New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-14
ON TRIAL AS A POISONER.

MRS. vosBURGH BROTHER.
The trial of the Rev. George Is. EosDurgh'
pastor of the Madison Avenue Baptist Chureh Jersey
City Heights who recently indicted on inc charge
OF attempting TO poison his wife, Mrs Harrlet A. Nos
burgA was opened yesterday in the HUDSON county
Court House in Jersey City. John +. stockton Al
torney-General for tie State OF New-Jersey'
and Alexander T. MeGill, District AttOr-
ney for Hudson County, appeared on the
part OF the pros cution, the defence being repre-
scented by Ex-Governor Joseph ID. Bedlc and the Hon
Charles H. Winfield. Just before the opening OF the
court number of iladles entered the court
room and were shown seats inside the
bar among them being Mrs. NosDurgh'
the wife of the defendant Near her was
seated Miss BIda Vosburgh, her soteI-ln-ia"' tn0
Rev. Phebe A. HanafOrd aud Miss Miles, MIS- Bo"mah'
Mrs Hiram sgler and Miss Louisa MandeVlle' msnl-
beers OF Mr. Vosburghs church. The Rev. MI Alieh' Vi
Jersey City, the Rev. j. b. Faulks, pastor OF inc
emory Methods; Episcopal Church Of jersey CITY
Heights and the Rev, Mr.. McCymont, OF TINS cly occu
MED chairs near Mr.. VOsburgh. The court room was
densely crowded. many ladies being present MT Nos-
burch is man Of hne appearance He Is tan ana OF
good figure, and has brown hair and WHISPERS lie Is
very popular among the members CT MS congregations
which, one OF the largest in Jersey CITY,
The case was called by Judge Knapp six challenges
being allowed on side. The jury was completed IN
ten minutes, with Joseph Chevaier as foreman,
FIVE challenges being made by the counsel
serve on juries very frequently. Mr.. MeGill
made the opening address for the prosecution After
referring to Mr. Vosburgh sacred calling, he spoke OF
his eourtship of his wife, Miss Hattie A. Sickles OF
stuyvesant N " where Mr.. Vosburgh formerly resided
They were married in 1871 They had no children, and
Mr. MeGill asserted that the husband blamed his wife
bitterly for their chdlcss condition. desire for of
spring having gained possession of his whole soul
Mr.. McGn said that he accused his wife OF
immoral practices prevent ISSUE and OF committing
an abortion and asserted that her mother assisted hern
the crime Mr. McGil remarked that he was not aware
that Mr. VOsburgh went so far as to aege tha Ms
wife committed adultery, but he became convinced That
she was bad woman and charged her with receiving
presents from other Their unhappiness grew
worse continually until Mr.. VOsburGh accepted
the call to Jersey City, where he came with wife who
was not a companion. Some time IN November he gave
n glass OF lemonade to his wife that caused her
10 yomt and from that time until Febrn-
airy she was frequently nauseated and sick
ened In February Mrs. VOsburgh consulted
a claryoyant DOCTOR but her medicines of avail
She then discharged her family PHYSICIAN Dr. Carpenter
and called in Dr. Cornell who became convinced that
some powerful drug being used TO counterfeit the
medicine which he administered.
