The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-10
THE GROWERS QUEST.
INvEsTIG ATlNG THE DEAvH OF
SARAH ALEXsON BROWN.

INvEsrIG ATING THE DEAvH OF
SARAH ALExsON BROWN.
Yesterday evening Coroner Roche contin-
upd his investigation in the death OF Sarah
Alexson Brown, who died last Saturday morn
ing. at No 16 Robertson street, from the
effects of poisoning by arsenic.
The following is the evidence adduced before
the coroner's jury:
MATHILDA RICHARDSON
(coloreG) sworn, testified as follows: reside
on Robertson street, near McCOy's grocery
store, Algiers. was working for Josie Law
Ter when she resided on Marais street; that
was in the month OF January. About that
time lady called there l answered her call.
She told me she was Sid Ormsbys wife. She
asked me whether Mr.. Ormsby had been
there. answered mo" We then walked to
the corner. She then said, "Aunty, will you
do something for me?" 1 answered, "You
recoIlect that am child OF God" She then
asked me the same thing, and repeated my
first answer She then asked me the same
question for the third time, and l con-
sented. She then gave me the direc-
ton OF her house, and asked me to
come, and I came and did what
she wanted me to do, she would give me $50.
She left me and ! sat on the steps and told
Miss Josie that Mrs. Ormsby was going to
Mrs Ormsby came back to the corner and
told me, "Aunty, | am going to give you q
vial, and you put 1t In her coffee alone" and
she said, "When you put that in empty the
vial you up and let me tb Know now nd
took the vial to Miss Josie's stepmother In
AIgiers, who gave it to Miss Josie. / saw
Miss Josie get the bottle; they called meover
to see it done. Mrs. Ormsby told me to be
careful and not let it the contents of the vial
get In anybody elses coffee. A day or two az
forwards | was present and saw Miss Josie
give the same vial to Mr.. Sid. Ormsby (the
Vial was empty. 1t was given him in the
evening at the house on Marais street. About
white and the remainder looked like mixed
blood and milk. He called at the
house at Miss Josie's request, who sent him
two kilograms to co ne. He came between
II and p o'clock that night ..;, When he G came
come in for witness" The first word he
asked me was, "Where did you get this vial
FROM" / answered that 81 got it from Mrs
Ormsby, your wife" He then asked me
where / got the note from. / told him got
gave me containing the directions OF hei
house and which / had given to Miss Josie.
He then sat down and dictated, word after
word, a letter to his wife. One sentence Of
the note recollect, and that was, that she
fJosie) was done with your ID Ormsby
It was nasty letter and was intended to leaC
Mrs. Ormsby to believe that it came entirely
from josie The next morning after our firs
conversation Mrs: Ormsby came along 1t was
about daylight; she kinder hid behind the gro
Gerry at the corner. went to her, and it was
then that got the vial l told her that now was
the time, as l was making coffee. I got thu
vial, and l dropped it down my, back.
never went to see Mrs. Ormsby at her house
because 1 was afraid that she might do mi
something I saw Mrs. Ormsby once sine
then, about two or three weeks after-she wal
passing on the other side OF the street will
another lady. At our last interview, Mrs
Ormsby told me that she was going to xii
that id black b-h, and would yet find he
dead in the gutter some morning.
MRS. ANNIE MARANcoyICH,
, sworn, says: reside on Magazine between
Gaienne and Erato streets. On last Friday
went to Mrs Ormsby's store to get a hat
She told me to call on Friday or Saturday. Ii
coming from the doctors, | went to Mrs
Ormsby's 1t was about II o'clock a. IN. Tn
hat was not ready She was going out ant
she asked me to take walk on Carondele
street to see il she could hear anything Of MI
} Ormsby going to certain house. The hous
was on Carondelet, between Julia and Giro
streets. I went there with her to see Ii sh
could find Mr.. OrmSby and Josie. | wen
! across the street to the cigar store. On on
way down Mrs Ormsby told me that she ha
, Ormsby to meet her there the night previou
at the Carondeet street house. We went t
!, the cigar store across the street, and sh
asked one of the two ladies there
. she had seen Mr.. Ormsby the nigh
before over there with JOSIE The lady an
swered no; in fact, she was not out last nigh
With that she bid them good morning. an
: we went off. From there we went to Giro
: street, and Mrs Ormsby, seeing Mrs. Elliso
t standing at the gate, came back, Mrs; Orms
Josie was there with Mr.. Ormsby last night.
answered. "No; let's go home" We how
ever, went back to the cigar stand, and thel
met Mrs. Ellison In the store behind the cour
!, ter. Mrs. Ormsby asked Mrs. Ellison, "Can
i speak to you a few minutes?" She sale
as the door. Mrs. Ormsby asked Mrs. Elliso
;, if her husband was there last night wit
q Josie. Mrs. Ellison said, mo, he was nc
: there last night, but Josie was" She ais
/. said, "Josie shall come as long as st
9 Mrs. Ellison then said, "You amt foo
y Il am not afraid of any of you" with ths
we went away. She Mrs. Ormsby) then sale
. Lets go down to Robertson street. 1 SAT-
E come on; we won't stay long: want to Sc
u if Mr.. Ormsby was there last night wit
Q JOSIE" So / went with her to Robertso
:, street, between Canal and Gasquet street
= She met lady at the corner Of Gasquet an
/ Robertson streets. She asked her if she sa
anything Of her husband or the lady thu
It lived in that house, meaning Josie's hous
: The lady inquired Of answered mo" W
It then went on Gasquet to some house, don
! know where There she was talking to SON
u colored women. From there we went on Rol
e ertson street. There was lady standing
VI the gate next to JOSie'S house. She asked M