The New York herald., 1874-07-14
THE BREITsVlLLE VA.) POISON CASE.

Eight Persons Poisoned With Arsenic
Arrest OF the Alleged Guilty Party.
The Manassas (Va.) Gazette gives the following
account OF the regent poisoning case near Brents-
vile, Va, by which the lives OF eight persons, 1t Is
alleged. were sought to be sacrificed by an nItem-
pered servant girl:-On Monday evening last the
village OF Brentsvile startled at the announce
ment that the family OF Hon. Ayett Nlcol, Judge OF
the County Court, had been poisoned. Dr. J.
Wiett Leach hurried TO the residence, about a
quarter OF mile outside the vlaIe, and found
eight Of the family, Mrs. NIcol Miss Ida Ncol, little
Blanche aud Oracle Nlcol, Mr.. John A. Nicoi, who
had just returned from William and Mary College ;
MIR. p. Ii. Eager, OF Mississippi and college mate
OF Mr.. Edgar Nicoi, who had accompanied him from
Richmond College home on a visit; a black man
and black girl, all suffering from tue effects of
arsenic which had been put in the coffee and
bread par taken OF at the supper table. The
proper antidotes were promptly admin
istered. and, having the desired effect saved all
who had partaken of the poisoned lood re-
porter visited the scene of the attem pted
slaughter, on Thursday, and found the Iamiy all
up, out weak and ieebie IRON the effects OF the
poison. and all having the appearance OF a person
VINO mad Just awakened from "a deep sleep.
1ne following particulars Of the AFFAIR were given
by members oil the famliy:-Judge NIco was mold
ing his court on tnat uay, ana being detained was
not at tea, and tnns escaped. Three otners-Judge
NicOl's sister, Mr.. Edgar Nico ana the youngest
vlctuals. The only actor at present positively
known though there is suspicion that another
may be guilty, Is glr. named susan ClssOn, aged
ABOUT fourteen or fifteen years, daughter o. a
widow woman living near Potomac City, in this
county This girl has been living with the iauliiy
three years. and IS said to be POSSESSED of a very
high temper, SO much so that in her fits OF anger
sne would break up articles about the Kitchen and
had on the morning OF the DAY OF the poisoning
punched hole through the bottom OF new tin
pan, having been a1rOnted at something SAID to
ner by one OF the family.
HOW THE POISONING WAS DONE
An ounce box OF arsenic was purchased over q
year ago Oy Judge Nico, to be used one Of his
horses suffering IRON the fstula, and only about
One-fOurth OF II had been used. Early IN the even
ing, and about two hours before the time to pre-
pare tea, the girl carried the label when she had
taken from the box to mrs. Ncoi ana asked her
what 1t was. Mrs. NicOl being surprised at the
girl naviEg the label, asked her what she was do
ing with II. she replied that she "ound 1t on the
washing machine" AS she could not read 1t IS
supposed she took the label to Mrs. Nico so as to
be sure the article she intended to use was poison.
The hour for supper which had been prepared by
the girl, came ON, ana the family was informed
that 1t was ready.
Miss ida Nlcoi, who the girl informed that supper
was ready, noticed some tnlng rather peculiar In
her bearing, and remarked, "Why, susan, you
speak as II you were inviting us to funeral In
stead OF supperr TO this sac made no rep.v The
family seated themselves at the supper table, and
the glri took the buckets and went out to milk.
After tea Miss Ida took u seat on the porch, and
in a lew minutes was taken deatnly sick.
Going into the dining room she found her
mother and the two little children all SUFFERING IN
tHe same way. tfbmcu1dtcly all tue TcSL WIN Hau
partakcn OF the bread ana coffee were taken III,
and at once suspicion was aroused that they were
all poisoned. The question Dy the girl ABOUT the
label was solved, and the culprit, VINO had
just returned from milking, was accused OF the
diaDolcal act She Of course denied 1t. Mrs.
Ncol told her TO 20 and bring the box OF arsenic,
but, Instead, she at once
FLED TO THE WOODS.
The amount OF arsenic put IN the coffee and
bread was sufficient 10 Kill nalf OF Prince william
county. The cause that prompted so young girl
to such o deed is unknown. Whether 1t was done
to avenge some iaDced wrong, or whether II was
sort Oi mania to administer the poison and see us
effects, IL question Tor the girl to answer. The
latter may seem reasonable theory, as she mad
some time ago asked members OF tue family what
efec the arsenic would have IL 1t were eaten, and
was tod that IL would XIII.
Constable George b. Jones, we are informed. ar
rested the accused IN Dumlrlcs on Thursday and
10 dQed her in JaiI at Brentsyllle