The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-02
THIRD DAYS PROCEEDING.

"Wednesday morning the panel was filed with
| the names of John Reed and John Cusac. Henry
Brown Esq, presented to the jury the case on be-
half of the State his speech was elaborate and is
regarded as forensic effort of rare ability We
present a synopsis of
Mr.. BROWNS SPEECH
to the readers of the Jeffersonian. He eommenc-
ed by describing the relative distances from each
other of the several poisoned families. He then
read and commented upon the statute defining the
character OF the alleged crime and the penalty He
charged that the white arsenic that poisoned the
families deposited in the yeast by the hand OF
the defendant that the bread made with this yeast
caused the poisoning from the effects of which one
died and ten narrowly escaped death. There were
three separate counts in the Indictment In order
to find defendant guilty of the crime charged, it
will be necessary that the State satisfy you that
Melissa Charles died on the date named in the
instrument and that her death was the result OF
Partitking OF bread impregnated with arsenic. and
that the crime Was committed in Hancock cOun-
ty, &c. Under the indictment, you can find the
prisoner guilty of murder in the first degree in
the second degree, or OF manslaughter.
Having made his preliminary statement Mr.
Brown proceeded TO rehearse the evidence upon
which the State relied to snbstantiate its CHARGES
Defendant WIS formerly OF Riehland County, and
during the war was considerable property
holder in Hardin and other counties. I'd to
period within two years, he possessed the full
confidence Of the community OF which he was q
resident. His credit and character. up to that
time, had never been assailed-was an honored
member of an honored church, &c. But since
that time his downward career commenced and
he has descended with a velocity that has been
rarely equaled in one OF human kind. He had
been Treasurer OF the Borough of Ada-had
smuggled its funds and forged its orders: was
deposed from Office and lost his standing in
Some years ago defendant had married in Rich
land county woman of high character and fam
1 rlW- nfwNW A 1.NrN =
Unable woman died under circumstances which
left no room TO doubt that she had come to her
death by poisoning In this house was young
girl, and IL became necessary in order to hide her
shame from the people of Ada, that she leave the
place, and she did leave for Columbus. and after
u considerable absence she returned and became
the wife OF defendsnt These guilty parties are
now ootn mere IN COURT
In January, Is75, the first wife of Isaac B
Charles died-and after her body had rested in
the ground year, II was disinterred, and through
the best scientific tests, the presence Of arsenic
was discovered in her stomach in Large quantities.
He hired at Ada in February, 1870, a horse and
sleigh, and visited his aged parents at Bluffton.
He found them IN usual health. except his aged
mother. who was suffering from cold. He reac. ed
Bluifton al about O'Clock in the evening and
found his venerable parents on their knees en-
ploye IN their usual evening devotion. To ale
yiate the malady Of his mother, he proposed to
procure medicine at Button drug store and
administer to her. Two days afterwaru his mother
died ana on the morning OF her death his father
and himself went To the barn TO iced stock, &c.
They passed into the stable together, and defend
ant gave out that the old man, while engaged in
cleaning out the stable had received kick from
an old horse-a horse that had never before been
known 10 raise an ungentle hOof against human
being. Within Is hours both parents passed away
Tne good people OF Button were much excited,
and manifold were the suspicious. The bodies
were exhumed. and in the stomach OF the old
lady arsenic was plainly manifest. No poison,
however, was found in the stomach of the old
gentleman. By his reckless ways he had become
bankrupt Ine inventory OF the personal estate
Of the elder Charles footed up saO 100 besides 100
acres OF land IN Van Wer. and considerable tracts
in other counties This defendant was one Of
three brothers, and heir TO One-thtrd the estate.
The brothers OF the defendant, though not
men, were persuaded 10 permit defendant 70 ad-
minister upon the estate. Having been duly ap-
posnted. the first business of the administrator
was 10 negotiate al the banking house OF Henri
c. Hedges. Mansfield, 5000 value In notes the
property OF the estate, and Appropriate the pro-
eeeds TO MS own use. Mr.. Brown detailed other
instances oi s4uandering His surety and eo-heirs
became alarmed, and reported 10 Probate Judge
Oyermeyer, OF Allen County, facts which induced
tnat Judge 10 remove from the administrator Office
defendant. and appoint Isaac Thompson admins
traitor, dc bonus non, and on the 2iin day Of May
last, Isaac b. Charles fled under the compulsory
Oruer OF the Court. his hnal settlement account
Mr.. Thompson visited Ada and dnotifeddefendant
that it was his lihompson's1 duty 10 notify
Charles that he must make settlement Thomp-
son said 10 defendant, II hope you DO not think
aaId ad oi vii, i not Of ySs bgt Sf my broth
Touching the opportunities defendant had Of
poisoning the families, had he been so disposed,
Mr. b described the premises q Elijah Charles.
Adjoining the log house in which he lived. was a
milk or summer house, used e. place for keeping
hour, vegetables, milk. &c. and Tor making but,
Ter, washing dishes, preparing dough for bread.
&c Melissa Charles here prepared her Yeast for
1aking bread, and crock Of Yeast was Standing
nere on Tuesday, the 9th Of June last. on which
day Isaac appeared and eugmred for Elijah, and
Was informed that he Eas stabselt In Putnam
county, ami would not return until evening.
Defendant remained about the prenisas-and n
gas Eof'csa by Nalissa Charles and her
daughter tnat defendant had frequent bust
ness in this milk house. Being enouired Of
at length. as TO what 50 >iaterested M
in the milk house. he replied tha. Il as the ehnrn
which he had manufactured and sold Elijah He
was profoundly interested In that churnr IL VIII
aSpfar in evidence that he had been advised Of
the sbsEnce ot his brother Ehjah, before leaving
Ada NJ: b. then Te;srred 10 the yarions places
where defendent had ptfrcfazed a-sen;c-af Ada
keuton, Lima. and Prusiae Acid. AZ 4anxfer6-l
These purchases were made al dffefeIf times and
for the ostensihle purpose of destroying rata Mr.
B. described the Isolated situation of defendants
house, and said that II any unusual noises had
thero been heard they did rof proceed from rats