Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-07-14
Alleged Case of Poisoning i'm Baltimor
City.

Alleged Case of Poisoning in Baltimore
City.
We copy the following from the Su" Of
Wednesday morning last:
For some days past there have been rumors
in the community in relation to the sudden
illness of several persons and the death OF one
gentleman at the dwelling house of lady
the widow of an officer of the u. 8. army, re-
siding 10 Hamilton Terrace, Eutaw street,
which on Monday evening eliminated in the
arrest of the party charged with the attroclous
crime of poisoning and mprder On the 23d
of June last Gen. VIM. Scott Ketchum, OF
Washington city, arrived in this city, and be-
came the guest of Mrs. Henry Wharton, wi
dow of the late Major Henry Wharton, a
member of well known Philadelphia fami-
ly, and an old friend Of Gen. Ketchum's.
On the next day General Ketchum was
taken suddenly i'll after partakug of meal.
He was attended by Drs. Williams and Chew.
and died on the 2Sth ultimo, at three o'clock
P. M. His remains were taken to Washing
ton for interment, where, upon post-mortem
examination, there were found in his stomach
twenty grains of tartar emesic. which is a
deadly poison when taken in large doses
The friends of the deceased communicated the
fact to the Baltimore Board Of Police Com
missioners, who placed the matter 10 the
hands of Marshal Grey and Deputy Marshal
Frey, of our police force, who, after an inves-
tigation, obtained bench warrant from
Judge Gilmor for the arrest of Mrs. E.. G.
Wharton. In consequence of the i'll health
of Mrs. Wharton, who is suffering from liver
complaint, and her daughter, who is affected
with disease of the heart, the authorities did
not desire to commit the lady to Jail until fur
ther action was had in the case, and the Off
GERS held her in custody in her own residence.
Yesterday morning conference was held
by the counsel of the accused. |. hewitt Steele
and John H. Thomas, ESqs., with the Deputy
States Attorney, Fred. Pinkney, Esq, (Mr.
Knott being absent from the city, Judge
Gllmor being present An outline of the case
Of the State was presented to defendants
counsel by Mr.. Pinkney, the result of which
was that it was decided to permit the case to
take its course, and it will come up before the
Grand Jury, which meets on Saturday next.
Two servants in the house are also under
surveillance. The warrant of arrest will not
be served upon Mrs. Wharton before the
Grand Jury have acted in her case, provided
she remains quietly in police custody at her
own residence.
Mrs. Wharton and daughter, Miss Nellie, a
young lady of some twenty two years Of age,
had previously engaged passage for Europe
in steamer to sail to-day from New York
city.
There is also another charge against Mrs.
Wharton of feloniously poisoning Mr.. Eugene
Van Ness, bookkeeper for Alexander Brown
& Sons, who is said to have had business
intimacy with the accused. A few days be.
fore the visit of General Ketchum, Mr.. Van
Ness, while visiting Mrs. Wharton, was given
a glass of beer or punch, and soon after drink
ing it was attacked with illness. and fell upon
the floor of the dining room. He has been
quite i'll ever since, and was unable to be re-
moved from the house for several days. He
is said to be recovering What evidence ex-
lists in this case has not TRANSFERRED.
The accusation with which Mrs. Wharton
is charged has astounded the community, and
particularly the circle of society in which she
moved. She is lady, apparently between
forty and Fifty years of age, of engaging man
ners, and is thought by her acquaintance to
be incapable of such crime from the prompt
ings Of any pecuniary motive which may be
inferred in her case.
Mrs. Wharton lost her husband and also
her onl y son, Henry a few years since. By
the death of the latter. she obtained upon
life insurance policy 100000. Rumors have
been started prejudica to the accused in con-
nection with their deaths, but nothing of that
character has been proved, and they have no
connection with the present case, which will
be laid before the Grand Jury on Saturday
next.
The american of Thursday yesterday says
there are no further developments of any
great interest. Mrs. Wharton is still pris-
oner in her house. That which was given as
rumor on Wednesday with regard to the
large insurance upon the life of Major H. w.
Wharton, which went to the mother upon his
decease, is confirmed. Forty thousand dol
lars was the insurance effected, thirty theus-
and of which were actually paid. Mrs.
Wharton has a brother, physician, in Pitts
ton, Pa, who has been sent for. The autho-
rites have not yet thought proper to make
public the evidence on which the warrant was
issued, but will present it to the Grand Jury
on Saturday. In the meantime rumor is
busy, and every variety of supposition and
conjecture is adoat.
Pardon Of Ex-Congressman Bowen.
Snfn oft NSn hn