Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-10-29
Leesburg (Va,) Poisoning Case.
Correspondence of the Baltimore Sun. I
LEEsBURa. LoUDoUN Co.. VA. Oct 20

LEEsBURG, LoUDoUN Co., VA, Oct. 20.
! The Circuit Court will begin tomorrow with
| the trial of Mrs. Emily E. Lloyd, charged with
poisoning her little daughter, Maud, in March
last. The trial excites unusual interest, be
cause of the suspicion that the accused has also
poisoned in turn every member Of her family,
| including her husband, aunt, two sons and two
daughters Mrs. Lloyd's maiden name was
Sampson, and she is about 81 years DID, She
was married in 1858 to Charles E. LLOYD and
bore him four children-Henry, George, An
ME and Maud, the latter Of whom was born
two months after her fathers death. Mr..
Lloyd was taken sick in December, 1868: he
had convalesced and was about to 90 On with
his usual business that Of restaurant keeper,
IN Leesburg. Va, when he suddenly sickened
and died, within an hour after the physician
had left him, apparently almost well.
His death was attributed to heart disease. His
family were left in comfortable circumstances,
Henry about Elk, and Annie In the neighbor-
hood of three years. Shortly after the death
of Mr.. Lloyd, Mrs. Hammersey, the aunt of
Mrs. Lloyd, bv whom she had been raised, paid
her visit. Very shortly she, too, sickened
and died. Mrs. Lioyd continued to occupy the
the old house. In july, 1870, the two boy
children, George and Henry, were taken sud-
denly i'll, and, Notwithstanding all the efforts of
their physician, Dr. Mutt, died after short
illness, the one surviving the other but few
hours
The symptoms were those Of poison, bat as
the boys had been blackberrying just before they
were taken sick, and peculiar eruption hav
ing appeared about the mouth and throat, it
was supposed that they had in their search for
berries, eaten poison oak or some other pesti-
ferrous weed. The two daughters remained, and
Mrs. Lloyd, who had always been an affection
ate mother, appeared to redouble upon them
the caressing attention which she had always
exhibited towards her children, but in February
of this year Annie, the elder, was seized sud-
denly with cramps after eating some oysters
and died in few days On the Goth of March
following Maud also died after short Illness
The coincidence of SO many sudden deaths ey-
cited suspicion. 1t was discovered that short
ly before the death of each of the children the
mother had purchased arsenic from town drug
gists. and an inquest was held on the body Of
Maud, post mortem examination made, and the
stomach and its contents sent to Baltimore to
be examined by Professor Tonry, who, it is re-
ported, found therein one and half grains of
arsenic.
A verdict was rendered that the child died
Of poison administered by its mother, and Mrs.
Lloyd was taken into custody. The bodies of
the children were disinterred-the remains of
the boys found deeomposed. The liver and
other viscera of Maud, and the stomach and
liver of Annie we're again subjected to chemical
analysis, presenting, however, 40 further proof
sustaining the charge against Mrs. Lloyd. At
the August term of the County Court an indict-
ment was found against Mrs. Lloyd, and the
case was removed to the Circuit Court, where
it is row about to be tried. Mrs. Lloyd's
health is quite feeble. and she has lately exhi-
bited what some consider evidence of alteration
of mind. Indeed it is said that several times
during her life she has shown evidences of
disordered intellect, and it is understood that
insanity will be set up as one, If not the main,
defense In her case. W.