Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-07-28
The Wharton Case.
MRS. wHARToN's INsANITY-INcIDENTs OF
HER EARLY LIFE.

MRS. WHARTON'S INsANITY-INCIDENTs OF
HER EARLY LIFE.
Public interest 10 the Wharton case contin-
ues undated. Mrs Wharton remains quiet
ly in her cell, and her beautiful and devoted
daughter shares her confinement Their resi-
dence has been rented, and will soon be occu-
pied by another family. Many curious remi-
niscences of Mrs. Wharton's glrlhood have
been revived by her present notorety, all
tending to show, says the Washington Sun
day Herald, that strain of most remarkable
eccentricities, if not Of insanity. runs 10 her
blood. During her youthful vagaries as the
beautiful belle, Miss Nugent. in Philadelphia,
she had an aunt in the insane asylum, and
some of her actions indicated that she was at
that period infected by the same malady.-
Her remarkable passion for money was one of
these peculiarities, she not only getting away
with the very liberal allowance her father gave
her, but contracting large debts for the most
frivolous purposes, such as sending herself
bouquets. 1t appears as the Herald learns,
from those who knew her at the time, that
she was in the habit of wearing several rings
at the same time engraved with the initials of
different gentlemen, and all Of which she pur-
chased for herself. Her preparations for a
wedding, OF which the supposed bridegroom
was not advised, was another of those extra
ordinary vagaries. She was in the habit of
making costly presents to her friends, running
in debt for the purpose, and this generous
habit OF mind in late years developed into a
hospitality for which she has become quite
famous. Our informant says that during
these early days, when she was the beautiful
but eccentric Miss Nugent, she was in the
habit of taking opium, the empty bottles hav-
ing been found in the bureau, drawers of her
room when staying at friends house. She
has been known to order furniture to be made
and sent to her fathers house, which, of
course, would be sent back She often wrote
to gentlemen to come and see l,er at her faith
er's house. Lieutenant Wharton, it is said,
told friend the morning he eloped with her
that he had received a letter from her asking
him to call as she was in trouble, and the
friend advised him not to 60, as he consider
ed her deranged. Within few days letter
has been received here from a physician in
Philadelphia which mentions that he has in
his possession an order from Mr.. Nugent,
twenty-seven years ago, to put his daughter
Ellen in an insane asylum. From this, of
which she seems to have gotten wind, she es-
capped by marrying Wharton. Whatever the
future developments in this remarkable case,
it seems certain that it must rank among the
causes celebres of the criminal courts.
LETTER FROM MRS. EDWARD WHARTON.
The Washington Star Of Monday afternoon
says that the following letter has been receiv-
ed by Mr.. John Purdy, of that city, from
Mrs. Edward Wharton, sster-in-law of Mrs.
Henry Wharton, now in Jail in Baltimore on
charge of poisoning:
NORTH Conway.
Ny Dear Mr.. Purdy:-Having seen an ex-
tract from the Washington Star that you had
spoken kindly of my dear husband and child,
know my opinion. When my dear husband
and child died did not know what was the
reason of their death, but after my child's fun
eral, only week believe, was taken sud-
denly i'll, and at one time / was thought to
be dying. told the Doctor I was poisoned
the day was taken sick, and then suspect
ed that she had poisoned my husband and
child also, and told my brother and all of my
husbands family also, when it occurred, near
ly four years ago, but they thought my mind
was affected, and told me not to say so; that
she might prosecute me, and could not prove
I it; but have never spoken to her since l was
brought from her house, and have never had
but one opinion-that she poisoned them and
killed them, and l barely escaped with my
life. My daughter never had but one hemor-
rhage 10 her life, and that DR.. May can testi-
fly to, and did not die of consumption, but
vomited her life away; and although l feared
she might break blood vessel in vomiting,
she did not, but being weakened by distress
she died, and just escaped. Please mention
this to the editor of the Star, and have it
published, for l am in great distress
write this letter 10 my bed, for I am too
weak, from being so distressed, to sit up
Mrs. H. Wharton owed my husband two
thousand five hundred dollars, which we with
difficulty got, after his death. l am now at
North Conway, at the Sunset Pavilion, New
Hampshire. Please tell what have told you,
for l have never had but one opinion, and
that was that Mrs. Henry Wharton poisoned
and killed my husband and daughter, and
tried to kill me, and said so at the time,
nearly four years ago; and it was not the first
time she tried to poison my daughter, either,
as saw mentioned this morning in Boston
paper about a vial of brandy that we sent to
my brother to Philadelphia to have analysed
only it was wbiskey that we sent. 1t is all
true, and occurred almost one year before they
were killed by that woman. My kind re-
CARDS to Mrs. Purdy. Believe me truly.
(Siqned) j. G.. WHARTON.
MRS. wHARToN's AFFECTION FOR HER HUs'
| BAND AND SON.
| One who has been intimate with the family
of Mrs. Wharton, informs the New York Iai.
bune that she is woman of the most gentle
and affectionate disposition. "Her love fol
her husband, who was rather wild and ha.
rum-scarum person, was conspicuous during
twenty years of their married life, and she
was so devoted to the son, whom she is charg.
ed with having murdered, that she sacrificed
her own comfort during his entire school day:
to be near him and look after his welfare"
RG The Little Corporal for August has an
enticing table of contents. Stories from Mrs
E. D. Kendall, Susan Coolidge, Lucia Chase
Bell, and Others The second installment o
Summer Days at Krkwood, by the editor
Mrs. Emily Huntington Hitler. Art, Science
and. Natural History, put into fascinating
n