The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-08-28
Gnegnteli9euesr.
THE POISON CASES.

peculiar phases Of the Wharton and Bul.
ienbarger poisoning cases. While Mrs.
Wharton, accused Of a triple or quadru-
pie murder, met with little sympathy, cor.
respondents oil newspapers outside OF BAL
timOre giving an aCcusatOrial cast to their
letters, and many of her acquaintance
and former friends nking up alleged sus-
piCOus circumstances against her, Mrs.
Colburn formerly Mrs, ButEenbargerD on
the other hand, has been treated with all
possible consideration, and the best Cltl'
Zens Of London, Ohio, the scene OF her al
legged crime, are strong in their express
siOns OF belief in her innocence. Mrs.
Wharton was thrown into jail, and Mrs.
Colburn was released on bail. Singularly
enough, however, the first examination of
the remains of one Of those said to have
been murderedin the Wharton case shows
no trace of poison, while q similar eXami.
nation Of the body Of Peter Bufenbarger
reveals the presence Of poison, though not
in sufficient quantities, 1t Is said, to pro.
luCe death.
The american publishes letter from
lady friend in Philadelphia, concerning
the early life Of Mrs Wharton, in which is
related certain ccCentricities of character
going to show that she was of unsOund
mind. The fact has heretofore been pub.
lishcd that she was the daughter of Mr.
NugCnt, u French gentleman Of superior !
education and rGputCd wealth, long a resi-.
dent Of Norristown, Pa, The lady friend
writes
Even whilst the idol OF her father and
the centre Of attraction to score Of hon,
orable men, Ellen Nugent now Mrs
Whart0n was in the habit OF pGrpCtra.
ting frauds and indulging in practices
which would, had she been poor girl,
have consigned her TO prison cell. BE.
ing the child of wealth and petted dar.
ling Of society, however, neither exposure
nor loss of position followed her dClin.
qucnCics Her iailings were by common
consent hushGd up, or, at worst, furnished
u little gossip among those who had be.
come COgniZant of them. Indeed some of
her CsCapalcs were so reckless and unds.
guisCd that II seems scarcely possible to
believe the brain which conceived and CX.
cCutCd them to have been in sane con
dliOn-mental ALTERATION, one would
think could alone have prompted them
On one occasion, whilst sOjOurning with
II prominent family of Philadelphia, she
asked her hostess to accompany her upon
shopping expedition, exhibiting at the
same time huge roll Of notes which her
father had given her for the purchase Of
her winter outfit. The lady accompanied
her to Levys and assisted in the selection
ii silks, yClvGts and other expensive ma.
lcrial, but was somewhat surprised when
"A lew months later the bill for the goods
purchased by Ellen was sent to her hus.
band MS having been contracted by her.
sell.
For II long time articles were being 1
missed ut the houses she visited before
suspicion alighted upon Miss Nugent, but (
after Il time circumstances indicated that
she had appropriated the missing prop.
rrly; and during n temporary absence her !
trunks were opened, and perfect museum ,,
Vi stolen property was discovered there.
in-artiCles for the most part which could
never be Of the slightest use to her Upon
going to her trunks after the stolen goods
had been removed and restored to their
respective owners, she manifested neither !
the smallest confusion nor modification,
but without voluntary remark or eXpla.
nation proceeded to set In order her be.
longings. She stayed the length Of time
she had laid out with these friends, and
the circumstance seemed neither to i'm !
pair her pleasure nor ChcCriulncss IN the i
slightest degree.
She was very fond Of playing practical
Jokes, and utterly careless rs to the dam. q
age she inflicted upon property or feelings s
,,,i n,,t,,t, l,nH ftY, INN ttnpt innpnnuI nI /
these Jokes of which we have heard was
the pinning up, on q bitter cold winter
night, the OvCrCOat Of visitor so that he
could not possibly wear 1t home, and WIS
obliged to brave the inclCmCncy Of the |
weather without it, she having used u
whole paper of pins upon II, On another
occasion she prevailed upon one Of her !
admirers to kneel ut her feet under some
pretGnCe and then sprinklcd over new
and expensive coat bottle Of asaitrtida .
Becoming Disguised with the surveil.
lance necessarily exercised over her, she
resolved to leave homo and determined to
marry. She had three suitOrs whom she
favored about equally, and to these three a
she wrote on the same day, telling each II
they would meet her ut certain hotel, 8
which she named, she would marry them 4
there and then. The announcement was II
80 sudden that each gentleman doubted {
his good fortune, and In turn called upon
the lady's bosom friend to know II she i
thought Ellen serious, or II this was only
practical Joke. After the lady had =,
the notes addressed to all Of them by Miss
NngCnt, she made each aware Of the fact I
that they wire deceived One gentleman I
went of in dudgcon, whilst the others had !
resolved TO whit upon Miss Nugcnl To /
gcthCr and demand an explanation Of her l
conduct Accordingly thCy-Mr. Wlmr.
ton and anOthCr-prOcccdG 10 the hotel 4
indicated in her note. Although appar. II
emily surprised TO see them in company, o
she put a bold face upon the matter md
tried To pass II Off rs II Joke, This would e
not answer, and n stormy scene was the ,
consequence. Overcome by wounded af. n
lection and modification, Mr.. Wharton i
Tell Iainting upon the floor, when she i,
calmly stepped over his sCnselcss body and ~
lett the room. After helping to rcstlsCitatc a
MIR. Wharton, his rival left him to re-. &
cover his COmpOsurc This he did, md "
sent for the Indy Of his love. Mr.. Whar. S
ton was So urgent in bis entreaties that
she should become his wife, that she .
agreed to marry him as soon as the clcr.
gyman and bridesmaids were ready. The c
mntCh notwithstanding the CirCUmstan. y
ccs that preceded 1t, turned out, it Is said h
most happily and during he lifetime Of d
her devoted husband no stigma rested e
upon the Air fame of Mrs. Wharton II
may he that his death, and the sorrow
oCCasoned by that painful event, dCvcl.
opcd the insanity latent In her nature. II d
may he proper here to state that her ,
father more than once during her girl.
hood applied to physicians for authority y
10 have her confined in nh insane asylum, !