The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-02
CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

THE RECENT TROUBLE BETWEEN LEWIS LIND
SEY AND PETER X. JONES-A POIS0NER con-
vICTED AND SENTENCED TO THE PENITEN-
TIAEY.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dlspatch.J
JULY 90, 1876.
Our July County Court, presided over by
Judge Dabney, was in session for two days.
4 large concourse OF the people were in at
tendance and the whole OF the afternoon
was taken up in boisterouS harangues to the
colored people by orators OF their own
"class and color and previous condition Of
seryitIde," advocating the claims OF De
Mortie and Jorgenson to the Republican
nomination for Congress. Among the
speakers the most prominent were Lewis
Lindsey and Peter X. Jones.
A violent alteration took place between
Lindsey and one jenkins, partisan OF De
Mortie, who has quite reputation for inter-
rupting speakers, and while several frien DIS
and brothcr-mcmbcrs of the church were
holding jenkins, to prevent an attack upon
Lindsey, jenkins drew his knife and cut his
''friend and brother" very severely across
the wrist. The majority Of the negroes
seemed to be in favor OF De Mortic; but it
is believed that, as usual, their preference
will be suppressed in convention by the
wire-working OF the carpet-bagger, who III
ways get the better Of the negro in every
contest for any office that has "money in it,"
The great point OF interest on the second
dav was the trial OF Judith McQuillion, a
mulatto woman, for IN attempt to poison
the family OF Mr.. William c. Corson. 1t
appeared from the evidence that on Sunday
the 18th OF June, there having been some
difficulty between Mr.. Corson and the pris-
oner, his cook, in relation to her bad con-
duct, Mr.. Corson went to church, and re-
turned after his wife and children had
dincd, accompanied by DR.. John Miller, a
leading physician OF the vicinity. Mrs. Cor
son had put away some boiled rice for
Mr.. Corson's dinner, to which. after her
dinner the cook alone had access. DR.. Mill
Ter did not partakc OF the rice; but soon
after Mr.. Corson ate it he was seized with
an acute burning pain, accompanied with
all the symptoms OF arsenical poison. DR..
Miller promptly administered an cmetic.
and by vomiting he was partially relieved
Not sl,specting that the rice was poisoned,
Mrs. Corson and her two children partook
Of 1t, but sparngly, at supper, and were made
sick in the same way, but were more speed
ilv relieved. She offered the remainder OF
it to the cook, who declined it; but negro
boy took it and was made violently sick.
After she was suspected OF poisoning the
rice the cook was committed to jail; and rs
none OF the poisoned rice could be obtain
cd the earth in the yard upon which Dir.
Corson had romited was in about ten days
afterward gathered up and sent to DR.. W..
II. Taylor for q chemical analysis. DIR. lay
lor testified that lie had made thorough
analysis, but that rs the subject was so uE-
favorable he was unable to detect arsenic.
The prisoner was proven to be OF very Vlo-
lent temper, and had been suspected pre-
yiously Of attempting to poison some OF her
own race.
She was defended by Mr.. William b.
Smith, OF Powhatan, who, although in bad
case, made favorable impression. The
commemorative attorney, Mr.. Coleman,
well known as one OF the best prosecutors
in the State. presented the case in so forcl-
bic manner that the jury after short re-
tirement brought in 4 verdict OF "Gullty,"
and consigned her to the penitentary Tor
the longest period allowed by law. a crime
now so common, so easy OF commission, and
so difficult Of detection, ought to be pun
ished by law even in an attempt to commu
it with q much longer period OF conflne-
ment in the penitentiary than five years, the
ultimate period now allowed by law. The
safety OF our families, our wives and chill
dren, demand that it should be extended.
Welearned that in the past year Judge Dab
ney has tried eight fclonies and eight mis-
demeanors in Cumberland, and eleven 1elo-
MES and thirteen misdemeanors in PoWha-
tan, and among the felonies three were muir
der cases. y.