The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-10-31
rho brooklyn wife Poisoning.

The examination of Capt Samuel N.
Smith on charge of attempting to procure
his wifc's death by poison through powders
administered by his servant girl was begun
Tuesday at Patchoguc. The testimony for
Hhc prosecution consisted of an affidavit
from Annie lIoughton, the servant girl, and
her direct testimony.
Miss IIoughton narrated her story to
Justice Smith in straightforward manner,
the Justice telling her to relate the incl
dents of the case as conncctcdly and CON
csely as possible. The large hall which
was used for the examination Tuesday was
well filled. Among the audience was Mrs.
Dayton, who is accused of completely
The following is Miss IIoughtons affidavit
State Of New lo,k, coUnty Of SutoH,
sS.: Annie lIoughton, being duly sworn,
saws: About the 10th of August, 1873, |
came to Patchoguc to work for Mr.. S. n.
Smith. came with him. had seen Mr..
Smith at Ncwburgh in June. lie said that
his name was Capt Willcrs. The next
limo | saw him was in Brooklyn. He
wanted me to 20 out to Patchoguc with
him. / would not go. | came to Patch
ogur. went to work in his family. Mrs.
Margaret DAYTON gave me nine red pow
,lcrs and Mr. Smith next day gave me two
white powders. He told me to put them in
Mrs Smiths tea. | put them in the tea,
but did not know they were poison. The
tea made Mrs Smith very sick. | gave
one powder after breakfast, the other after
dinner. Mr.. Smith went to New York, but
came home on Saturday evening. lie
10 ,,,., - I Nv G,,itl ,t,o ,,,NvI,r
answered yes. On Thursday morning
following he told me to so to the kitchen
and get the hammer and leave it on the
sink with which | was to kill Mrs. Smith
the next night. He said he wanted to find
her dead the next morning. lie gave Mrs.
Smith 50 to buy Il hat for me TO wear away
Monday lie told me that if Mrs. Smith
was dead Saturday he would give me 500
and send me to Chicago, or further. He
told me not to let this thing be known. lie
asked me to 20 into the garden with him.
lie had box there that tees came in,
which he took to the house. | asked him
what he was going TO do with it. He said
it was to lay me out and his wife. He told
me to put the ashes in after sitting the coal.
Mrs. Smith came out. She said it looked
more like coffin than Il coal box. told
Mrs Smith about the powders and about
thc hammer hatchet, and axe. Mr.. Smith
came home Saturday evening. Passed
through the back door and the dining ROOM
He ask ii where his dear was. | told him
she was in the front room. He went in.
When he came back he whispered to me
and said, ''Did you do that?' / said "No."
Mrs Dayton gave me nine red powders
and Mr.. Smith told me to put one powder
in the tea. did so. Mrs Dayton told
me to fix it. Attcrward Mrs Dayton asked
me if knew what | had done to Mrs.
Smith. Said mo" She said | had been
poisoning Mrs. Smith.
(Signcd) ANNE llouGuroN.
Sworn to before me this 2Sth day of Oc-
tobcr 1873.
c. Il. SMITH, Justice of the Peace,
Miss lIoughton's verbal testimony was
principally rciteraton of the affidavit.
She says she took one of the powders after
she found they were poisonous, and that it
made her sick Her examination occupied
several hours.
Capt. Smiths evidence will follow, and
it is generally believed in Patchoguc that
he will disprove the most of Miss Ilough-
tons assertions.