The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-19
CRIME IN RURAL DISTRICTS.
A COMPLTCiTE STORY or MI TRIMONY,
ROBBERY. IND POISON.
The Robbery and Subsequent Death OF John
y. Wood. ~ uerkimer County Farmer
Arrest Of his WIFE and stepson-tsrnve
Suspicious of - Double Case Of Poi~oning

Suspicious of - Double Case of rotsoning.
On the 23d Of March, 1874 John p Wood,
wcl-to-do farmer Of Fairfield Horkimcr coun-
ty. n Y. went to Utica to spend the day and
night. The next day Mr.. Wood returned home
to find that he had been robbed. His wifc's ac-
tons. viewed in the light Of subsequent events
were decidedly suspicious. First she asked him
to 20 out and water the cattle and TO do some
other chores. While he was gone she prepared
the supper. As they were eating that meal she
asked him for some money saying that she
wanted to 20 To- Little Falls to make certain pur-
chascs He expressed his willingness to sup
ply her wants and then she asked, " Have you
any money laid away;'
NO" he replied, all have il in my pocket"
Haven't you any in that trunk up stairsi" she
asked next.
NO" said he. 81 have nothing but bonds
and papers in that trunk"
what. II should tell you that you were
robbcd?' Mrs. Wood inquired calmly.
Her manner alarmed her husband. and he
hurried to the second story room in which he
kept his trunk. one door showed signs of having
been forced. but Mr. wood brcathcd more freely
when he looked at his trunk and found that it
was still sound. 81 guess you are mistaken.
Mary" he said. for have the only key there
IL to the trunk and it is in my pocket You can
see for yourself that il has not been broken
open" Still. to make assurance douhly sure
Mr. Wood unlocked the trunk. IT was as his
wife had said. The bonds were gone.
q" always told you the place wasn't safcV cx.
claimed Mrs. Wood. but you wouldn't heed
me.
For II moment Mr. Woods establishment and
dismay at the loss of ncurly all his personal
property overcamc him. Then he qu, STONED
his wife Did you steal those bonds?"
How could steal what was partly my ownf'
was the curt reply.
As n consequence there was quarrel. the
husband accusing the wife Of thcit. and the
rsi@@,pf X hrcal1 n, Of t. dr yer Tiv ""
them Of his mirlertunr. H. freely Expressed
his suspicious of his wife. and gave his reasons
for believing her guilty. She was thc only per
son in the lag" who knew where BE- Kept his
treasures. Dr. Swe" advised Mr.. Wood To- cm-
ploy constahes to make athorough search.
= Early in m morning ot TX 2}th o. March
Constable Iahsr iouni me lttl. hair trunk IN
village tavern which j. opposite Mr. Woods
house. The trunk hnd hrcn broken open and
the bonds removed. but the thivi or thieves had
not touched the notes and m"moranda which
had formed part of Ia contents Tho trunk was
taken to DR.. Sweets office for safe keeping
At the suggestion of Constable Roof, Mr. Wood
made partia search Of his wifi : person. tut
other places. failed I" discover NJ ,mnsslig
bonds. They Were Il, -'rlhed 10y Mr. Wood rs
folows; one $1,000 100 I ; bond, ON s5o9
six bonds of the township of Portland. lOniu
County. Michigan, issued IN aido the Iowa and
Lansing Railroad oi 100 - 'h. numbered ITO.
1869,
uary. 1870 She was n widow. with two grown
sons and n married daughter. and hc was q
widowcr. with an only daughter. also married.
OF her Children. the only one who mnde his
home in the Wood family WIZ Charles MWiley.
who's" Occupal on- rtnkedirnm schuvltca hiig
tO glove p"ddllus. none very ndn-tripu-V fol-
lowed Young Wiley and his stop father dld not
harmonic. the old T. nilelnan Insisting that the
the many CAUSES nf disagreement between Mr..
and Mrs wood Nh. wood often expressed MS
belief that youns Wiley knew something about
robbcry Sir. W5oI one morning MISE, 500
from his trousers pocket. on second o.,
openly accused Willy 81 stealing it. quarrel
Tesuted, AMI Wiley was orirrci To- Iuii t4e
house. After that h" o"as iunnlly visit 4 MS
mother. Nh Wool ~uspr ted that young Wiley
was concerned with his mother in m" bond rob
berry but tue ruu-taN"- were unah" 10 Mud any
on who had soon INN IN tine nrighhorhDo d
jusl heiore or imnird W'ly niirr W. ronngryi
and AT length Mrs. Mood uuii her husband :
nus"d hin, nf ern@i and inhumnu treatment. In
her exam nation the ruhh"Iy WIS morethan once
alluded TO-. she a'hn lwl"'ir'i that 81" know
whore the bonds wrr" Sept. hut d"nwd that sne
how she know that th. bonds had been stolen
tit will hr remembered that H." largr trunk en-
closing the small ON" wis locked when Mr.
Wood returned. she said that she shook the
large trunk and did not hear me rattr oi the
small unr. She said she did not rememh"r
having SAID when her husband accused hrr 81
the theft. How can | -t"u what II purity my
- but would not That she lli D. 4 VS.
thosr words Snr- said a.-p. that sh" had So
in her dD-k which hal NOT isDn tnur hcd. Sh,
discoy,r.,i III. r"hhrrv ON IN" day that MIR
Wood won't fu Ttica March ~. Int failed {
explain why She had not given thr alarm heior,
the evening Of the n"Nt day. Nor was it unit
she came under tn, fir. at 4, sharp rrn-,-eNirl'
ination that she t1ld uf having found hnlf
burned mai hos In thr room that .ou;ain"i The
trunk. Being questioned ~ To- her movement.
on he day Of tht rohhtry DIOR own ADMISSION
showed TINT the robbery WIS done in broad day
light. she said that Shr had been in TIE hous'
all day Shrur-iiilod further that none Of hrl
children visited her FOR u week before or n wcol
after he rohhcry. Tn aspiration for divorce
was dismissed In June. 1874 and from that tim,
Mr. and Mrs Wood lived apart.
Just before the separation Mr.. Wood was VIC
lently sick tho symItoms Indicating pOisouinl
by arsenic II. complained II AN oppression il
the pit of the stomach and Of a burning pain
His thirst was intense but his stomach coul,
hold neither iluil nor solid food. H. was absent
minded having lost thu power If concentration
which once DISTINGUISHED him and was givni
T. taking short mans nj most inappropriai.
seasons Il habit never noticed in him before
Prior 10 this sickness he was a strong anC
hearty man IT, pr Sweet h. often said that hi,
recovery was hopeless that the " Old woman
had taken ear. 10 XIII him slowly hut surely.
IN july. ls7G Mr. Wood died. express M