Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-10
THE POISONING CASE AT LEEDS.
Probable Attempt at Poisoning Who'll
Family. incarceration in Auburn Jail

l. c. Thomas resides in Slab City in Leeds.
young man named Keith Is years of age,
lives with Thomas. On the opposite side Of the
road lives c. W. Keith, father of young Keith.
The father and son are reported to have had trou-
hle and Young Keith was har5ored in the Thomas
family.
The Thomas folks draw their water by means
of pump, whose boxes are low down in the well.
Thursday at p. m water was used from the
well, and nothing strange discovered IN it. An
hour later the little seven year old Thomas boy
grew thirsty, and young Keith went to the well
and pumped pail of water. On bringing il into
the house the thirsty Thomas went for a drink
and found white froth on the surface OF the wa
ter. The attention OF the various members of the
family was called TO the water, and soon white
sediment was discovered in the bottom Of the
pail
The suspicious Of the family were aroused, and
they did not drink of the overwhelmingly for
them, as subsequently appears. A spoonful OF
white powder gathered in the bottom of the
pail A lantern lighted and the pump ex-
amned. There white powder on top of the
pump, if some one had thrown a handful OF
flour into it,
The Thomases scraped up all of the mysterious
white powder that they could find and on Friday
brought it to Smiths drug store in Auburn Smith
at once said; THAT is arsenic " On Saturday the
| white powder was submitted to Prof. Stanley al
Bates College, and the Professor echoed at Is
arsenic
Then Mr.. Thomas made tour of the drug
stores. At Virgins store it was found that on
Thursday man called for arsenic to Kill rats and
that the clerk refused to SELL On visiting Smith 5
drug store in Auburn,it was found an honest look
ing man on Thursday bought five cents Of arsenic
to kill rats. The clerk took his name. He gave
it as Charles Evans OF Greene
Armed with these facts, Thomas suspicious
were SO far supported that he ielt it time to have
the limb of the law enter into the case. He
| accordingly called on Judge Dresser, who issued
a warrant for the arrest Of c. W. Keith of Leeds
| On Sunday Sheriff Litetield drove to Slab City
| in Leeds. Mr.. Thomas took along the clerks al
Wiggln's and at smith drug stores. They drove
| up to keiths door and the sheriff politely in
| formed that gentleman that he arrested foi
poisoning. The prisoner shook like lcaf--to use
or guilty.
'Were you in Lewiston last Tnurslay:" a,kct
the sheriff.
81 was" Keith replied
| "Did You vsi! drug store
did you buy any medicine J.;
| NO"
| Then came forward the two drug store clerks
"ls this the man who asked for arsenic last lhUrs
| dav I"
They both replied. ale looks like Tie same
| man."
| Keith had bandage around his head-and saiC
he had headache. The bandage removed
| and Keith dressed as he was last Thursday. Their
| both the clerks said
| 81 am positive that this is the man who callet
| for arsenic last Thursday"
Keith, like many other men, honest and other
wise, is peculiar looking man. His head an,
face are small, and his ply siognomy is such a
| suggests the philosophical doctrine of evolution
Yet he said this much, nothing to his disgrace
tor who of us handsome looking fellows wants t.
| be blamed for it
Not this alone. Keith's ncighbors do not speal
unfavorably of him. lie is man about 30 year
of age; has four or five children, and served hi
country faithfully for two years in the 30th Main
regiment.
Keith was brought to Auburn jail, where Ii
awaits preliminary examination. In converse
ton with one of the officers at the jail Keith sal
last, but that he bought no arsenic He dene
the charges brought against him. LeriSto0 JoW
mel!