The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-09-11
TIE AUGUSTA POISONING.

= ~ 4
!. WAS CHARLES W. ALLEN roiooNED ID
HIS WIFE 2-A VERY INTEREST," )
THE CORONER'S 1NQuEsT-THE IA'si
MONY OF WITNESSES-THE PRES
EScE OF ARSENIOUS ACID DISCOVERED
IN TIE STOMACH OF DECEAsED-INTER
ESTING DEvELOPMENTS-YERDICT o.
I'll COROSER'S JURY: 'CHARLES "
ALLEN CAME TO Ills DEATH BY poison
ADMINISTERED by HIS WIFE, SARAH NJ
ALLtGN."
Especial Correspondence OF Richmond Dispatch
i:TAUSTOS, September 10th, 1878.
As stated in the telegram to the Dispotc1
on Yesterday, the coroncr's inquest over the
remains Of Charles w. Allen, who died or
the ODD of August from poison administers
by his wife, as alleged, was held in Mt. Sid
nev, 4 small village about ten miles from
Staunton, on the Valley pike, on the 9th in,
slant, and was attended by quite 4 number
of persons from the ncighborhood and from
| Hon. \. II. ii. Stuart, and the Common
wealth by Captain James Bumgardner. Tho
proceedings were directed by MIR. Z. NJ.
Cushing, coroner of Augusta county The
jury was impanDelled about 10 O'clock. and
the evidence taken at the former inquest,
which has already been published in the
Dispatch, was read over 10 the jury, and
DR.. William NJ. Crawford, upon his own re-
quest, was allowed to make the following
corrections and additions to his testimony rs
| delivered at the former trial:
lie stated that when asked by Mrs. Allen
what had caused her husbands death, he
replied. inflammation of the stomach and
when she asked what caused the infamma.
ton. he told her poison.
When he reached the house he found Al
len lying on the floor, and when requested
to 90 to bed he said he felt numb and that
he would take spasms should he attempt tC
move. After having administered from
twenty to twenty-five grains of bromide oil
potash in some three or four ounces OF wa.
ter, he, assisted by Mr.. Wheeler and Mr
ParkinS, had raised Allen and placed him
on the bed. This prescription was given to
quiet the great nervous excitement he then
seemed to bc laboring under. After being
placed upon the bed he still suffered from
nausea of the stomach and pains. In order
TO relieve this nausea he administered sub
nitrate OF bismuth, which seemed to relieve
him. lie then prepared Il prescription o.
| ttC pkoiIiiNNo L i'o'''Fi, nv ~ - $3.50
family with directions to administer it upoi
the return OF the spasms.
On "Wednesday morning found hin
still complaining OF his stomach, ant
WAS still suffering from vomiting and nausea
To arrest this vomiting he administered !;
dose OF one drop Of carbolic acid in u k
VAIN water, after it had cooled. Allen threw
M the first dose Immediately. In Il halt
hour repeated the dose i'll halt quantity. Ill
objected to the taste Of it. \ blister WA:
then applied to the stomach, and he was pu
upou the use Of ice. On Thursday morning
the family told him that they had followed
his directions, but that it was thrown up
Then prescribed limc-watcr and milk. Iii'
nausea and vomiting was still very great
He then prescribed compound spirits OF laV
:. cndcr and mint-waler, together with the up
p~licltion of zee to the stomach. On wed
, ne,day, in order TO produce an action on III
lboweis, had given him ten grains OF calome
and five of rhu5arb. Late Thursday exc
: ming he seemed TO he better, and then anti
=, dotps for poison were first used. III
, first gave him about two grains OF OPIUM
AS, under the circumstances, he concilidct
that it was the best TO be used. StaYeda ant
: administered the second dose. Lett late II
>. the night. with the same prescription, VIII
r directions to his family. lie then appeared
, easier and more comfortable. Visited hin
:. again early Friday morning. Found hin
better, and continued the prescription. %
: FRIDAY evening lie was so much better ina
the quantity OF opium WAS diminished, bll
: the prescription continued. Did not sc
| him again until Saturday morning, when b
, was found to be much worse. Was muc
3, surprised. and asked his wife il she had cor
tinued The prescription. She said she !a'
= not. as he had commenced vomiting aeal
! about 10 O'Clock. On Saturday morning b
= was in a diving condition. Gave, him aSlna
: dose Of bismuth to relieve the eXtreln
nausea with which he was suffering. lie nc
ministered nothing more to him.
In reply to questions from the common
= wcaltl's Attorney he said lie had notice
that Allen suffered with Il severe sensat;o
! Of burning from the throat 10 the stomach
>. The free use of ice was tie only thing tina
rave him ans relief. Noticed the blue, lyi
r appnrance of his nose, Iip&, and ilngcr-nai!s
Thou"ht the burning sensation may nav
been caused by violen. vomiting. Notice
! his ewes closely. The coniunctiva was II
) famed, and the pupil OF the eye CONTRACTED
Was struck by The peculiar fixed stare All
glussincss of the eyes.
TESTIMONY OF DIR. NEWTON WAIT.
Mrs. Allen ans to my store on The I'D
July, and asked my clerk 10" Ten cents Wort
Of S%trvclninc. He called Inc, and she &c
pea;cd her demand TO me Told her 1t cam
in vialS worth sevcnty-tivc cents, anu coul
not sell Il less quantity. She said she dld no
want so much, rs she only wanted to XIII CD
large rat. He told her he could not sell les
than Il vial full. She then drew out he
e money and said she would take it. He the
5 told her that if she only wanted to Kill on
rat she had better get ten cents worth {
5 arsenic. She asked if arsenic would Kill rat:
He told her it would. She said she woul
take ten cents worth. She :
d if it would kill q person. He toll
her it would, and weighed her
half-ounce and labelled it. He then to-
her that the law Of Virginia required him t
take her name i'll full and place of residence
She gave her name as Mrs. Sarah III. Aller
and said she lived four miles from Stauntor
on the Valley turnpike. near Mr.. John Pal
kips. There was something in the way sh
ac.ed that struck him as peculiar, and h
determined to inquire about her from tn
: first person he should meet from that neiGl
borhood. Young George Crawford cam
into his store that evening, and lie aske
him about Mrs. Aliens character. Crawtor
rrpIied that it was Il clever family. and tn
G matter was dismissed from his mind.
TESTIMONY OF DR.. A. NJ. FAUNTLEEof.
He stated that he wished it to be undcl
; stood that the examination which had b"e
, made of the liver and stomach thus Tar wa
: merely a preliminary examination. Iii
stomach was first opened and carefully eX
l nu,;,od both with thp naked eve and with