Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-07-27
The Baltimore Rorgia.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE GREAT
POISONING MYSTERY.
From the Baltimore Sun. July hi

what is called the cultivated circle
of society, as the extraordinary crime
charged against Mrs. Wharton, Th
facts of the case as they stand befor
the public, are of themselves suf
CT ntly sensational without the exas
geration of any highly-wrought de
scription. Those who have been ac
customed to regard crime as an ac
compartment Of rude and vulgar lif
are astounded at the information tha
the educated. and refined walks Q
life have been invaded by the arres
Of one Of its members upon charge
80 heinous, atrocious. aud appalling
especially when considered in con
nectiop with the suspicious whicl
have been engendered Of anteceden
crimes, as to be too horrible for ready
belief. The charges read like g chap
ter in the life OF. the Borgias, or o
the Bourbons of later date, in al
age when the poisoning Of human
life was regarded as science al
practiced as an art. Unlike, how
ever, the crimes dictated by State
policy and craft, orthe.strong passion.
Of jeaiousy and revenge, the theory
of Mrs. Wharton's case is that SHE
was influenced by motives entirely O
a pecuniary nature.
It is not just, however, to base any
assumptions uponthe preceding deaths
of Mrs. Wharton's husband and he,
son, because there happened to be
large insurance on the latter's life, fol
it is understood that the physician in
his case certified to his death result
ing from typhoid fever; and as tc
the death Of Mr.. Edward Wharton,
her brother-in-law, at her house, and
that aof his daughter, two weeks
after, three years or SO ago, the inti-
mate friends of the family Of the lat
ter declare there was never any
ground Of suspicion in either case
against her.
1t is known that Mr.. Van Ness.
one Of the victims Of the alleged
poisoning, wholly exonerates Mrs.
Wharton fromall suspicion of guilt
in his case, and it is inferred that
such was the nature of his testimony
before the grand jury, and also that
the vote of that body was not unani-
nous upon the subject of the pre-
sentiment.
The manner and bearing of Mrs.
Wharton under the terrible -cirSum-
stances in which she Is placed are
said to be perfectly composed. She
sheds no tears, utters no reproaches,
quietly asserts her innocence Of the
charges alleged. She appears like a
woman accustomed to discipline her
feelings and the exercise Of perfect
self-control.
Her daughter, however, though
assuming q sprightly manner to en-
courage her monther's spirits, cannot
conceal her anguish of mind. Mrs.
w., since her first arrest, has been
visited by her brother, DR.. Nugent,
of Pittston, Pa, and sister, but it is
stated that since the death OF her
husband his family connections have
held no intimate relations with her.
STATEMENT OF DEPUTY Marshal
FREY.
Deputy Marshal Frey has commu-
nicated the following statement, ex-
hibiting the manner in which the
case was worked up by the police au-
thorities, and the evidence obtained
by them:
Deputy Marshal Frey states that
as soon as he learned Of the death Of
General Ketchum tlora Drs. Chew
and Williams, lie called upon Mrs.
Wharton. After talking with her for
three-quarters Of an hour, he told
her he would like to take her servants
to his Office and examine them pri-
vately. She made no objection, and
the servants were taken TO the Office e
and examined separately by Marshal
Gray and himself, and they We're sat
isied that the servants knew OF moth
ing wrong as to thr Cause OF the death
of General Ketchum. On Saturday.
Sth instant, he asked Mrs. Wharton
if she had'purchased tartar emetic;
she replied that she had bought some
and used It'll mustard plaster which
she placed on her breast.
He then went to the store of Cos
man & Co., No. 19l Madison avenue,
where he found that Mrs. Wharton
had purchased, on the 25th of Janua-
ry, about sixty grains of tartar emetic;
he found it charged on the books. Up
to last Sunday night, 9th instant, he
was satisfied that suspicious pointed
to Mrs. Wharton. The next
move Of the deputy marshal was to
ascertain what motive there could
have been for the desired death Of
Ketchum, and in doing this
he learned that the deceased came to
Baltimore, as believed by his friends,
for the purpose of collecting note
Of $4,000 from Mrs. Wharton ; that
after his death this note could not be
found among the things he brought
with him, which had been returned
by Mrs. Wharton; that few days
after the death of General Ketchum
Mrs. Wharton visited Washington,
and called upon General Brice, the
brother-in-law Of deceased; that she
asked General Brice for $4,000 worth
Of government bonds, which she said
she had deposited for safekeeping
with General Ketchum. General Brice
asked her if she had written proof
If the fact, or living witnesses that
the could furnish she said that she
had neither !; he then asked her if she
vas not indebted to General Ketch.
i'm, and whether he did not hold sher
note for $4,000; she replied in the
negative, and said. she paid Che note
'ome time ago to General Ketchum