The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-26
MARIA L. HUBBARD'S DEATH
HER Suspicious OF ONE or TIE RELA-
IITEs OF HER HUSBAND.
Poison In her Beer-strychnine Found by
Prof Eaton-The Drinking OF the Beer de-
scribed before n Jury by Lizzie Lusk.

Poison In her Beer-strychn'ne Pound by
Prof Eaton-The Drinking OF the Beer de-
scribed before Jury by Lizzie Lusk.
The Gravcscnd farmers leaned against the
whitcwashed fences Of tho old town yesterday.
basking in the warm sun and discussing the
mysterious poisoning OF Mrs. Maria l.. Hub
bard. who a week ago died after taking poi
soned draught Of lager beer. When Coroner
Smms arrived at o'clock to begin the inquest.
the bronzed and sunburnt company nockod into
the Town Hall and eagerly canvassed the de-
tails Of the story Of Mrs. Hubbards death,
From where the Coroner sat he could see into
tho home of Samuel Hubbard a freshly painted
house across the street. Lizzie Lusk. the niece
who saw Mrs. Hubbard take the fatal draught
OF lager. came in Mt the head OF a troop Of viii
lage girls. She was dressed in a neat brown
suit. and wore blue nuba about her head.
Samuel Hubbard n bronzcd farmer. bent with
age and hard work. followed soon aftorward
and shook hands with one OF the iurymen.
Coroner simms having learned that Jacobus
Lake. a juryman. was relative Of the family
excused him. Jaeobus Striker the shoemaker
from tho beach, who was accused by the dying
woman OF having poisoned her. sat apart from
the others He Is porty man Of middle age;
with n Nupoleonic head. Tho Coroner found
difficulty in getting jury the members OF
which were not in some way related to the Hub
bard family. as every person In Gravescnd has
a wide circle of relatives
Li2zio Lusk testified that she had lived in
picrmont. Rocklnnd county. y. v. and that she
came TO reside in Mr.. Hubbard's family ON Feb.
2l, 1873, at the request of Mrs. Hubbard, 10
companion OF Mrs. Hubbard. She was to re-
ceiVe 50 month. She had rsceived no money.
hut m ha9 Seen FyeH dres' bo Ts HS9%5aFd ~ ey was
day at dinner. On Monday. June H., the wit;
ness got ,hottle, ol beer. which Mrs, Hubbard
opened Mrs. Hubbard poured out the b'er in
a tumbler that the witness got for her, She
drank half Of the beer in the bottle hut did not
complain. Then She corked up the bottle. and
the witness returned tho bottle TO the cellar.
The witness added:
=" We had company on Monday nt dinncr-Mr.
Tuesday Mrs. Hubbard arose at about Il quarter
60 o'clock. and ate her usual breakfast She
began to iron At 10 O'clock she said Lizzie.
| feel faint. Please fetch me my lager went
into the cellar after IT, and returned TO her with
herself and got the tumbler from the closet.
She poured the beer out. and drank two swal-
lows and said II tasted as though i had poison
gall. She stood md ironed Tor few minutes
and then she told me that would have to I'M
ish. for she could not stand NJ. She then went
intothc dining room. which adloins he kitchen,
and sat down in rocking chair Mr.. Hubbard
was on the sofa. and he began 10 talk to her. hut
she would not answer him. Then she began TO
cry She, would not 80 to bed. She said that
MI a6GHTd cn @nd wG9Id fS d SsI her upon the
up for her as IN cmctic. ! got II ready for her.
but she could not drink il. She said that she
| could not swallow. This was ton or fifteen
minutes after She had taken the lager, she
then BEGAN TO scream. and straightcncd her,
| self ont ns II she werc all paralyzed. wanted
| 10 send for Doctor. but she wouldn't let me.
| She said that II would be- all circulated through
| the town. Then she told mo t. go after Mrs.
| Douglass. l did so. telling Mrs. Douglass that
Mrs. Hubbard thought that she was poisoned.
Mi Rss bs fqmS and 2ysr TT to he IN ws
| She asked Mr. Douglass TO help her. | got
some butter. which Mr., Douglass gave her.
| She had convulsions for three or four minutes;
| She said Cobe Stryker did it, and she wondered
| that any one bore such gruige against her.
! poison in the beer. She accused no one else.
| She prayed all the time, and asked me to help
her, she said from ne first that she was going
| Lords will; II not, sho was willing to die. She
said that she was going 10 meet her good moth
aud ask Mrs. Hicks TO come over. | i d 80. hut
| Mrs; Hicks did not come until after Mrs. Hub
" Mr. Hubbard and his wife lived poaceably
| together She used 10 scod him because he
would enter tue house with his boots dirty
Mrs. Hubbard left will aud s1fn- deeds in a
| trunk. | never knew of any poison being in
| this house. Tho entrance TO the cellar was from
| the outside. The cellar doors are loC ked only al
night. The key hangs in the kitchen 10y the
window. | opened the cellar ON Tuesday morn
| ing Mr.. Strykcr had not been in the house for
| four weeks. saw him on Monday night be-
! tween half past and o'clock. He was within
| two or three hundred feet u the house. on The
road leading past their house. He was talking
| to man.
A juror-Was there anything peculiar about
| tho appearance of the bccrs
NJ - Lusk-The foam seemed to stay on long
| er than usual.
Mr. John Douglass testified that the woman
was in violent spasms and was dying when he
entered, and that she said that Strykcr did IT,
| She died before he could get n physician.
| Dr. Van Kleek testified that "A year ago Mr.
| Hubbard bought Paris green from him. and that
| about Ave months ago Mr. Hubbard purchased
| two grains OF strychninc. saying IN the presence
OF witnesses that he wished 1t 10 Kill rats. The
| body Of Mrs. Hubbard presented every appear
| ance Of poisoning 10y strychnne.
| Prof. A. X. Eaton had made only qualitative
| analysis of the contents Of the stomach and OF
| the remainder OF the poisoned beer. He in.
| formed Coroner Simms that he had found
strychnlne in the stomach as well as In tn,
beer. There seemed to be about two grains %
! but as he had not had time 10 make quantita
| tive analysis, Prof. Eaton's testimony was dc
| ferrcd, and the inqucs, was adjourned.