Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-08-29
w. f. PARKER.
From the Daily OF the nth inst.

Yesterday DIR. Il. l.. Lathrop, Core
ner of Wapello county, held ami inquest
upon the body of Eda Bedwell, aged
IA years, 10 months, at the residence
of her father, David S. Bedwell, in
Pleasant Township, who died from
the effects of poison on Wednesday
night. The jury consisted of II. III.
Mcclure, John M. J.. Allen and L.
Eggers. The following is the testimo.
ny:
DAVID S. BEDwELL-Sworn: He is
50 years old, a farmer living in Pleas
ant township. bought sack of
meal from DIR. Parker on the 10th
day of August. We used three mess
es from the sack up to Sunday morn
ing. There was left Sunday morning
from one-third to one-half sack full.
We used from the sack Sunday morn
ing. 1t made us all sick. I COM
menced vomiting after eating, almost
as soon as was through breakfast
vomiting-felt deathly sick. Then
chilled SO, put on my overcoat.
Stomach felt hot and burning, eyes
red and swollen, throat dry and very
thirsty. Seven of us cat breakfast,
myself. wife and four children and
John Rouse. We were all sick, all
were vomiting. Don't know whether
Eda vomitcd much or not. Eda has
been sick and under the care of the
doctor ever since. don't think I've
recovered from the effect yet. Ny
wife took some of the meal that had
been taken out from the sack for
breakfast. DR.. Shearer took a pack
age of said meal to Ottumwa to DR..
Hinsey who examined it. l think my
daughter, who is dead, made the
bread. About q year ago got a
package OF Strychninc. My wife
took and hid it.. After this sickness
my wife told me where she had hid
the bottle and when she had hid it.
There has been no arsenic about my
house for four years. The meal was
sitting close to the cupboard under a
side window. The window was not
fastened. The door to the kitchen was
fastened. have not fully recovered
from the effects yet, / am feeling weak
and languid, stomach feels weak and
burns at times. One son was away.
I do not suspect any one of tampering
with the meal. don't know of any
one being around the house through
the night. About II days before
was robbed.
Geo. Thos. Bedwell, age %, by &C.
cupation farmer, residence Pleas
ant township,-Sworn: ! partook of
the meal that was cooked Sunday,
Aug. 18th. l was taken sick with the
symptoms Of arsenic poison. / was
taken sick in a few minutes after
breakfast. Have not recovered yet.
Mother and sister (deceased) cooked
the meal. l eat of the meal cooked
Sunday evening and was again sick.
Sat set under window-window not
fastened. I do not suspect any one
tampering with the meal. Do not
know of any one about the house
Saturday night. All who partook Of
the meal were sick.
DIR. w. +. Parker, of Bladensburg,
Iowa, sworn: I reside in Bladcns-
burg; keep general store. sold
Mr.. Bedwell sack Of meal on or
about Aug. 10th, 1877. Ihad ten sacks
bought in that lot. Thought them of
Moriarty & Mclaughlin, Ottumwa,
about Aug. 9Th; put up by J. c lyslc,
Lcavenworth, Kan. sold all of the
mcal-heard of no reliable complaint,
except the family in question. / saw
the family during sickness. The
symptoms are those of arsenic poi
soning. Was present at the post
norton.
j. W. Shearer, M. d., sworn: Re-
side in Bladensbnrg, Iowa; was call
ed Sunday night about 8 p. m. ]
found the whole family sick, and Mr..
Rouse and his family also sick, who
had partaken Of the meal Sunday
evening. Found them all suffering
from poison, all symptoms being
those of arsenical poisoning. at
tended the family from that day to
the present. The deceased has been
sick all the time to her death. Her
nervous system seemed to be prostra-
ted and strong tendency to spasms
from the first, and understand she
was taken with spasm on the 22d.
She never rallied from the first spasm.
The symptoms were all those of ar
senical poison. The deceased died at
2 80 a. M, Aug. 23d. was handed
some meal by one of the family, and
it was in my possession until dcliv-
cred it to DIR. Hinsey in Ottumwa.
J. w. Rouse sworn: l reside in
Bladensburg; occupation, a farmer !;
% years old. was living at Mr..
Bedwell's, partook of the meal Sun
day morning. j was taken sick after
eating my breakfast. l also partook
of meal Sunday afternoon; was sick
after eating supper. Symptoms same
as others. Threw out the meal to the
hogs. / done this Sunday evening.
Did SO because / thought the meal
was the cause of the sickness. Meal
sat in kitchen near window--window
not fastened. DO not know of any,
one being around the house at the
time. Do not suspect any one.
l.. +. Rouse, farmer, sworn: /
came to Mr.. Bedwell's Sunday morn
ing, Aug. 18th, about Ii q. m. Found
the family all sick, vomiting. i eat
supper about p. m. l was sick af-
ter eating vomiting, pain in stomach,
eyes and throat burning. One son
was away, John r.. Bcdwell. He was
at his aunt's, Mrs. Kennedy's, about
five miles John is about Is years
old. My wife and Mrs Parker cook
ed the meal Sunday a fforn0nn