Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-09-09
ALLEGED DEATH BY Po1soN-W1FE CHARe-

4
county-E NJ. Cushing-that it was the opinion
of Dr. VIM. M. Crawford, the;attending physi
clan, and others, that the death of Charles M
Allen, which occurred on Saturday, the 23rd o
August. at his residence on the farm of Mr.. Jno
Parkins. q miles this side Of Mt Sidney, in
this county, was caused by poison administered
to him by his wife, Sarah M. Allen. At thai
time, there were conflicting reports concerning
the circumstances attending this sad affair." ano
the coroner had not, as yet deemed it his duty
to have the body of the deceased exhumed an6
an inquest held. This being the way matters
stood when we went to press last week, we made
no mention of it at that time for the reason that
we do not think 1t right to give publication tc
rumors SO seriously affecting the character Of
any one In advance of proper official action
That action was taken by the coroner on Wednes.
day, when the body was exhumed and jury OF
inquest summoned.
We will give briefly, in chronological order,
the circumstances connected with this case SO
far as developed up to this time. :
1t is alleged that, on the 23rd of July, Mrs
Allen purchased some arsenic at the Drugstore
of DR.. Wayt & Brother of this place, for the
purpose, as she said at the time, of killing rats
wanted it to kill rats, DR.. Wayt suggested that
arsenic would be cheaper and just as effectual
for that purpose. She then bought the arsenic.
On Tuesday, the 18th of August, she went to
the store of DR.. Eichelberger near Mt. Sidney
and inquired for strychnine-saying she wanted
1t to Kill rats. DR.. Echelberger informed her
that he had no strychnine, but sold her an ounce
of arsenic and instructed her how to use it in
killing rats
About six O'Clock in the evening of that day,
whilst eating some chicken soup, Allen was taken
sick. DIR. VIM. III. Crawford, who has been the
family physician for some years, was sent for
and arrived about or 9 clock. The patient
was lying on the floor suffering greatly, with
tetanic spasms and violent vomiting j which con-
tinued with more or less violence till midnight
On Wednesday, Dr. Crawford concluded that
his sickness caused by poison, which he sup
posed WAS strychhine, and administered anti :
dotes therefor The patient had vomited before
the arrival of the physician on Tuesday night,
and continued to do so with more or less fire.
quency till Thursday night, when it was arrested
and the patient seemed to be much improved
his pulse being stronger and more regular.
Or Friday, Dr. Crawford thought that Allen
would recover; but after that he was taken
worse, and died about II O clock the next day,
Saturday, the 23rd.
On the next day. Sunday, the body was buried
in the churchyard at Mt. Sidney.
On Monday, the next day, Mrs. Allen called
at the store of DR.. Eichelberger and inquired
whether poison could be discovered if the body
was exhumed-saying that she wanted the body
taken up, as suspicious prejudicial to her con-
corning the death Of her husband existed. and
that she was going to Staunton TIC see Drs. Faun-
tleroy and McChesney, for the purpose of hav-
ing her husbands body taken up, and that when
she arrived at the place of Dr. Fauntleroy's res
dence she was met by her husbands half broth
er who told her that she had better wait and see
her father whereupon she returned to her home
On Wednesday evening, the 3rd instant, E.
NJ. Cushing the coroner of the county, accom-
panied by Capt. Jas. Bumgardner, Jr., Com
monwealth's Attorney VIM. L. Mowry, Sher-
if; and Drs. A. M. Fauntleroy, VIM. S. Nc
Chesney and j. Newton McChesney, went to
Mt Sidney to have the matter investigated. The
body was exhumed, and the following jury of
inquest was empannelled: Daniel W. Link, VIM.
P. johnson, Lsrkin j. Smith, Hamlet Moore,
Henry Edison, E. L. Houf, Jno A. Critzer, j.
w. Shumate, S. NJ. Crawford Jno W. Watson,
Abner Shumate.
After hearing the testim ony of Drs- VIM M.
Crawford, H. S. Eichelberger and A. M. Faun-
tleroy, the main points of which are given above
the inquest was adjourned to meet to-oay-Tues-
day, the 9th-by which time the result of the
examination of the stomach by Drs. Faunteroy
and McChesney might be made known to the
jury.
On warrant issued by Justice Charles S. Ro-
Ter after the adjournment of the inquest. on
Thursday morning Mrs. Allen WAS brought to
this place by Courtney Roller, deputy sheriff, and
lodged in jail.
Mrs. Allen is 81 years of age-has been mar
ried IA years and is the mother of three chill
dren.
Her husband was thirty-seven years of age,
and said to have been good citizen. He was
a soldier during the war and received several
wounds. So far as we have heard they lived
amlcably and agreeably together. In view Of
this circumstance, it seems almost incredible
that she could be guilty of the crime with which
she is charged. The circumstances seem to be
against her, if it be true, as we have been in
formed, that the examination of the stomach of
the deceased by the physicians developed the
fact that it contained a considerable quantity of
arsenic.