The Portland daily press., 1875-11-09
From the Lewiston Journal
The Poisoning Case at Leeds.
A Probable Attempt at POisO ming a Whole
Famiiy-Arrrst Of n Suspected Man and
His Incarceration i'm Auburn Jail-A
Family Jar-statemcnt of Parties Con-
cerned.

B. G. Thomas resides in Slab City in Lee DIS,
He has wife ard one son, lad OF or years.
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 trouble. and young Keith was harbor-
ed in the Thomas family
The Thomas folks draw their water by means
of pump, whose boxes are low down in the
we'll Thursday at 6 p M, water was used
from the we'll, and nothing strange discovered
10 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 it into the house the thirsty Thorn
as went for drink and found white froth on
the surface of the water. The attention of the
various members of the family was called to
the water, and soon white sediment was dis
covered in the bottom of the pail.
and they did not drink of the water-fortu-
nately for them, as subsequently appears. A
spoonful of white powder was gathered in the
bottom of the pail. A lantern was lighted and
the pump was examined. There was white
powder on top of the pump, as if some one had
thrown handful of flour into it.
The Thomases scraped up all of the mysteri-
Gus white powder that they could find and on
Friday brought it to Smiths drug store in Au.
burn Smith at once said: THAT is arsenic" ,
On Saturday the white powder was submitted
to Prof Stanley at Bates College, and the Pro-
fessor echoed: "It is arsenic.'
Then MIR. Thomas made tt ur 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
Smiths drug store in Auburn, it was found an
honest looking fellow on Thursday bought five
cents worth 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 thathe felt time to have
the limb of the law enter the case. He accord
ingy called on Judge. Dresser, who issued a
warrant for the arrest of G. W. Keith of Leeds.
City in Leeds. Mr.. Thomas took along the
clerks at Virgins and at Smiths drug stores
They drove up to Keith's door and the sheriff
politely informed that gentleman that he was
arrested for poisoning. The prisoner shook like
a leaf-to use the sheriff's language-as well he
might, innocent or guilty.
"Were you in Lewiston last Thursday" ask
ed the sheriff.
II was" Keith replied.
Did you visit drug store?'
Ibid you buy any incidence
Then came forward the two drug store clerks.
ssIs this the man who asked for arsenic last
Thursday?
They both replied: "He looks like the same
man."
Keith bad bandage around his head-and
said he had the headache. The bandage was
removed and Keith dressed as be was last
Thursday, Then both the clerks said:
81 am positive that this is the man who call
ed for arsenic laft Thursday"
Keith, like many other men, honest and 9TH
erwise, is peculiar looking man. His head
and face are small, ar his phvsiognomy is such
as suggests the philosophical doctrine of evo-
luton. Yet be said this much, nothing to his
disgrace-for who Of US handsome looking fell
lows wants to be blamed for it?
Not this alone. Keith's neighbors do not
speak unfavoraby of him. He is man about
SO years of age; has four or five children. and
served his country faithfully for two years in
the 30th Maine Regiment.
Keith was brought to Auburn Jail where he
awaits preliminary examination. In CONVEX
satien with Que of the offers at the Jail, Keith
said he was in drug store in Lewiston, Thurs
day last, but that he bought no arsenic. he
denies the charges brought against him.