The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-06
Tria, Of sIrs. sarah M. Allen.
Repeated for the Bispatcil.j

Mnjtr ) over, Miss ELIZA Alien lsistero vi hti
late husband), and Mrs. Cline cher own sis.
,er). Mrs. Allen was dressed in black, and
seemed much troubled by deep cough,
with which she has been suffering for some
time. The indictment was read und the fol-
loving Jury empannclled:
Fl. c. Prison. David Hcnkle, John Wal
lmce, J. A. Brooks, J. II. Burbcck. NJ. +.
Gillian, John i. Smith, j. l.. Haiman, j.
\. Gilkeson, John Marshall, John u. Let;ey,
Johu Mcclure.
The Commonwealth was represented by
Captain james Bumgardner, Jr, and the
prisoner by Hon. 4. ii. Fl. Stuart, Grattan IL
AauZv, and Mr.. William SkecD, Of CovinS-
ton, Allegheny county, Va.
DR.. William NJ. Crawford. being first put
upon the stand, testified as follows: am
phcsiciar, and had been acquainted With:
Charles Allen for about fifteen years. At
tended him during his last illness. lie lived
about three miles this side of Mount Sidney,
about seven miles from Staunton, anu three
miles from where | live. Was summoned In
81 eat haste OF the evening OF the 19th OF Au-
"ust to visit Charles Allen. Found MN IN ii
prostrate condition, but perfectly conscious.
Had never seen a case presenting the peculiar
SYMPTOMS, that this did. When touched
anywhere he was seized with tetanlc convul-
sions. bu: said he did not suffer any pain. 10
relieve the commissions, administered bro
milo of potassium. Afterwards had HIM re-
moved to his bed. He complained OF burn
in, sensation in his stomach, and alter
some little time vomited, and in about an
hour yo,Ditcd again. Then gave him dose
of suh.niratc of bismuth, and remained with
him Until between IL and y o'clock at night.
Returned on Wednesday morning found
him suffering intensely. still vomiting, and
complaining of burning sensation III his
throat and bad taste in his mouth. Gave
him solution Of carboic acid, which he
lbrpw up, and then dose OF One-haif the
u.,autity, and counter-irritantS were applied
TO his stomach. In the evening, us the
bnrnine sensation still continued, gave him
ljmp-wutrr. Thursday morning be was no
better. and / gave him Il dose OF compound
spirits of lavender. Thursday evening he
was better: the vomiting was much less
violent. Believing now that he was Suilcr-
irp from the effects Of Strychnine. gave
him opium. Thursday night lie appeared
much better. Friday morning he was still
better, and III the evening continued the
nrcscrplion of opium. Returning on Satur.
day morning about : O'Clock. found him in
diving condition. Remained until between
10 and IL O'Clock, then went away, ard re-
turning about II O'Clock found him dead.
Don't think he vomted any on Saturday
When first saw him, knew that
he was seriously sick, and at first thought he
Was recovering from an attack ofcpiep>y. My
first object was to relieve his great nervous
a.itation nv the administration Of Srlb-nirate
OF bi>muth. Did not succeed until Thursday
il alIayipg the vomiting. On Thursday adj
mnistercd opium. for [ then believed that
he was suffering from strychnine. Had it
been arsenic poison the remedies
used would have merely acted ms
as | then supposed, they would have coun-
tecacted it. The spasms, which were so vio-
lent on Tuesday evening, by midnight had
b, en- reduced until the twitching of the ten
dons alone could he noticed.
When | first saw him on Tuesday was
struck by the peculiar appearance of bis
eyes and the anxious, contracted appearance
Df his face Noticed violent contraction and
liiasion of the pupils Of the eyes. He took
but little nouriShmcnt during his illness.
Every attempt to do so brought on violent
yomiling. He talked but very little. Heard
him say several times, "Oh. | am so Sick!"
His bowels were constipaled, and l gave
:alomel and rhuharb.
His general health was very good until
SOME time in 1864 he received a wound
IN the ankle, which had never healed, and
had somewhat impaired his health. The
wound was running sore, and sometimes
very offensive. The secretions frog this
" olmd would prove prcjudcial to his health
- b-o rh,l nj n tho rirrnl,tiSp
On Sunday evening, August oath, went
to see Mrs. Allen. Found her in room
surrounded by her friends and relatives, and
ia Il state of great nervous excitement.
After she had become more quiet she sald
she wanted to see me before left. She then
old the other persons to leave the room, ana
,sked me what caused Charley Aliens death.
rcpIcd, Inflammation Of the stomach. She
,skcd what caused the inflammation. re-
p,ied, various causes may have produced it. |
She then said, il you know what caused the
tell me. then told her that
it had been caused by corrosive poison.
She then told me about Charley Allen hay.
belief that he would die should he have
another one. Have no recollection of having
my suspicious to any one be-
fore did to Mrs. Allen.
On Tuesday the 18th | asked Mrs. Allen
about Aliens getting sick, and she told me he
took sick at the supper table just after eat
ing some chicken soup which she had pre-
pared Tor him. When he first tasted it he
then tasted it,, and handed it back to him
saying, "Why, Charlie, it is very nice.'
After the death and burial Of Allen Mrs.
Allen sent for me, and told me she wanted
to correct some false reports which were be-
ing circulated concerning her, and stated
that she had never been in Wayt's drug
store but once, and had never purchased
any poison there that the only poison she
MIR. Perkins to kill rats, but that she had
burned that up, for fear the children would
get hold of it. She then spoke Of having
the body of Charles Allen exhumed, and
asked if | thought poison could be found
thought it very likely it could not.
Cross examination On wednesday
morning inquired II Allen had been taking
any medicines. Mrs. Allen said he had,
under the order of DIR. Henkel, of Stanton.
That she had gotten on the day before bot
tie Of patent medicine from DR.. Eicheber-
gers for him. Asked if a man named Ma
pier had been there. She said he had, and
was very drunk. Did not communicate my
suspicion that Allen was poisoned to any
one. About two weeks before this last sick
ness had been sent for to see Allen; found
him better. Mrs. Allen told me that he had
been sick at the stomach and had vomited,
after which he had gotten better. Saw no
difference in the manner in which his limbs
were affected by the tetanic commissions.
Did not tell Perkins that Allen had died
from gall.bladder, but told him that his
ynmitinms wore SO violent that | helinYed he