The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-08-09
A Wife Suspected Of Her Hus-
bands Murder.
COLUMBUS, August 1, 1871.
A HORRIBLE CRIME.

The people of London, Madison
County, are stirring up most as!
founding case of scandal and murder;
which has been slumbering for several
years. In September, 1857, an old
man named Peter Profinbarger, of
London, worth about $75, 700, died.
and it was believed by relatives and
friends from slow poison. Suspicion
rested on Proffinbarger's wife, she be-
ing very young woman, who had
married him evidently for his money;
Previous to Profinbargers death, md
during his sickness, scandalous init
macy existed between Mrs. p. and q
young man named Colburn, and short
ly after his death they married and
removed to New York, where Colburn
has since been engaged in the banking
business, no doubt on capital obtained
from Proffinbarger's estate. !Some
months since the body of ProHnbar-
ger was disinterred and brought to-
this city for chemical analysis. The
examination was finished ON Saturday
last, and the verdict of the physicians
was that he had been drugged with
arsenic, his stomach still in good
state Of preservation. Upon this vcr-
dict telegram was yesterday sent. tP
New York for the arrest of Mrs. Cefi
burn, late Mrs. Proffinbarger, and in
few hours an answer was received
announcing that she had been arrested
She will be brought to London imme'
diately, and put on trial under an in,
dictment of numbering her former
husband. and Chronicle.
COLUMBUS, August 2;
THE POISONING REAFFIRMED.
The facts of our report yesterday of
the alleged poisoning case at London;
Madison County, Notwithstanding the
contradiction from New York, are
substantially correct.
The Ohio Statesman this morning
gives some additional particulars. It
says man named Thompson, of Mad.
ison County, relative of Buffinbar-
ger, was in the city on Monday in con-
sultation with his legal advisers, and
was advised to procure the necessary
papers and proceed immediately t1
New York and procure the arrest
Instead of this, however, he expressed
a determination to return to Madison
County and consult his friends. Moth.
ing has been heard from him since, III
this connection. We should say that
instead of requisition being ready since
Saturday, the papers to procure that
document were ready. If Thompson
telegraphed to New York and received
an answer that the arrest had been
made, The fact is NOT known to his at
torneys. The parties in this city who
should be fully posted, know nothing
of any arrest having been made. 1t
is, however, well known that the sister
of Mrs. Colburn bought ticket for
New York on Monday morning at the
Columbus depot. She probably was
not aware of the fact that inquiring
eyes were cast over her shoulder at the
time of the purchase.
The story, so far as it regards the
exhumation of Bufhnbarger's body
and the report of DIR. Wormley that
poison had been found in the stomach
and liver, is beyond dispute in this
community.
A COSMETIC THE POISON USED.
The theory of the prosecuting party
is, that Fowler's preparation, used for
the complexion among ladies, was the
article used to take the life of the
aged husband. 1t remains to be DEM
onstrated in legal inv estigation wheths
er the wife administered the poison,
always provided that the delay of :ho
prosecuting parties has not resulted i'll
the oscaDe of the accused.