The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-11-03

FATAL Mf9EAKE OF CARRIES PRE-
sCRrfIToa CLERK.-TRs Sudden Dedh Of
M1. ]. w. Gray, a MartiaI Ferry e..
pIaiad. The readers Of the 1STEI-
1IGEScER will remember thai, in the
columns Of this paper, few days
since, there appeared an item an
nouneipg the sudden death Of Mrs.
]. w. Gray, at Martins Ferry. The item
referred 10 was correct 90 lar a. Il went,
but the particulars Of the sad event for
reasons which will hereafter appear,
were not made known outside the family
circle Of the deceased. RumorS, how
ever, which threw some light upon
the matter, got abroad upon the
streets, and have been and are now being
thoroughly discussed by all who have
heard any intlmation Of the cause Of the
unfortunate lAdys death. The ISTELLi-
GENoER reporter, hearing these rumors,
undertook the difficult task Of Obtaining
reliable information concerning the mat.
ter. He found the friends Of the deceas.
ed much averse 10 any publication, and
not disposed to assist him in giving =
truthful statement 10 the public, but 4
gentleman related 70 the family finally
consented TO furnish the particulars Of
the event.
For some time previous 10 her death
Mrs. Gray was quite III, but the physician
Of the family, Dir. Williams, administer.
ed remedies which greatly restored her
heahh, and on the morning previous TO
her death she was in good spirits and
cheerful, remarking to DR.. Williams in
the evening Of that day that she feltmuch
better, stating at the same time that the
medicine prescribed for her had been ex.
hAusted, and asking whether the vial
should be Tefilled with the same medi.
cine. To this the physician replied in
the affirmative, and \ messenger was
forthwith dispatched to J. T. Jordan, jt's,
drug store, al the corner Of Second and
Hanover streets, when the vial was filled
and returned as directed. About s
o'clock in the evening the lady swallowed
spoonful Of the contents Of the vial, u
she had been in the habit Of doing before,
Shortly afterwards she complained Of
burning sensation in her stomach, and as
she grew rapidly worse Dr.. Henry Cape
hart Was sent for, who at once declared
that she had been poisoned. The proper
remedies were administered, and every
thing possible was done to relieve her sui.
ferings, but without avail. She fingered
in great agony until l2 o'clock, when she
expired. Although suffering greatly, a
short time before her demise the
unfortunate lady. asked her Weeping
friends not 10 blame any one with causing
her death, as she was certain that mis-
take had been made by the prescription
clerk, who was entirely innocent Of any
intention to injare her.
The vial AID remaining contents we're
taken 10 the druggist, who upon exami-
nation discovered that he had, in pre-.
pairing the prescription, used acouite,
deadly poison, instead Of 6ucbu. The Jars
containing aconiie and buchu stood to.
gether upon shelf, ard the wrong Jar
had been taken down and used. Mr..
Jordan, who is young man Of twenty
two OF three years u age, is cousin Of
Mr.. Gay, and hAs been for two or three
years an inmate Of his house. The terri.
bic result Of his carelessneas appears 10
affect him deeply, and he evidently sui.
terS great agony Of mind.
Mrs. Gray was daughter Of Mr.. John
Dubois, sen, a we'll known and highly
respectable citizen Of Belmont county,
and was much esteemed by all who knew
her. The sad event occasioned profound
sorrow in Martins Ferry, where the lady
was eudeared to large circle OF friends
and acquaintance by her good qualities
OF head and heart. Mr.. Gray has the
sympathies Of the entire community in
his Stlliction.