Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-12-09
EVENING STAR.
DOUBLE SHEET.
1.-THE BALTIMORE BORGIA."
Did Mrs. wharton Poison General
hetchum and Mr.. Van Ness?
FRO8RTSs OF THE TRIAL-MRpycAL rEsrI-
NOSY-HIsToRT OF raE CAsE


MONY-HisToRT OF TaE CASE.
The trial Of Mrs. L. G.. Wharton, at Annapolis
charged with the murder OF q neral Ketchum
by '.m.ni-;eTing poison to him Is xciting much
interest throughout the country. The testimony
Yesterday was continued after the close of our
report by telegraph, and DIR. Il. G.. Williams
trStlhed AT some length as to the symptoms and
condition General ketehum during his illness.
lie was crOs>-eSamin.d by Mr.. Steele, but
Tothing WAS elected to shake his testimony thai
tse death Of General ketchum resulted from
IgI-On.
Dr. Samuel c. Chew was the next witness.
i!e was with DIR. Williams when this post NOR
m examination OF Gen. ketchum made.
iIi not thi"k that Gen. Ketchum died from
t2tuTsl &. Ks Before the close of his testi-
EiCny the court adjourned until to-day.
IL Will De remembered that another indict-
ment II Iending against Mrs. Wharton for
poisoning NT- Van Ness. At this stage of the
'"ceedlhSs the following recapitulatiOn Of tie
circumstances OF this remarkable case will no
doubt - read with interest:
THE POISONING OF Mr. VAN MSS.
, tH The -i'h of June, 1871, a gentleman named
~ N,s~- . ao waS, We believe the son of one
O. Wafer Whartcn'S most intimate friends came
: ith fi~ "a lie to Il end the day with Mrs Whar-
IN; II vas her IA an OF business, and had been
= The n blt Tor years of visiting the house. He
y - almost a member of the family. and was
Heated a. such. CJmplSiHin. OF being unwell
aid ed. he was invited BY Mrs. w to
IaTJase az battle OF beer with her. Readily
a-TecsE- Z, tIc ant Wa requested to bring the
bottle v .i.ti he oien' ii, and poured out glass
II. noticing
sre put ivw drops OF tIncture of gentIau in
lgT-. h asked Tor some also, and the bottle was
handed g. him, and he dropped some in hi. beer
soon after tIIi, h was taken quite ILL and il il
sand. itll III a taintInE fit. Mrs. w. at one sum
sE.ECd "a doctor. and having him placed in bed,
aid every thing she could 10 relieve him.
THE POISONING OF ZEN. KsrCHUM
ON this same ddy Gen ketchum, a retired Of
fer o. the United States Army, left this city
With the avOwed purpose ut going to Baltimore
:" collect -. 90" which he had loaned to Mrs
" he nj If H. ..ff,.,
whom he had the most friendly regard. He did
- Ia Baltimore, accompanied by Mrs. Chubb,
ct this city, and was .ken i'll al Mrs W harton's
EOCs', a very few hours after he reached there.
ne waS attended BY DIR. l.. e.. Williams, a well
known physician of Baltimore, who immedi-
ateiy discovered the symptoms of metallic poi
son hetchum fingered, or, a. the Indictment
SAYS, ''lsnguishing aid i've" until the 30th of
''une, " hen he died Dr. Williams, being fully
persuaded, not only from his own connection
with the case, but from circumstances which
served To confirm his suspicious that there was
foul play in this matter advised the removal Of
the corpse TO a place where its condition could
be aScertained. Paymaster-(ieperal Brice, bro
ther-in-law Of Ketchurn. agreed. and the body
va analyz and twenty grains OF tartar emetic,
q violent metallic poison, were found in the con
tents Cf the stomach.
Mis- Wharton a few DAYS afterwards came to
tbs CITY and applied To- the administrators of
General ketchum for ~. go, which she alleged
she had deposited with the Gen raj. She was
C,u4tcou~ly but very decidedly repulsed, AMI
tie question was asked why she had not paid
the sea" which KetchUm had loaned her ?
She replied that she had paid il upon the nth of
January. 1S11 and tore the note up, but upon
reference To the Generals books it was found
that she had paid interest upon the note upon
the 9th OF the same month, thereby ne,atiYing
,tT assertions in reference 10 the matter.
TIE ARREST.
The discovery OF tartar emetic in the stomach
@; ketChum was communicated with the SIspi-
CiGn~ OF h:s friends to the authorities of Bliti-
more. Deputy Marshal Frey began to work w
the case and found that Mrs. W. mad purchased,
about the time Of the suspected poisoning. some
tartiC emetic OF a druggist = AIMED klienschmidt.
This, with some other unimpoTtant testimony,
Vas te1 med sufficient u warrant the arrest of
S.T=. Wharton Accordingly, ON the 10Th of July.
Deputy Marshal Frey applied % the States
Attorney fG- a bench warrant. which was issued.
and she was placed under arrest. Sine was placed
ia Jail in Baltimore. where sine remained uAtil
last Saturday. when she was removed 10 the Jail
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