The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-09-26


9saslF win Rees0ssf Tne Isangfl.
tsEs ~ Hide their SIiasse-.ExfrnoS-
tltsaayy Csreasnsassf sss
The ioscr part .of Ia anu,, county, Va.
sl1s thrown into great state OF excitement
Inst Thursday week 81 the report thatstwo
Miss Cations, who resided with their mother
near the line dividing Fairfax and Lotl,, doun.
had, after, d short and mysterious Illness,
suddenly died. with marked symptoms OF
having been poisoned. The facts or the case.
as published in the Leesturg Telegram, Of
Tuesday morning, are as foliowsf .,s7sfa
Mrs. Eliza Cation, a widow lady who lives
OH whit is Familiarity known to the citizens
of that section as the :. old road," had two
daughters; whose ages were respectively
twenty-one and eighteen years. The eldest
OF these two ladies' was taken sick about
two weeks ago, but was apparently improv-
Ing every day until Thursday, when she was
taken more violently than ever. In the mean
time her younger sister was taken very i'll,
and lahored under very much the same symI-
toms that were characteristic of her sister,
illhcss. doctor was immediately dispatched
for by one Of Mrs Cations neighbors, who
happened to be nresetit nj the time. In due
time DR.. Peugh, who was their family physi-
clan, arrived, entered the younger Miss Caton's
room, and, after examining her condition,
pronounced her illness to be typhoid fever.
and prescribed accordingly. He then started
for the room of the elder Miss Cation.
but OH arriving at the door was positively
refused an admittance by the mother, who
stood at the door and stated that there was
not hing the matter with the oldest daughter.
nIs hat ,1,. Il RI 81, 4.
WhereupOn the Doctor departed for home
That same night the younger daughter was
taken much worse, and died before medical
assistance could he procured. The next
morning the other daughter grew much
worse, swelling in the region of the abdo-
men TO an enormous size. and suffering the
most acute asony. Still no physician was
permitted TO see her. In this condition she
remained until about midday, when she, too,
expired in the presence of no one but her
mother, and with no other living soul pre-
sent to whom she might make death-bed
statement.
The excitement consequent upon this sud-
den, terrible, and unaccountabIe visitation
OF Providence, or more probably Of some
ferdiSll spirit In hiilnan form, spread like
wildtire among the tIeighbOrs, causing
numerous whispered suspicious and ruInors
to suggest themselves, until, having arrived
at an insuppressible pitch, the terrible rumor
of death by poisoning burst upon the minds
of the excited populace, and more startling
than all, that it was death at the bands of
mother.
Why she did it is now the principal topic
of discussion. Various rumors are aiipat
concerning the cause. Among Others, il is
said that the oldest daughter was In a critical
condition, and it is thought that in order to
conceal the shame and disgrace which would
necessarily fall upon the family pre- vided
il knowledge of this fact were brought
to light, she resorted to this terrible
and heartleSs mode Of preserving the i'll
tegrity and honor of her name. What her
motive could have lecn in poisoning the
other daughter is left entirely in shroud Of
mystery.
The body of the oldest daughter WAS ex-
burned last Tuesday, to be immediately sent
on to some chemist for examination. No
pansare being spared to ferret out the crime
from beginning to end.