The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-27
A TERRIBLE TONIC.
The Westminster County Poi
sOning Case.
Continuation Of tho Coroner's Investigation
Suspected Murder Of Her Daughter bya
Colorod Womau-Wholesale Admins
tering Of Arsenic Damaging
Testimony and Inevita-
BILE Conclusions.


The residents OF Portchester-a thriving village
In the extreme northeastern portion OF Westminster
county, and Immediately adjoining the Nutmeg
State-have been for some days past unusually exers
cised over the particulars o poisoning case, which
possesses features diabolical they are I'M
natural. All the parties concerned are colored
people, and from the volumlnous testimony ELECTED
by coroners IuTy little doubt can remain that
an industrious young married woman has persisted
through poison deliberately and cunni ngly admin
istered by her own mother.
1t seems that Monday, the TIN instant, Jane
Ann, aged twenty-siX, wife OF James Anthony, died
In great agony, after an Illness Of about four days.
The circumstances Of her death might never have
transpired had not Henrietta Knapp. her mother,
told q neghbor that Anthony had
POISONED HIS WIFE.
While rumors OF foul play began to spread
throughout the neghborhOod the body was hastily
taken across the State line into Connections and
there buried. The accusations OF Henrietta Knapp
the c0uater.charges OF her son-in-aw, Anthony,
famed the existing suspicious to such an extent
that the community at once demanded an investlga-
ton into the mysterious circumstance Accord
ngly Coroner Meeks was notified and most lnelli-
gent jury selected, which resulted In dsinterment
of the remains and a careful post-mortem examina.
ton by DIS. McColium and Starr.
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
of the stomach and liver OF the deceased subse-
quenty made, and disclosed the presence OF arsenic
in large quantities. At an adjourned session OF the
inquest 1t transpred that one Of the local physicians
ha wing been sent for on the 5th instant prescribed
tonic composed OF qulnlne, tncture OF clncona
ounce xture. for the patient. On
searching the room where the e., sicx woman
quently found III an clubhouse, where Henrietta
Knapp acknowledged having thrown 1t. only
small quantity Of the medicine had been used and
the remainder was at once submitted TO the ply
sicians named by the Coroner Tor analysis me re-
mad contained arsenic
ENOUGH TO DESTROY TWENTY LIVES.
During her first examination the woman Knapp,
on being asked why she threw away that particular
bottle and lett the others, replied that she did not
believe in the ply sioan who ordered lt. The same
witness also stated that she gave the prescription
the husband OF the deceased ana tnaJ ne procured
IT. AZ Snilens drug store WINE Antnony denies nav
hours after the time which his mOtherln-law states
he went Tor the medicine. In addition to Oil the
other
DAMAGING TESTIMONY,
tending directly to implicate the mother-in-law OF
testified that she the doctor give her mother the
prescription; that ner mother did not go out while
she was In the house on that day, but that IN the
afternoon she tine witness) went distance OF nearly
half a mile Tor milk, and on her return
SAW THE MEDICINE ON THE SHELF;
and that Anthony did not come home from his work
until some time afterwards.
Iuc clerk VINO compounded Tie .'reSCrlpUOu, Dy d
singular coincidence left the village on pre-
arranged visit to his friends in New Jersey, and.
although number OF telegrans nave Deen Sent
the inquest he mad not pat IN an appearance up 10
a late nour last evening"
From all the Information That can be aScerta1ned
IL would seem that deceased was an object OF Jeal.
ousy to her mother and ssters-in-law, one reason
assigned for this being That her INDUSTRIOUS hapltS
enabled her to appear
BETTER DRESSED THAN HER RELATIVES.
Others, again, assert that the woman Knapp was
opposed to the deceased's marriage with Anthony,
whom she always dlshked and that her persistent
hatred Of him Induced her to commit the unnatural
crime, which she intended 10 lay ut the door OF the
CONTINUATION OF THE INQUEST.
The adjourned investigation was continued be-
fore Coroner Meeks and The jury OF inquest yeser-
day at Wells, Hal which was almost filed with
all classes OF citizens, including liberal represent
tatOn or the colored element. Henrietta Knapp.
who had been admitted to bail IN the sum Of
for some time in suspense, quietly sauntered into
the large apartment and, with an expression which
bOrdered on dlsdain quietly ana even digniiiedly
took the seat handed her by police officer. she is
Apparently about nfy years old. ana, although
ance. Her firmly-compressed lips and
IMPERrURBABILITY OF EXPRESSION,
however, at once denote large amount OF self-con
troll, which, TO extent babies the closest OBJ
server as 10 her guilt or innocence. For one OF her
race she certainly retains remarkable degree OF
composure AMID the terrible circumstances BY
which she is surrounded.
NUMBER or witnesses were examined, one or
whom testified that while
THE POISONED WOMAN
was lylng dead, sne .Qne wltneSS) had visited the
house. and while there was informed by Mrs. Knapp
that the latter believed her daughter had been
poisoned. 1t should be stated this was the drst time
that poison mad been mentioned in connec Ion with
the cause o. death.
While the suspected woman testified on former
occasion, ana still adheres to the statement, that
she has not been In Sninen's drug during the
past four months, Mrs. Snifren. the owner OF the
store, having been called, Unidentified Mrs. Knapp
as being one OF two colored women who brought
The prescription and had 1t flied on tine 9th inst.
DIR. McCOum also swOre positively TO having seen
her in the drug store within the past three four
weeks
who In her various examinations has
FLArLY CoNTRADICTED HERSELF
In many important particulars. The suspected
woman has had some experience In poisoning mat
ters, In answer to the foreman or the jury she
said that her husband ana three or her children
had all been poisoned In their time, although In
nearly all Of the cases the parties recovered under
the treatment or ciairvOyant.
The investigation, which was In progress at a late
hour last evening, VIII probably be again adjourned
In order to obtain the testimony Of the clerk who
compounded the prescription.