Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-02-01
From The Baltimore Sun. N+tF
THE Platter POISONING CASE.
Trial Of John n. HIaGer for the Murder
of has wife.
CAMBRIDGE, Mn, Jan. 81, 1873.

CAMBRIDGE, Nh, Jan. 81, 1873.
The trial Of John II. Platter. (removed case from
Talbot county, indicted at the May term. 1872. Of
the Talbot County Circuit Court, for the murder
Of his wife, Eliza g. Platter, by poison or stranpu
latiom, continues in the Circuit Court for Dorches
ter county. The counsel comprise G. L. HAYWARD
and ). 7. Milbourne for the State. Attorney en-
eral Syeator will he added to the list of the prose-
cutting attorneys, having teegraphod that he would
arrive Saturday. The counsel TOR the defense are
Gov. Thomas and Henry aud G. 5ulvane.
The accused Is q man of medium height, and
apparently about City years OF age He has been
three times married. the last wife being a daugh-
ter of James w. Phillips, Of Buchanan. Bote
tourt county, Virginia This lady, of whose
marIler he stands charged, he met in the spring
of 1865 while he an officer in the Confederate
| army.
During the summer OF that year they were
married and removed to Lynehburg. Va, where
they remained together about month, and Platter
then visited Baltimore alone in search Of employ
ment as he alleged, In the course of several
months he returned. and, after remaining a short
while, again departed. A year or more rolled
around, and the anxious wife heard nothing of her
husbands whereabouts, though her father and her
brotheF-in-law, Mr.. Jackson, who during a mart of
| this time resided in Baltimore we're dilieent in
| their inquiries.
| NJ ienSth DaNtn3 1alled IN every means OF
communication, she had hitherto ATTEMPTED. at
the instance OF "a friend, advertisement was in
| serted in the personal column of the Baltimore
Sun, lnquiring OF Plater's whereabouts In reply
to this notice two anonymous letters were received
from Baltimore, written on paper stamped with
the names OF well-known club houses OF that ci-
ty, informing the advertiser that Platter was ak
that tune living with his mother on the Eastern
Shore OF Maryland. The wife, as soon as she
could obtain the means, repaired TO f. 1ston Tai.
bot county, and joined her husband. This was in
; March. In July she forced. by Pater's treat
ment to her, rs she alleged to return to her faith
ers house. In the latter part Of November she
received letter pnrporting to have come from a
, friend OF Platers advising her that he was very
sick and had expressed desire to see her once
more. In pursuance OF his supposed Wish she re,
turned TO Elston December 21i 1871, and weni
, immediately to her husbands family, distance
about four miles. Soon after her arrival Platel
drove away, and did not return until about nigh
fall. That night Mrs. Platter was found deat
about four hundred yards from the house. 1t Ii
alleged that two phials, containing poison Of diff
ferent kinds were found in close proximity to IN,
T corpse. The facts, as above narrated, were OBJ
tanned from the father of the deceased.
y Mr.. Platter belongs to a wel-known and veal
Z thy family of Talbot county The indictment OF
: which he Is arraigned contains three counts, tn
u first two charging him with the murder OF bi
wife, by violence, on ihs 2l OF December, lS7
and the third with cruelty driving her from hi
home the same day an leaving her TO perish froE
exposure and cold.