro-
dueed when death is caused by taking arsenic.
Two witnesses testified that Mrs Harrington pur-
chased tablespoonful OF arsenic few days be-
| fore her husband was taken sick; and Professor
Charles ID. Porter, of Albany, testified that he ex
amined and analysed the stomach, contents thereof
ntestines and liver of Harrington, and found over
hve grams OF arsenic in them, and that two grains
were sufficient to cause death. Mrs. Herrington
told several women before and during the sickness
of her husband that she did not like him, that he
had deceived her by pretending that he had pro-
intended to
leave him. She was, during the sickness of her
husband, in correspondence with an unmarried man
at White Haven, whose name was Hall. She wrote
to him as "dear friend" and asked him to send
her money to enable her to go from Middletown to
White Haven. He answered her letter, promising
the money; but excused himself for not sending it.
by saying he had just paid out all his money. She
was seen to have three letters from Hail. which she
burned
Mrs Harrington was sworn as a witness before
the Coroners jury. She there admitted purchasing
the table spoonful of arsenic; but said she bought It
to poison rats with-that when she got home with
1t she was afraid to use it, because there seve
raj families living in the same house. and therefore
threw it into the stove and burned it.
One witness testified on the trial, that few DAYS
before Herrington was taken sick, he (Herrington)
sad to him that his wife wanted him to get some
arsenic to poison rats with; but that he would not
lest the rats should carry the arsenic into other
pantries than his own in the same building. and
thereby cause mischief.
The evidence was conflicting as to the manner
Mrs. Harrington treated her husband during his
last sickness.
There were several defences set up. One was
that the post-mortem examination of Harrington
was insufficient; that the brains were not examined
that the organs taken from his body were hammered
with before they examined and analvzed nv
Prof. Porter, of Albany.
There was no evidence of the alleged tamperipe
put IT was proved there were abundant opportuni.
ties for it.
Another defence was that the frank and artIass
manner Mrs. Harrington talked of her correspond
ence with Hall; her troubles with her husband; and
her dislike of him. during his sickness, and her
youth, repealed the idea that she poisoned him.
Another defence was, that Harrington had poor
health; had been afflicted with the asthma and a
bad cough, and had been in the habit of using ar
senlc as medicine for horses, AND OF EATING 1T
HIMSELF FOR SEVERAL YEARS! Witnesses testified to
buying arsenic for him, and seeing him have il and
taste it, and to his admissions that he had eaten
or taken it, from time to time, during period of
from eight years to two years before his death No
witness knew of his having, or eating any Arsenic
within one year prior to the time he died.
Mrs. Herrington's counsel insisted that Herrno
ton might have died from disease of the lungs
heart or brains, for aught that appeared by the
post-mortem examinations also, that if he died from
the effects of arsenic, he accidentally took an over
dose, or took it with view of committing suicide
He contended that man can so accustom himself
to eating arsenic that he can take several grains
day without experiencing any ill effects from it;
AID he attempted in this way to account for the
arsenic found found by Prof Porter in the organs
examined and analysed by him if they had not been
tempered with and the arsenic put into, or upon
them before they came to his hands, after they
taken from the body
1t isimpossible to say. with certainty, from the
evidence, whether Mrs. Harrington was guilty or
innocent The case is singular 1t has very pecu-
liar features in it.
The Delaware Republican saws, the Judges
charge to the jury was clear and impartial; and
that the verdict of the jury was not gutlty
We learn that Mrs. Harrington refused to dress
In mourning during her trial-that the expression
OF her face did not change from the time the iury
was empannelled until they rendered their verdict |
except that she shed few tears when her counsei
was opening her defence to the jury-again, during
the Judges charge, and when the verdict of NOT |
guilty was pronounced.
Public opinien sympathy for her was 80 strong.
that the immense crowd of spectators present when
the verdict was rendered, applauded and cheered |
IN the widest and most excited manner.