The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-26
LOCAL MATTERS.

| LOCAh MIA L / L0lC.
TIE CASE OF SUPPOSED POIsONING-COR-
ONERs INQUEST AND Posi- MORTEM ExAMI-
NATIoN.-We mentioned yesterday the
sudden death of negro man named Sa-
muel X. Cole, q hack-driver, residingin in the
upper part of the city, and stated that cir
cumstances had transpired which gave rise
to the suspicion that he was poisoned. 1t
appears that after his death Lis wife pro-
duccd copy OF will purrortily TO have
been written by the deceased, but which,
when exhibited to persons familiar with
his handwriting, was pronounced to be o
palpablc forgery. This fact, together with
her general conduct in regard to the ar
rangeHicnts for the funeral serrcd 10 fasten
suspicion upon her US the guilty party /;
whereupon the Grand jury Oh Monday
found presentmcIt against her for
forgery, apd she was promptly taken into
custody on bench warrant issued by
Judge Lyons. The Mayor, determined to
sift the matter to the bottom, directed the
coroner, DR.. Little, to have the body of
Cole disinterrcd, and hold an inquest and
post nortem examination, and to report to
him the result. Accordingly, the body
was taken up, and Yesterday morning at 10
O'Clock the investigation commenced in
the yard Of the smallpox hospital, near tho
Shockoe Hill buryng-ground.
The following gentlemen, composing the
jury, were sworn James Bolton, foreman
Samuel Evans, +. o. Traylor, r. ]. Nc
Dowell, Z. K. Woodward, Thomas C. Epps,
Jr., J. b. Glazebrook, G. X. Bagby, George
W. Willis, ii. c. Joslyn, j. II. Carey, and
| bn fol.
yesterday is as follows:
DR.. W. W. Parker (attendiDg physician
of the deceased), sworn.-I was called to
see the man on the 18th instant about ii
o'clock A. M, and found him in state of
collapse with cholera. He had no pulse,
and bore unmistakable signs of the disease.
| learned that he ate no breakfast, as he
was suffering from nausea, but was well the
night before. That morning he went out
to attend to his business, but returned
home about o'clock, and was taken with
vomiting and purging. 1 left him, and
went back to the house about O'Clock in
the evening, and found him dying. / was
much struck with the affectiOnate manner
of his wife towards him. / considered it
the worst case Of cholera / ever saw. De-
ceased vomitcd but once during the two
hours that was present; while had there
been arsenic in his stomach he would have
thrown up freely, the arsenic acting as an
emctic. lie had no thirst or any other
symptom of poison. All the negroes
| thought now when one of their number
died that he was poisoned. In an ordinary
case of poisoning the patient would have
some pulse. Dawson Gardner's wife was
there, acting as nurse, while was present.
Joseph Cole (brOther of the deceaScd),
sworn.-I heard in the morning that my
brother was very sick, and got to the house
about half-past o'clock in the afternoon.
When arrived there / found him speech
less, and he died about half-past in the
evening. DR.. Parker was there at the
time. don't know what my brother had
been eating. He never was in the habit of
drinking too much-neter so as to inca
pacitate him from attending to business.
Have known him to 60 twelve months with
out drinking drop. He had. spell Of
sickness about three months previous to
his death, and complained of violent pain
in his breast. The day before his death he
said he never felt better jim his life. He
lived peaccably with his first wife twenty
two years, and never heard of any dlili-
Guilty between himself and his second
wife, to whom he had been married just
seven weeks on the day of his death.
The coroner here stated that he had
called the jury together at the request of
the Mayor and in consequence of some
circumstances that had transpired since
the negro's death. The jury had heard
the testimony so far as given, and he would
leave it to them to say whether the inves-
tigation should 60 on or not.
A lively discussion now sprang up among
the Jurors, some being in favor of a tho:
rough investigation, and some, satisfied
with DR.. Parker's testimony, and appa-
rently not desirous of prolonged contact
with q victim of the cholera, urged that it
be stopped then and there, and that ver-
dict be rendered in accordance with the
facts developed.
| DR.. Parker then stated, in answer to
questions from the jurors, that when he
first arrived at the house he thought per-
haps that it was an ordinary case OF drunk
enness, and asked the mans wife if he
had drank anything that morning. She
said he probably had. Knew he was not
a drunkard, though he drank pretty hard.
Was very soon convinced that 1t was an
aggravated case of cholera.
The Coroner then stated that the nurses
had been summoned, but were not present.
The impression had got abroad that the
man was poisoned, and with view of set
ting the matter at rest, he thought 1t best
that post mortem examination should be
made. The jury need not be present, but
could assemble again after 1t was COM
pleted. Still, he would leave it entirely
to the jury to say whether this course
should be pursued or not.
The jury then held consultation, and
finally decided to adjourn to meet again at
the Coroner's office this afternoon at 4
O'Clock. DR.. Little, assisted by DIR. I. r.
Mayo, at once proceeded to make prepara,
ltionas for the post morte,n examination, and
the result will be made known when the
Ijury reassembles.
During the progress Of the investigation
Yesterday the body, enclosed in burial.
case. Law on the ground in the hospital
ward. and the stencil was most intolerable.
The iurymen held their noses, and moved
from place to place; but the dread effiuvia
followed them wherever they went. II
was literally moving jury; and when at
last. sfter the adjournment, the coffin was
opened, and the decomposed corpse eI.
posed to view, there was Q general rush
rom the yard and as they emerged into
- ..so.choro theiy snnsatiOns of relief