The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-10-11
A WHOLE PAmILY POISONED.
Melancholy Death Of BiIpa 1Aszie Ora.
ham and q Servant Eight Others
Stiil Seriously 1ll.
RO,a Ne Me,c. aud Courier. Oct. 5th,

taACu "cIc Dotu uHkuOWu. Inc natural
dislike of those Involved 10 publicity has
shielded them from II, but the matter has
now. assumed such grave proportions that
Hirther suppression of the facts is both
useless and inexpedient.
The family referred to is that nf the
late Judge Graham, consisting of Mrs
Graham and her children, who reside al
the corner of Rutledge avenue and Spring
street. Several OF its members have been
absent in the country during the summer
Miss Lizzie Graham, the eldest urr:ar.
rIed daughter, has been on visit 10 her
aunt, Mrs. Mccall, Of Rockingham, N
G., with her brother James, q young man
about l6 years old. She and her brother
returned on Monday night bringing with
them their cousin, Miss Mccall. They
brought with them basket of delicac. es
Of various oorts sent by Mrs. Mccall to
Mrs. Graham, including several roasted
chickens. At Marion the party was
Joined by Mira. Ford, Of that place, and
her son, and they came TO the city 10.
gether, all going 70 Mrs. Graham's resi-.
dence, arriving there about half-past IO
o'clock Mt night. Being tired and hungry
from the long Journey, Miss Mccall, Miss
Lizzie, her brother and Mrs. Ford par.
t1ok Of lunch, including n portion OF
one OF the roasted chickens. All then
retired.
In the morning it was discovered that
all four Of them were i'll, none of them
being able To leave their rooms. The
remainder of the fimily, however, con-
sls!ing of Mra. Graham and her children
Robert, Harllce and May-took break
fast, eating freely of the roasted chickens.
Mr.. Ford eat breakfast with the others.
but eat none Of the chicken. After the
family had break tasted the two colorcd
female aervants--an old cook and the
house girl, Elvirn Summers break.
tasted, like the Others partaking of the
chicken. by IL o'clock that day every
one in the house, except i,iF. Ford. was
sick, and showing unmistable symptoms
of poisoning.
Dr. POrcher was summoned, md at
once commenced using every means in
the RESOURCES of medical science TO coun-
tterHct the effects Of the poison. He
brought To his mid several Of the best
physicinns In the city, and since then
their efforts have been unremitting and
unceasing. The colored girl, Elvire
Summers, had gone to her home In Nor
ris street, near King. Here she had
been without medical aid, her family
probably not snpposing her sickness to be
serious. Yesterday she had two convul.
sions, and about IL O'clock she died.
Coroner Collins Immediately visited
the body, aud requested Drs. Michel and
Bnist to aid him In making post .mortem
examination. A careful investigation
was made, aud the result il best told by
the following letter:
CHARLESTON, Oct. 4, 1877.
To the Coroner 2f Charieston County, DR..
ar II. CoNins;
DEAR SIR-At your request we have
examined the body of Elvira Summers.
who died this day, October 4, and find
the mucous nembrane of the stomach
strikingly congestcd, in many places ex.
hibitiDg patches Of vascularity. no ulcer
alton or other organic lesion, and the
whole surfnce covered with tenacious
iHi10;is highly ooiios-ceda c: :edd:slh. gel
low hue. We are under the impression
that the above appearances indicate the
presence OF some corrosive or irritating
substance having been tho cause of the
gastric symptoms which preceded her
death. We recommend shs analysis of
the contents of the stomach, which have
been removed by competent chemist
MIDDLETON MICHEL, nj. D.
j. 6. BUST, NJ. d.
The stomach Of the deceased and its
were carefully preserved, and
submitted to Professor c. u. Shepard, an
accomplished chemist, for analysis For
personal reasons he at first declined max.
ing the examination, but finally con-
aented, the cRse being one of especial in.
terest and Importance, and he will prob
ably begin to-day.
Il may he explained that the word
'vascularity," in the letter given above,
means in effect that, in places there was
Q great enlargement of the cells which
formed the lining inside of the stomach.
indicating irritation. The coroner will
probably empanel jury and begin the
inquest to-day.
At about o'clock last evening, despite
fle efforts of the physicians, asiss Lizzie
Graham breathed her last. The news of
he. daughters death was o great shock
10 Mrs. Graham, and will doubtless affect
her uhfayorably, but her case Is by no
means o desperate one.
The other persons affected by the poi
son ere very i'll, but no particularly un-
favorable symptoms Ind shown them
aelves up TO late last night, and the doc,
t0rs hope to restore them, although their
return to health must necessarily be slow
and painful.
It Is idle, in the face of o catastrophe
30 horrible, to attempt the utterance of
any tribute TO the memory of the de.
ceased young lady, or the pvoffer of SYM
pathy. Such an event Is unprecedented
In the annals Of the city, and must come
with q stunning effect upon the many
who knew and Ieved her 30 we'll. The
family to which she belonged is so gen
orally and savorably known throughout
the State thft the sorror. S,r he. natimeiy
death will bs universal. It is only nee.
oasary to say that The heartfelt sympathy
which finds no expression in words viii
be given by the people, not only of
ShaElsatnn hnt of the whole State, to
her afflicted relatives and friends. Miss
Granam was about ID yeara of age, and
the affection and esteem with which she
was regarded by all who knew her is the
best testimony of Gar worth.
Many theories are advanced rs to the
cause OF the distressing tragedy. The
most generally accepted one Is, that the
fowls contained poison of some kind, aud
thoee whose opinion is worth the most
are Inclined 70 believe that tic deadly
drug was in the salt put on them, as it ID
almost impossible that they could have
eaten enough poisonous matter to have
snch fearful effect. It 10 surmised that
the salt may have been n portion of a
cargo received some time since in this
city, which had become impregnated with
arsenic which was in the same ship. The
symptoms ell point to the presence of q
powerful mineral poison!
Ftons the Netfs aud Cb,gier, Oct. sh.
!. rLyfrt. Esnrno,rr,-1,. n.ar. n.LI i.