The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-02-22
THE POISONING CASE Al FIND,
LAY

Has occupied the Court there for some
two weeks. The defendant is Isaac
Charles, accused of poisoning his broth
er's family and causing the death of his
sister.in-law. The question Of poisoning
has been prominent in the case. We
extract from the Enquirer'S report OF
February 9th;
The barrenness of testimony favoring
the cause of the defendant has been
painfully apparent. This is no fault Of
prisoners able counsel-Messrs. Black
ford and Burget-who have omitted no
effort to grasp point that would tell in
behalf of their unfortunate client. Dur
ing the examination of the State witness
es the Courtroom was packed to de-
gree that made every one uncomfortable,
but when the prosecution rested, the ag-
ony appeared to have passed, and the
eager public also crested" and appeared
to breathe more freely.
The defense, through several witnesses,
sought to damage the attending physi-
clan of the Charles families-said physi
clan when inquired of having replied to
several who asked concerning the origin
of the malady of which the Charles
families were suffering that it might have
been the use of -four made of "sick
wheat" To prove this several witnesses
were brought upon the stand.
These witnesses were called to prove
that cases of poisoning of horse stock
occurred in the neighborhood of the
Charles settlement during the early part
of the late war.
Anna Charles was again on the stand.
Her uncle Isaac (defendant) gave medi-
cine; do not remember uncle saying that
he would "stretch me out" if l did not
stop accusing him, and had he made such
remark witness believed she would have
heard it; heard uncle say to ma regard
ing dry yeast that he had put it in
"polk" and it hung against the wall in
the milk-house, and mother said it was
all right; milk-house was not locked;
could not identify the witness, Mr.. Full
Ter, among those who called.
Cross ss-examned-There were many
persons who called at the house, but wit
ness was so sick that she could not no.
tice the strangers who called.
Lewella Charles reCalled-When sick
occupied part of same bed with mother;
have no recollection of any one sitting
on bedside and holding with mother a
conversation about yeast; never heard
uncle say that if l refused his medicine
he would "stretch me out"
Mrs. Rachael Stroud, of Ada, mother
in-law of defendant, was at his house on
Wednesday, June 7, 1875, and dined with |
Elijah Charles and wife and their
daughter Anna.
DR.. D. N. Cass testified that he had |
known cases of poisoning from use of
mineralwater.
Mr.. Swansey, editor of the German
paper in Findlay, called several times
upon prisoner in Jail. About the 1st of
January, in the morning, when the late
Sheriff Myers was engaged in removing
from his Office, a Jail delivery occurred
all the prisoners excepting defendant
making good their escape.
The Prosecuting Attorney, Henry
Brown, Esq, in his opening address to
the jury, presented the case of the State
in form remarkable for its clearness,
visor and detail. To his co-counsel and
younger brethren, Messrs. Daugherty,
Shaffer and Ballard, he generously
affords opportunity to occupy the
time awarded the prosecution in their
argument of the cause Of the State. A.
B. Shaffer, Esq, is now making the open
ing argument to the jury on behalf of the
State.
LATER.-The jury brought in verdict
of guilty of murder in the second degree,
and the sentence was imprisonment for