Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-25
A CASE OF POISONING.
AWife Arrested on Suspicion of POis-
onIng Her Husband-She is Locked
mp i'm the Cleveland City Prison.

up I'm the Cleveland City Prison.
City Marshal ]. w. Schmitt vent out yes
terday on the Dover road a mile from Sill
verthorn's old stand on Rocky river, and
arrested Mrs. Amelia Hagedorn Phinney, on
suspicion Of having, on or about the 9th of
October, poisoned her husband, Benjamin
Phinney, a well-to-do merchant. &C., in
that section. She was brought to this city
and lodged in the police prison.
We are indebted to the kindness of the
marshal for what is as yet known of this
unravelled affair. We give the facts as We
get them:
About ten weeks ago Mr.. Phinney went
to Albany, N. Y, to see this woman, who
was then single. He had been correspond
ing with a man in an intelligence office in
that city, who, on Mr.. P.'s application fOra
person suitable for him to marry, recon-
mended this woman. Mr.. Phinney had cor
responded with her, and finally went on to
see her. As a result of the visit, they were
married, and went on to New York, where
he purchased a con siderable amount of
goods. Returning TO his homo, she passed
six weeks ver- comfortably with him. and
says she could ask for no more kind and
considerate husband. His three grown-up
children, however, one Of whom lives at
home, and the other two, being married,
live in the neighborhood, made it as I'M
pleasant for her, she says, as possible. But
there was no jar in the relations she sus-
tained with her husband.
On the morning of the 9th of October,
Mr.. Phinney arose quite early, leaving his
wife in bed, and went out to do his chores.
Coming in he brought a pail of water, and
drank from the dipper. In a few moments
he was taken violently sick, and went into
a spasm, which greatly alarmed his wife.
She sprang up and summoned DR.. Lathrop,
of Dover Center. By the time the Doctor
arrived, Mr.. Phinney had had a very severe
fit and was in great distress. Hesaid, land
this is DR.. LIS testimony doctor, for Gods
sake give me something to make me die
easy" and s~traightway went into a second
fit, which terminated his life.
A post norton examination was made, and
the contents of the stomach were analysed
/ W IL may lg VI bhAo Guy VIC i lulol Licu-
A sufficient amount ofstrychnine was found
in that organ to kill six men. A bottle of
s~trychnine was found in a bureau drawer,
the keys of which were found in the possess
sion of Mrs. P.
There was no stir made in the matter till,
Thursday last, when Judge Abbey and A.
E. Burlison, Infrmary Director, on invita-
ton of Mr.. Marvin, OF this city, attorney for
the heirs of the diseased, visited the prem
Uses. They decided that Mrs. Phinney
should be arrested and examined, and Mar
shall Schmitt proceeded to the place yester-
day, as stated, and took her into custody.
Mr.. Phinney married her for his fifth
wife. No two of the three children have a
common mother. Mrs. Phinney is a woman
about t~hirty-fve years of age, of Irish
extraction, quite ignorant, but apparently
of good disposition. 1t seems hardly posi-
BILE that she can be guilty of the assassina-
ton of her husband, and yet it is difficult to
conceive a reason why a man like Mr..
Phinney should commit suicide. His rela-
tions were sufficiently pleasant he was not
embarrassed in business, and was worth
according to popular estimate, from 100000
to $500
Mrs. Phinney will be examined in Police
Court on Monday morning next.
PERsoxAL.-Brevet Brigadier General j..
H. Sypher, well known to our citizens and
soldiers of Northern Ohio as a successful
and able artillery officer, formerly a Lieu
tenant in Standards Battery, and more re-
Gently Colonel of the 18th United States
Heavy Artillery (colored), arrived in this
city yesterday, after an absence of nearly
eighteen months. Soon after General Sy-
pher left this city, in the Spring of 1864, he
was appointed to the command of the regi-
ment, above referred to, which had then
just been recruited to the maximum. 1t had
been raised under the auspices of the State
of Rhode Island, with its headquarters at
Providence, and was composed of the very
best of our eolored citizens from all parts of
the North. The regiment was soon trans
ferred to Louisiana, where it has since been
on duty until a few weeks since, winning
golden opinions everywhere by its drill,
efficiency and courage. We have already
noticed the fact of its return to the North,
and the cordial reception with which it met
in New York and Providence. 1t was mus
tered out of service a few weeks ago, but
not before its commanding officer had been,
on the warm recommendation of the Gov
ernor of Rhode Island, breveted Brigadier t
General for faithful and meritorious service {
in the field. !
General sypher will spend a few days in
town, visiting old friends. During the win 1
ter he will return to Louisiana, which State 6
he intends to make his residence, and COM |
mence running" a cotton plantation. He !
has been a very efficient and able officer, '
and is a thoroughly radical and loyal man.
Success attend him! 5