The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-03
THE GREAT POISONING CASE
THE BODY OF THE SON OF THE AC-
CUSED LADY EXHUMED.
An EIoque Plea for the Widow
Wharton.

The authorities of Baltimore some days
since determined on disinterring the remains
of the late Henry G. Wharton, son of Mrs. e
G.. Wharton, now confined on the charge O
poisoning General Ketchum. The deceased
It will be recollected, died rather suddenly In
Baltimore, and was inferred at .Norristown
Pa, on the 18th of April. 1870. ,.,.
On Friday, District Attorney A. Leo Knott
of Baltimore, arrived In NorristoWn, and took
action along with District Attorney Bush, o
Montgomery County, with view to the dlsin.
terment of the body of Henry G. Wharton, son
of Mrs. Ellen G. Wharton, now In prison al
Baltimore, under the charge Of wholesale
shal of Police Frey, of Baltimore, along with
Professors Aiken and Miles, and Jacob Weaver,
undertaken, arrived In Norristowu, and at once
proceeded to the performance Of their unpleas.
ant task. Sexton Jonas Wonsetler, OF st. Johns
Episcopal Church, and an assistant under the
superintendent of Undertaken Weaver, who
brought the body Of deceased to Norristown,
April II 1870, from Baltimore. proceeded to the
grave yard connected with the above named
church at about 10 o'clock. and at II o'clock
had removed the earth and brought the coffin
containing the remains once more to the light
Of day. This article had been made of wood,
covered with black cloth. and presented, when
taken out of the ground, decayed appear
ance, the silver handles and plate containing
inscriptions having become almost entirely de-
tached from the same. The coffin was re-
moved to the prison yard near at hand,
when the covering was removed and the
body exposed to light. Professor Miles at
once proceeded tt. remove the stomach and
adjacent parts and placed them in four
Jars, which were Theoretically sealed. They
will be taken to Baltimore, where their con.
tents will be subjected to a thorough chemical
analysis. The body was very much decOm-
posed. as 1t had been buried since the 18th OF
April lost year. The parts needed for examt-
red. A number of professional and scientific
men OF Norristown, as well as Of Baltimore,
were present at the eXhumation. The party
reched Baltimore on Sunday, bringing the
stomach and intestines with them. It Is un-
derstood that at least ten days or two weeks
must elapse before Q proper analysis can be
made. The trial of Mrs. Wharton will COM
mence In September, during the second week
of that month.
MRS. WHARTON IN THE PAST.
The public mind being at this time en-
crossed by the rare instance which Mrs. Whar-
toms case presents, any little items relative to
herself and her past life cannot but prove inter-
esting. The following is an extract from a
recent letter written by an old friend of this
lady's, who knew her many years ago at the
army posts on the frontier.
s'Do you know that this Mrs. Wharton of
whom you wrlte-the pretended prisoner
was one ofmy best army friends I cannot
tell you how shocked was to read the &C.
counts Of her present situation. feel
should be quite wlllipg to swear to her tnno..
simply aHg from y @ KnsT SsgS of
fore my marriage at Fort Gibson, where she
was universal lavorlte-a perfect lady In
blood and breeding. have been to her faith.
er's house in Philadelphia, and have known all
about her since her marriage. She was also
at Fort Kearney. after had been married four
or Eve years. where became very fond ol
her, as did my husband, who would do any
thing In the world to serve her. feel conf
where. Hor marriage was n runaway matoh,
but happy one; her husband, although
not q man to command very lasting respect,
she was entirely devoted to. He was In the
Filth Infantry, as was also General Ketchum,
whom knew very well, and whom We did moi
greatly admire. AS to the inordinate passion
for dress, which Mrs. Wharton is said to have
evinced, her excessive gayety and procllvitiee
to lmprudence, this is all false. When Iknew
her she dressed very plainly, tSithstandine
ample means. She WAS very domestic, and
wrapt up in her children. Some of my happi
est days / have spent In her house; Sue was
very Intelligent, and most charming conver
sationalist; every hosptable, keeping oper
house to all the officers at the post. Hers wai
heart, and she possessed, wlthal, q pure. earn
est womanliness, which cannot believe capa-
BILE OF conceiving, much less perpetratlng, the
horrible crimes ascfibed to her.