The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-09
sixth DAYS PROCEEDINGS.

Mrs. s,ear recalIed--tjounsel for prosecu
ton claimed to prove by this witness the oy-
the causes which, in her oUin1on, would re-
suit IN her death within few nouIs- lne
question was ob5ected 10 BY counsel tor ae-
fence, and objection was sustained Os 'ne
court, and wi, ness retired. -,
william Wilson, sworn Residence -
Blunton, Allen county; In service a. usi4oe i
sss q t6s ;s fbey Ms aee
OF q mile from Bluftton old lady died FeD-
ruary IL, ls75, and the old gentleman on inc
day following; was one OF the appraisers OF
but did not remember the amount OF the ln-
ventory.
A. Shaffer, sworn-heard testimony OF
Dr.. Sturgeon yesterday, regarding the breac ;
on the week following coroner's inquest OIL
the body of Melis Charles; visited, IN com
pany with the p osecutIng atiorney,the ONCE
OF Dr. Sturgeon. at Ada; doctor unlocked d
case and produced specimens OF oreao Whlch
ne delivered 70 pr1.eS1iiog M st'9sn Ra,grd asG az
his ofice in annoDsbpIg-
Cross-examtned-Tbe doctor unlocked case
and took out bread case had no combina
ton or chronometer lock upon II.
Henry Brown sworn -R-memDer clrcun-
stance Of visiting. in company with orother
Shsfier the of1ce OF Dr. Sturgeon. az Aos
and procuring from Dr.. 3. th9 bread ne oo
tanned at house OF Elijah Cnar.es, AMI WhlcL
Df. 8. had secured In safe his ofncs, drove
over same evening 10 CanDonsDnf2. snn
delivered the bread package INTO the custoo!
of DIR. Ballard OF that place 81,
Prof J. l. Cassel sworn Resides In Cleve
land, occupation. chemist has pracilceo
chemistry o er 40 years and has had much
experlence in poisoning; was ca lied upon
by DIR. Ba lard. who delivered 20 witness
trunk containing severai bottles packeo ~
hay; trunk and contents were delivered zitn
OF June, 1876; vessels were all OF glass, EACH
one being corked. sealed and labeled with
great apparent care, each vial had Sc parait
IabeI-one,. stoma OF Mrs. Melissa Charles
Monday June 5th 1876" contents ofsiomach
OF Mrs Melissa Charles" "porion OF stoL
ach of Mrs. Esther Charles, June 18th, 1876:
"viscera, taken from body OF drs. Isaac b
Charles Sune 18th 1867 Blood taken from
the body OF Mrs. Melissa Charles Monday.
June 5.h, 1876" an Old quinine bottle VIII
three pits of white bread, each of them
about the size OF q mans thumo
Witness BEGAN the work OF analysis az hls
house on Euclid street Cleveland, Ohlo,wilh
ia two DAYS after he recei' ed the package
keIt above mentioned articles in his iSoof-
s.ory; no one present al analysis; followed
NaQueit's process of analysis. Fl u analy-
zed the bread, which he found strongly
charged with arsenic; second, the stomach
OF Melissa Ch rles. During the examination
OF this witness, court adjourned until one
O'Clock p. NJ.
At one O'Clock P. II, court resumed its session.
Charles Spear, sworn.-Live half-mile from Eli
iah Charles; met him on morning OF June 10th, st
Ada; Prisoner Was present and engrossed the
whole conversation, and talked pretty much all
the time on the subject of poisons; said that
mic could be put into -four or bread, or anything
Of that kind, and not be detected; another poison
(witness had forgotten name defendant said was
bitter like quinine and could be known by the
taste; said arsenic was tasteless and would not
kill hogs but would kill almost anything else
said he had asked doctor a week or SO previous
about poisons and doctor told him that one o.
these poisons WAS bitter; asked me who suspected
him Of poisoning the families-would like 10
know who they were? witness replied every one"
and told him had he been there last night, he
never would have got out OF the neighborhood
alive prisoner said they could only kill him once
Mar Ghaur from
Klijah Charles; called there on FRIDAY, about /
p. n, obtained -four same day Elijah did from /
Ream,s mill, and baked and ate Of the bread; ask
ed defendant, on Friday, what he thought vas /
The source of the poison, and he said he thought
II was in the bread.
B. F. Rsam, sworn.-Reside in Ada; run a mer-
chant mill; practice was 10 exchange flour for
wheat: remember that Elijah Charles obtained
-four at the mill the day before the poisoning:
filed his sack from -four chest holding at least
fifteen barrels
Mrs Admire stonehin sworn.-Am neighbor OF
Elijah Charles; was at Elijah's house Friday, 9Th
of June, between 4, NJ. and 7. NJ; met defend |
ant there; Mrs Mary Shaw al bedside of Me-
lissa; asked prisoner where did they get it?'-l
the poison;-defendant answered lin the bread, y
then added. '-it might have been in the Hour, us
Realn, theniller had nanny enemies"
Sever other witnesses testified TO having flour /
at Reams mill on June 9TH, from the same chest,
and that ii proved good flour as was usually /
obtained in market.
A. b. Holden, swOrn.-Reside at Ada; had a
conversation with defendant June 6th and also
CURED; first conversation turned on the value of
a certain piece of real estate in the town, and in
reply to aquestiOn witness stated that he thought
IL could be purchased for 81 800 cash; defendant
stated he contemplated buying il and putting up
: hotel; witness suppOsing him to be embarrassed
Tor cash suggested he might make favorable ex-
:hange of real estate prisoner replied he would
BAY cash, If things worked as he then expected; if
he bought he would erect brick hotel at q cost
If S. co., which furnished would cost about 81 OOO
aore making Sl2,000 in all; witness who had
lotel experience proposed renting it if the pro
ect succeeded; defendant remarked lit is Il large
um in these times, but If things go as expect
viii get through" This conversation on the 4
tn, on the sth, the day of poisoning met him in E
Sye's saloon when, while he drinking glass /
,f beer he remarked, cap, Liges family are all
poisoned - and this was the first witness had 5
leard of the poisoning; and the intelligence soon
pread throughout the town, producing great q
xcitement 4
Cross Examined-Did think the hotel project v
TRANCE, knowing something of defendants cir .
umslances, and particularly OF his troubles as q
,orough treasurer. e