The New York herald., 1871-12-04
The WHiRTON-KETCHUN CASE.
Trial Of Mrs. Wharton, Under Charge OF Poi.
souing General W. Scott Ketehum.
The Case for the Prosecution as 1t Was Presented
to the Grand Jury-Antecsdents Of the Pris
onr-A -Aristocratic Life In xaryland-
Arrsst-A Devoted Daughter Change
ofvenue-Ths Counsel xoitemsnt


ofvenue-Ths Counsel-Exoitemsnt
BALTIMORE. Dec. 3, 1871.
On the 10th day OF July last Mrs. Ellen q.
Wharton, widow or Major Il. w. Wharton. late an
oncer OF the United States Army was arrested In
this city upon the charge OF poisoning General w.
Scott Ketchum, retired oicer Of the United States
Army and the attempt to poison Eugene Van Ness,
clerk In the banking house Of Alexander Brown
n sons and her own confidential business agent.
For some days before the arrest was made vague
rumOrs were anoat throughout the city connecting
her name with these terrible crimes, but they were
passed by as idle gossip by nearly all save those
who were entrusted with the duty oil executing the
law.
HER SOCIAL POSITION.
Mrs. Wharton occupied position In society
second to no lady In Baltimore. Her house the
favOrlte resort OF tho eli<e OF the CITY, and her
cOuntenance and favor was courted by the most re.
fined circles OF Baltimore society. She was q pro.
mment member OF the Episcopal Church and q
leading splrt In the charitable associations OF tho
city. Her only Child beautiful girl, named Nellie.
was also conspicuous In matters pertaining 70 re-
lgious and social life, ana her society, as Wen ~
her mothers's was OF the most intelligent and re-
nned Therefore It 10 not TO be wondered at that
the community in which she lived ana moved, .
announced that she was accused Of the crime Of
murder.
SENSATION.
when the arrest was maze o majority perhapA
OF the community held up their hands In horror,
and declared that her arrest was ''tne most 0ut-
rageous proceeding that could be imagined. while
many others declared tnat she mad not only poi.
soned General Kctchum but fun half dozen others
OF her friends, including her husband aud son.n
TESTIMONY SENT To THK GRAND JURY.
n n
Baltimore city took up the case, and the following
circumstantial evidence, adduced IN relation 10 tno
death OF General Kctchum and tue poisoning OF Mr.
Van Ness, led to her Arrest
On saturday, June "a. General Ketcilum LETT his
visit TO the family OF Mrs. Wharton. where lie was
an intimate lriend and lOr the additional purpose
OF collecting notc 0i 81 800 winch ne held against
her. as sne and her daughter had prepared 10 go 70
Europe the following week. Shortly after arriving
Wednesday, June IS Dr. +. q. Williams, VINO at
tended him, suspected poison and immediately told
his suspicious to the Marshal OF Police, who directed
the detectives TO keep close watch upon Mrs.
wharton, and ut his suggestion General Ketcnums
remains were dislnterred ana examined, ana twenty
grains OF tartar emetic found in his stomach: It
was then ascertained that he had taken iood III Mrs.
Whart0n's house. and this formed the trst link III
the chain or evidence against her, A day Or Two
after the death Of General Keicnum Mrs. Wharton
went TO Washington and demanded OF his son,
CHARLES A. kelcndm, the payment ol 5000, which
keeping. He seemed surprised, and referred her 10
General Brice, Paymnster General, who informed
Ketchum estate owel her nothing. lie also
sasG nc the fact 'nss
III deDt to him $780, When he told ner tns she
seemed much embarrassed, anu SAID thai she paid
books referred to, but no account OF ,nc ieDt
having been settled was found rnd ner demand
Enlightened the suspicious that General ketchum
had been fouly dealt with IN her house.
At f1rst no one seemed to think that MIS- wharton
Rss euas ns uSs sns% ao ss
tied beyond preadvcnture that ne nad dled
from the administration Of tartar enelc
been given him. It was ascertained that Mrs.
wharton mad purchased sixty grains Of that drae
81 store her residence. abou. the time General
Ketchum came TO her house. There was another
circumstance in rciatiOn TO the purchase oi tartar
emelic to which authorities direc.ed tne'r atter
tion. several hours previous TO tae arrival Of
| General Ketcnum Mr. Eugene Van Ness, her con.
while there sne offered him . glass Of Deer.
wnlcn he drank, and was At once taken
General Ketchum had died, s,ck IN her house.
and the symptoms were remarkably ike those at
Ness Was as Attended at Mr Wnarons By Dr. chew
and mis- own wife and sister, and the ladies' seemed
to nave " m nsG e 81 nsr ey & 5e
Kstchum, and when milk punch was brought mp
prescribed BY the physician Mrs. Van Ness lasted
white sediment was found in the bottom She
secreted the glass and mad the c0ntents examined
fifteen grains OF tartar emetic.
"TRUE BILL, FOUND.
upon which she will arraigned and tried ON Mon
suRn1sEs FROM ANTERIOR FACrs
After was arrested it was said tnat her hus.
band and son, each oi whom had q large policy OF
insurance upon their lives mad died suddenly ana
In q most mysterious manner, and almost every one
who had been intimate at her house imagined that
they had been poisoned Ut some time Or other
Major H. ": Wharton, Jr, her son, exnSmea
and examined, but no trace OF poison Was found.
When Mrs. Wharton was transferred from her
the city jan her daughter, OF whom nave
spoken, accompanied her, protesting ner mothers
W ahE ner ns n aay saTna er ras
and bearing up as best snc could under the fearful
calamity that has beIallen their heretofore un-
Hardly had the fact become known that Mrs.
Wharton mad been arrested upon the charge OF mur.
to her former e and letters rom people who either
pretended or aid know her were published, stating
that she was insane when a child, and reciifng
thousand real or fancled pranks she used to cut
when yOnug girl.
her many friends have declared her innocence, and
she has had their countenance and support In an
eminent degree. One sing ular feature OF the ac-
cusation the case Of Van Ness Is tflat ne sonily
denies that Mrs Wharton attempted 10 poison him
and scouts the idea that sne Is guilty or the crimes
CHANGE OF VENUS.
On the 10th OF October the cases against her were
called In the Criminal Court OF this city and she
was brought out for trial. when she made oatn
that that she could ,,, not get fa,r trial
Arundel county. The county seat OF which Is at
AnnaDolls Yesterday morning she was taken by
MI. Irving, warden OF the Baltimore city JAIL to that
place Tor trial. She was accompan. ell by her
daughter and Mir. Nelson Crawford and wife, her
intimate personal friends.
The party, upon arriving, at once took carriages
and were driven directly TO the JAIL where comfort
able apartments mad been prepared for the prisoner
ana ner daughter.
Mrs. Wharton's health is quite good, but her de-
voted daughter has suffered icarfully from the
prison confinement, and little trace OF the peautifn
girl she once was IL now lett.
PREPARING FOR The TRIAL.
The most extensive arrangements have been
made ana are being made for the trial, aud an I'm.
mense crowd OF strangers are expected. Mr.. A.
X. Systcr, the ncwyeected Attorney General OF the
state, here looking into the case and viii assist
the state Attorney of this county, Mr.. James Re-
vel In the prosecution. Mr. J. Nevltt steele aud j.
H. Thomas, OF the Baltimore bar, ana Mr. A. u.
H9gner, OF tnis place, appear for Mrs. wharton.
ElQhty-nln0 Witnesses nave aiready been sum.