The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-08-03
Frsm the Ohio Statesman. A usust IL
e siicT POISON.
A Startling Chapter I'm the
Romance Of Crime.

Romance Of Crime.
Arsenic Tonna In the stomach OF .
Man, who hsd been Buried Four
Years-His Young Wife suspected
OF MISUNDERSTANDING the Fatal Dose
Her Snspicious Alliance with q
New York NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Taken to Procure Arrest.
About two months ago we noticed in
these columns that the stomach Of Peter
Poffenbarger. Of Madison county, who
had been dead about four years, had
been brought to this city and placed
in charge of DR.. T. G. Wormley for an
alyzation, suspicion having gone
abroad that death had been produced
BY poison. Information came into our
possession last night which enables us
to give the sequel to the strange pro-
ceeding, which, connected with a chap.
ter of previous history, furnishes ro'
nance which is seldom paralleled in
our local annals.
Peter Poffenbarger was reputed to be
the wealthiest man in Madison county.
He owned immense tracts Of land, be.
sides much personal property and cash
assets, his entire possession being valued
at about seven hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars. At the time Of his death
he was about eighty-!our years OIL !, and
four years previous to that time he
married a young woman, fair to look
upon, and with many of the graces
which turn even old mems heads, but
whose character was described by some
OF the good citizens Of Madison county
as rather "loose." While there was
nothing that warranted any one in say
ing positively that she was not a proper
woman, there was that about her which
induced people to suspect that she was
an adventures and that her marriage
with Potfenbarger was purely for pur-
poses OF selfaggrandizement
Time wore on, and in about four
years Poffenbarger lay on his death.bed.
In the meantime the woman had given
birth to two children, but there was
strong suspicion that the old man was
not their father, and Madame Rumor,
backed by many outward manifesto
tons Of improper behavior on the part
of the mother, circulated the story un-
til it has finally come to be regarded as
almost beyond dispute.
A reporter for the New York Tribune
(whose name we are unfortunately un-
able to give on account Of the forgettul'
ness of our informants) appeared on the
scene, and had suspicious relations with
Mrs. Poffenbarger. For several weeks
previous to the old mans death, and
while he was confined to his bed, the
reporter was constantly at the house,
producing much scandalous talk in the
neigh borhood. He remained till after
the death of the old man, and was OFF,
cious at the funeral to a degree quite
disgusting 10 proper persons.
After the funeral the will (Which is
believed to have been executed under
undue pressure), was found to convey
all the property to the widow, large
portion in her own right, and the re-
mander in trust for the children. Sub
seauently the reporter married the Wild
ow, and the couple removed to New
York, where the knight Of the pencil
abandoned his arduous profession for
the more luxuriant occupation of a
banker, in which business he ia at the
present time engaged.
Since the death Of Poffenbarger his
friends in Madison county have noticed
with considerable particularly the
looseness with which the woman man
aged the money intended for her child
rem, and have become convinced in their
original suspicious that her sole design
in forming her first matrimonial alliance
was to gain possession Of his property,
no matter at what cost Of crime. For
long time it was suspected that Pot
fenbarger's death had been produced by
poison, and about two months ago the
services of the Coroner Of Madison
county were procured and the body was
disinterred, having been buried about
four years ago. The stomach and other
internal organs were sent to DR.. Worm
lev, of this city, to be anayzed, fact
which we noticed at the time.
This news reached the New York re-
porter, now banker, and he came on
and endeavored, by threats of prosecu-
ton and otherwise, to obtain the stom-
ach and prevent the examination, but
did not succeed. The work Of analyza-
ton, as may be readily imagined, was
not an easy one, and involved much
time, labor and scientific research. 1t
was some time before the necessary
funds were assured to insure thai the
work would be proceeded with. 1t is
supposed that the delay relieved the
minds OF the New York parties; that 1t
produced the conclusion that nothing
had been found to criminate them, and
that they were safe from prosecution.
But the eliminating point has come.
On Friday last DR.. Wormley made bis
official report to the authorities in
Madison county, stating that after care
full investigation be had found large
quantities of arsenic in the stomach,
and traces of the same in the liver.