The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-12-08
POISON In PAWTUCKET.
Examination of Hiram A. Briggs, Accused OF
Attempting To Poison His Family.

Attempting To Poison His Family.
From the Providence Star, Dec. Z.
The Court OF Magistrates I'm Pawtucket was
crowded on Saturday morning by eager spectators,
to listen to the examination of Hiram Briggs charged
with mngling arsenic with gingerbread and sweet
bread, with the intent to poison Almra Briggs, his
two daughters and grandchild
Horace Il. Carpenter, an analytical chemist testl-
fed to making examinations OF several articles Of
food, which had been handed him by DIR. Clapp and
finding arsenic well distributed through them. He
found arsenic in the gingerbread, in the whtebread,
biscuit, and in the Indian bread that had been used
in the family The arsenic, 70 have been SO well
and not sprnGled on top.
DR.. sylvanus Clapp the family physician OF Mr.
Briggs, testified that he was called TO the family
the day OF the poisoning aud found Mrs. Briggs, her
two daughters and the grandchld sick and from the
nature OF their sickness suspected poison and treated
them for it; he Afterwards procured some ginger
bread, Indian cake, and biscuit, OF which they had
eaten and had them analyzed 10y Mr.. Carpenter;
have put poison IN the food IN an insane moment, or
that his son Newton had done for some reason;
Mrs. Briggs had an eruption ON her limbs, such as
appears IN case OF chronic poisoning; Briggs told
him he had bought arsenic for years to kill rats
with.
In the cross s-exanination the Doctor stated that
the symptoms of arsentic and antmony were nearly
the same; but he never knew the swelling OF the
eyelids, that appeared in Mrs. Briggs case caused
by antmony; he did not consider Mrs. Briggs
insane
Mrs Almira Briggs wife OF the defendant. stated
that she taken sick from eating the Indian cake
and other articles OF food, and treated for poi
son by DR.. Clapp; several days before, on going to
make tea she had noticed white powder in the
teapot and poured the stuff into the sink; had not
lived happily with her husband, ann he had offered
her $4,000 to allow him to gt bill or divorce which
she refused; after she taken sick she saw her
husband, through CRATE or register, take up pan
OF dough in the Kitchen below and look at it, and
then turn away and brush his hands; this dough
was afterwards baked into biscuits and eaten,
making the family sick again; her husband had said
he wanted TO get rid of her, and had made threats;
she had never known OF her husband using arsenic
to Kill rats or OF having Ii in the house, she did not
know the color OF arsenic. ..
Dora J. Briggs daughter of the defendant, stated
that she eat OF the food before mentioned, and was
made very SICK; heard her mother ask her father
what he was doing around the pan OF dough, and he
said, "HOw foolish you talk-l was only looking into
t!' Her father asked her, about five weeks ago, II
she or her mother or sisters drank tea Coffee and
when sne told he said, "1hen understand you to
say your mother drinks tea and coffee, and that you
and Josey drink coffee once Ia q great while ), she
was acquainted with her fathers oter OF money to
her mother to be divorced from him; her father
asked her II she thought he put the arsenic in the
1000, and she, told him she thought he did her
father said once he would get rid OF the family II
not IN one way he would in another.
Josephine Briggs, another daughter OF the defen-
! uant, was examined. Her testimony in effect was,
that she was mede sick by the poisoned food; and
/ that she saw her father put paper behind some
bottles IN the Kitchen closet few days after his
/ arrest; she searched for it, and found 1t to he a
paper OF arsenic, with one end broken open could
silt through into the -four barrel her father searched
this closet with an officer the day after he put the
| paper there, evidently that he might find IL, and
have II appear thar 1t was placed there some time
ago, and the arsenic had accidentally slfted into the
| nOtr, without any criminal intention on his part
she had heard her father tell her mother that If he
couid not get rid OF her In one way, he would ia
| another.
| This closed the examination for the Government,
Whcn mad lasted all day, and the defendant waving
further examination, he was bound over in the sum
OF $4,000 10 appear before the Grand Jury OF the
| Court of Common Pleas on the first Monday in
| December.