Mrs Vosburgh was very sick last February Mr.. McGil
continued aud her family Jersey City, thinking
that she was dying Her brother James " sickles no
tced that Mr. Vosburgh very anxious to give ali
medicines and food to his wife himself, and that
he prepared them in the bathroom, after locking
the doors He also thought it strange that Mr. Nos
burgh although minister did not pray with MS appar
emily diving wife, offer her comforting words lie saw
Mr. Vosburgh cook a beefsteak for his wife, and saw
him empty powder from paper upon the meat, and
the sick woman vo1nted badly after eating it, On another
occasion Mr. sickles looked through the keyhoe ID tue
bathroom door, and the defendant nut powder IN
A glass containing medicine This was saved,
and submitted to chemical examination He also
found sediment IN glass, ana saw MI;
VOsburgh drop powder into cup OF
tea and bis wife became sick after drnking Some OF
the tea meat and water gwen by MI SoSourgn 10 ms
wife taken to Professor DOremus OF TINS CITY, VINO
said Mr. McGI, which is generally known as tartar
emetic if administered in small doses causes weakness
aud finally death Some other chemical analyses made
by Professor DOremus showed traces OF antlmony
m Mrs VOsDurghs system and there was no longer any
lessor Doremus Kept his laboratory closed and
entered except his clerk Attorney General stockton and
always with the results. Suspicion fell upon MI
Nosburgh, and 1t was only an overwhelming sense OF
duty that forced the family to present the case Ill court
TESTIMONY OF MRS. YosBURGH's BROTHER.
James N sickles was the first witness and tes
titled as follows:
liam the brother-n-law Of the defendant he having
married my sister at stuyvesan n. Vii 1871 He was
about twenty years of age, and after his mar
riage he attended Madison University Hamilton,
N ", his wife remaining at my fathers. Mr.
Yosburgh was at the University for three years,
and then removed with his wife to CooperstoWn In
January 1877, he removed to Jersey City, My sister
was first taken sick in November That was the first
knew of her vomiting, but she had been sick pre-
viOusy. 1 believe. came to Jersey city 70
zee her on February o she was very cry , SICK,
when / arrived. Mrs Vosburgh was lying very low;
the next day she became sick a wb rave il e
her. The day after that Mr. Vosbureh sent for
That she was dying was kHeenS on one side Of the
bed her husband on the other asked him 10 pIayand
the with the angels now, aud let her die peaceaDlY
Shortly afterward sue rallied and grew better, .
retain whatever my wife or gave her when we SAT 9
during the night WITH Per NGeR p SP no b c Ser and
sad she was much improved, ana that we were good
TOOK turns in sitting up with her, and the next day
she seemed 10 be always worse They sat up Win her
Monday night, February ls aud the next morning the
ing-roOm with my wife Mr.. EoSourgh came
S SSwn '' mood '" He came up to US. SWING
his leg over my wifes lap and SAID Now what do
told bin Yes and ithen determined TO keep everything
away from her which he handled This did, until my
wife Mrs MantOn and myself left the mouse On MONDAY
morning, February %. .
"Mr VosburGh was in the habit OF preparing ms Vie
food and drink. He used to fix water Tor us ana te us
10 give to her. One day while ne was writing letter
ontroduction for me to Peter Henderson, the horst
his wife asked me for drink OF water went TO me
bathroom, where he had placed glass OF water,
threw /! ont and gave her dim1 SItet ISs M, es s
-DurEh asked me IL his wife had asked Tor
the bathroom and locked the door; After he
out be told me that be had fxcd glass OF wafer
drink examined the glass and found powder or sed
ment in it, | asked my wife aud my sister, Mrs;
Nantop II they could anything They said yes, and
stirred II up with my finger and IL dissolved Tut the
water in a WAL but the cork came out in my pocket
cut The pocket out ana sent It, with the bottle TO Profess
sor D1remuS.
On February Il, Sunday, Mr.. VOsburgh took cup oil
tea INTO the area-way and him put his hand III MS
vest pocket aud take paper and put 1t over the
tea, His wife drank two swallows OF the tea, ana
poured the rest INTO a vial and gave 1t to
Mrs MantOn and l afterward seat 1t to New
Work for examination. Mrs NOsburgh threw up the
tea aud complained great pain with violent burnings
and asked for water On February Is looked through
the kcy-hole In the BATHROOM door and saw Mr.. NOs
burgh take his hand out OF his vest pocket and
stir some medicine for his wife. When he
turned around saw that no had snail piece Of paper
in me- hnnh Mhch be in his pOckct. incurred part