The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-05-24
LOVE CRAzED POIsONER.
Mis-. Eta smiths Attempts to Destroy the
Family Of Mr.. ". w. slime.

CLEVELAND, Ohio May %. A despatch
from Fremont, Ohio. 10 the Herald OF this city
gives an account Of an extraordinary poisoning
case which has stirred up society in Fremont.
Miss Eta Smith. teacher in the High
School. has been arrested on the charge OF
having Attempted 10 poison tho entire family.
consisting Of eight persons Of Mr. w. w Slime.
Mr.. Stine Ia a well known Democratic politician.
and has hold important county and municipal
Offices He lefi for the West few days ago.
and on Friday last his wife received basket
containing oranges. nes toa coffee. meat. g.,
with the explanation that Mr.. Stinr had ordered
1t before his departure. Mrs. Stnc~ first sus-
children that the fruit wis hitter. Fearing all
WIS not rigllt. she sent the articles contained In
the basket. with tho cN, 0Ution OF the sugar and
c"it'", to DOCTOR W.o' ulnh 'Namihi uuh'
found that every article contained strychninc
enough 10 have been fatal 10 the euiir" family.
The sugnr and 'on Whlch Mrs. Siinc did not
soud o. the physician with the other articles
were. before her suspicious were confirmed.
thrown into the slops and given To the hog.
WINS discovered that Miss Smith had h0uglt
sirychnine ut three different drug stores. and
had charged tho fruit 10y inserting the drug
with needle or pin at the stem. AMI the pro-
visions IN moro oungling manner She gave
with the statement above given. which he did.
Miss Smit.. was a. once arrested, on the charge
or having attempted 70 poison Mrs Stln"i anu
her hql fixed at $500. number Of citizens
came forward To 70 on her bond, ana she WAS
released n about 10 o'clock on saturday even
ing. and spent the following day with her
mother AZ home. On Monday morning, how
ever she was rcarrestcd on a charge Of having
ATTEMPTED To poison the entire Stlne family. her
ban fixed at $1,000. and she WINS loo ked ny again
in the county Jail. whore she now II;
NJ 80 Smith IL about 80 years old. and has
taught in the public schools for many years
She lives with her widowed mother, She Is nm
active member ~ the Episcopal Church. and
has been efficient in the sunday school. manag-
ing the exercises AT the Easter celebration this
year. She Is 81 about medium size, light COM
| plcNion. dark hair with an intelligent, though
| not handsome face. and ladylikc manner.
What the relations OF Miss Smith with Stne
| have been il n subject Of general spcculatiQn
II il evident that herein lies the mystery OF the
| motive for her criminal act The general theory
| is that she has been madly enamOrel OF him for
| some time. and that she endenvOred to destroy
! his family in order To remove the barrier which
| prevented his union with her.
! On" report Is that improper relations have
| existed between the two for years past and that
| his departure for the West with the intention OF
/ removing there caused her ~ commit the act.
/ His friends assert that be had no completely in
/ the affair. and deny TINT he Is compromised by
any criminal relations with her. Ii II reported
/ winter by n box If cigars sent him 10y mail,
/ which he found So hitter that he did not smoke
them. Shines friends hnvem!egraphed him 70
come home at once. Mr.. slime is about forty
The theory most generally accepted is that
improper relations had existed between Stino
and Miss Smith for lonS llnei that she was
grcutly infatuated with him, but that he
throw her on; that ali went along quiet
IN rs long as no kept his place on the
/ School Board. and she WAS secure OF hers
| NJ n teacher. but that when lac lett the board
| and determined u leave Fremont and sock a
| now home in tho West matters came 10 a crisis
Stinc. il is supposed. told Miss smith that tneil
Relationship must come TO an end. and IN q iii OF
/ desperation she determined to destroy his fam
ily So that there would bo no obstaclc to hi:
marrying her.
The basket containing the poisoned articles
WAS accompanied by n note written 10y Miss
Smith In IA disguised hand. and protesting t
bought. Mrs Slime got the improsso that thu
meat came from some relatives in the country
that they had seut IL preparatory 10 coming AM
dining with her. and that her husband, learn
Ing Of their visit before he left, had ordered th
| fruit and groceries.