Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-09-24
POISONING.
Poisoning Case In LOudOum-
A Mother Accused of Poison
ing Her Two Daughters.

by the report that two Miss Cations, who resid-
ed with their mother, near the line dividing
Fairfax and Loudoun, had, after short and
| mysterious illness, suddenly died, with marked
symptoms Of having been poisoned. The
| facts of the case, as nearly as we could
| ascertain from the messenger, who bore
the startling tidings to the Telegram this
morning we're as follows:
| Mrs. Eliza Cation, widow lady who lives on
what is familiarly known to the citizens OF that
section as the ''old road" had two daughters,
whose ages were respectively 81 aud Is years.
The eldest of these two ladies was taken sick
about two weeks ago, but was apparently iu-
proving every day until Thursday, when she
was taken more violently than ever. 1n the
mean time her younger sister was taken
very i'll and labored under very much the
same symptoms that were characteristic OF
her sisters illness 4 doctor was Immediately
dispatched for by one of Mrs. Cations neigh
bors who happened to be present at the time.
Ia due time, DIR. Peugh, who was their family
physician arrived, entered the younger Miss
Cations room, and after examining her condi-
fever, and prescribed according. He then
!
but on arriving at the door was positively re-
fused an abundance by the mother, who stood
at the door and stated, that there was moth
ing the matter with the oldest daughter, and
that she did not desire him to see her.
Whereupon, the Doctor departed for home.
That same night the younger daughter was
was taken much worse, aud died before medical
assistance could be procured. The next morn.
ing the other daughter grew much worse, swell
ing 10 the region OF the abdomen, to an enor.
nous size, aud suffering the most acute agony.
Still no physician was permitted to see her.
| In this condition she remained until about mid.
day, when she too, expired in the presence Of
no one but her mother, and with no other liv-
lug soul present to whom she might make a
death-bed statement.
The excitement consequent upon this
sudden, terrible and unaccountablc vsi-
tation of Providence or more probably, Of
some fendish spirit in human form,
spread like wild fire among the neighbors,
causing numerous whispered suspicious and
rumors to suggest themselves, until having ar
rived at an insuppressible pitch the terrible
rumor of death by poisoning burst upon the
minds of the excited populace, and more start
ling than all, that it was death at the hands of
mother.
I W ny SUI ulu IL, IL uON tilc pIluclpdl lppiC vi
discussion Various rumors are ah1at concern
ing the cause. Among others, it Is said that
the oldest daughter was in critical condition,
and it is thought that. in order to conceal
the shame and disgrace which would ne
cessarily fall upon the family provided knowl-
edge of this fact were brought to light, she re-
sorted to this terrible and heartess mode of
preserving the integrity and honor Of her name.
| What her motive could have been in poisoning
the other daughter is left entirely III Shroud
of mystery.
The body of the oldest daughter was OK
humed last Tuesday, to be immediately sent on
to some chemist for examination. No pains
are being spared to ferret out the crime from
beginning TO end.
WASHINGTON ITEMs-At the general term
of the District Court, yesterday, eighty four
persons were admitted to practice law at the bar
Of these sixty were from the law school
of Columbia College, eleven from Georgetown
College, and three from Howard University.
school of the University of Virginia, was also
admitted TO practice, and Messrs Francis Mil
Ter, R. K Elliot and E. L. Stanton appointed
committee to examine candidates for admis-
sion to the bar. The Chief Justice and Mr.
Justice Wylie yesterday sat as commission to
revise the code Of this District as proposed by
the codiGers
Supervising Architect Muet has prepared
plans for adding an additional story on the
Postofice Department building which will be
submitted to the Postmaster General for his
approval.
Thirty-eight cases of smallpox have been re-
ported so far this month. Seven were reported
on Saturday last.
The Analostan and the Potomac boat clubs
have arranged for race next month.
THE LLOYD CAsE-A Leesburg correspon-
dent of the Fredericksburg Herald says, the
DEVELOPMENT that the Commonwealth At
toruey had omitted to sign the indictment
against Mrs. Lloyd, has created sensation in
Loudoun. The authorities which [ have ex-
amined, have emanated from the Courts of
Appealin Virginia, Missouri, Tennessee, and
Mississippi. The decisions and the law, with two
exceptions, sustain an indictment not signed
by the Commonwealth S Attorney, but endors
ed by the Grand Jury as "a true bill. ln
England they have no Commonwealth At
torney. Hence indictments there are signed
only by the Prosecutor in proprla persona, and
by the foreman of the Grand Jury. The CON-
mon law does not require the Commonwealth
Attorney to sign an Indictment. In examining
into this case find very great preponderence
of authorities in favor of sustaining the indlct
ment. The only two adverse cases which |
could fud, was one regulated by Statute in Ten
nessec, and an implied construction Of the de-
6nition of an indictment in Blackstone. But
the decisions of the United States Courts are
all against the plea of defect upon the ground
stated
"MIxED DRINKS, Mr. Little the humor.
Gus editor of the Fredericksburg News, is at the
New Rockbrige Alum Springs and here is hisex-
perieDce of the water. Escorted to the springs,
we thoughtlessly tried some four or FIVE. At
Saratoga you can mix the waters with impunity.
Here [ found it far different Having drank
copiouly of two Alums, two Chaybeates, one
Iodine Alum, &C., and in fact swallowed a
small apothecary shop-I felt the effects in
about an hour That much common water
would be an inundaton TO an ordinary stomach
but when the "Sulphate Of Alumina' pitched
into the 'Sulphate of Lime and the Selphate
u