The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-20
GRATESlND'S MYSTERY.
Mrs. Hubbard Poisoned by Three
Swallows of Lager.
ACCIDENT OR MURDER ?
The Peculiar Circumstances and Suspicious
Attending the Tragedy.

Tho cosey little village OF Gravesend, Long Island.
was startled OF its wonted repose In the forenoon
of Tuesday by the report that well known and
esteemed lady had died suddenly from the effects
AZ po,son Gravesend the second last STA
lion on the Consy Island Railroad. and its neat
white painted cottages give IL quito urban look.
rhe susp.cion that o foul murder had been commit
ted in the midst OF so peaceful community naturally
created great excitement, ana all day yes
terday little groups Of neighbors were gathered
in the street discussing the event. The victim Is
Mrs Maria L. Hubbard, tho wife OF Samuel Hubbard.
n welI-to-do farmer, and lady who possessed con-
siderable property in her right She was about
nifty years age tho timc of her death, but wol
Ne.served and apparently enjoyed vigorous health.
MRS. HUDBARD's HISTORY.
Her history had been a very checkered one, but the
ills OF life seem to have sat lightly her. Hcr
mriden name was Nara L. Allen. She was native
Of England but 70 this country some twenty-five
years ago and married man named Powell, who
lied many years since. IL is said she made
some other matrimonial ventures which did
not turn out very happily. II IS certain that some
years ago she was married to a man named Human,
but alter a short tmo tho parties separated and
the deceased, went TO 1--we in tho family
Of Mr. James L. williamson, . farmer, re-
siding in the neghborhood Of Gravosend.
She renamed with this family about two years, and
then accepted similar position in the house Of Mr..
Hubbard who also divorced from his wife. II ls
rumored that the relations existing between Mr Hub
that .ot housckeeper and. maste and the fact that
the couple were married almost immediately on the
announcement o. the death Of Herman Rnvo some
color the rurnor in the eyes OF the Gravesend
gossips However this may be- tho couple , seem
the gossips ailege there were occasionally
some stormy scenes. No disagreement OF
serious character however is known TO have existed
either with tho husband or any Of tho neighbors.
This circumstance adds to the mystery Of the poison
is claimed that Maria Hubbard came to
her death from dose Of sirychnine. Tho
enjoy ment OF lie preclude all idea Of suicide and II
therefore remains to be discovered who had sumcent
interest causing her DEATH II Is said that Hub
bard's relatives look with marked disfavor on
the marriage, because Hubbard, being an old man
relatives naturally looked Forward to sharing in mis-
considerable properly at his death. Beyond this no
bard was looked upon as a kindly and charitable
woman and good neighbor, who TOOK special inter-
est in the poor. With her husband she was con-
slant attendant at the Dutch Reformed Church,
though not regular MEMBER OF tho congregation.
OF having some OF her family around her, invited Miss
Elizabeth Lsk orphan niece. TO take up her resi-
with ner, and IL Is said adopted the young lady
The morning OF her tragic end NJ. Hubbard, Miss
Lusk and The deceased breakfaatcd together. Mr..
Hubbard left the house to attend TO the business Of
bis winch lies back from he house. and the ladies'
employed themselves In the Affairs Of the household.
About O'Clock A. NJ, Mrs. Hubbard, who had been
doing light ironing, complained OF the heat and
the cellar hall bottle OF lager beer which had been
lett from the dinner OF The preceding day. Miss
Lusk she directed, and on her return. Mrs.
Hubbard took the bottle and shook vigorously
In order 10 ven up the beer, which she poured into
asmaIl sized tumber. She swallowed some OF tho
beer and immediately remarked snal It had very pc
suliar TASTE Just az II there vas potash In H. sho
,as,o, BIT tho latter refused on tho ground
that she know nothing about the taste OF
lager. Almost Immediately the unfortunate woman
srtod INV IN
poisoncdlr Sho was then takon with spasms
ind icll on tue Kitchen floor. hiss Lusk
iana1s Hotel and told Mrs. Douglas tho vile or
the manager, that her aunt had becn poisoned.
and begged that she would her ard. Mrs
Douglas immsdiatcly called her husband. who
engaged in the stables, and that gentleman followed
Mrs. Hubbard the kitchen floor convui-
sons. Her limbs were rgid, her hands clcnched
perfectly conscious in spite OF her agony
She recognized Mr.. Douglas aud asked him to place
meantime the alarm had spread, ana Mr.. Hubbard
came IN. lie seemed much affected BY the advice
ven. to shecpshend Bay in search Of
DR.. Van Csck. Mrs. hubard continued
1 S made some mporan. Statements which c vain
probably lead 10 the arrest OF some parties whom
suspected OF causing nor death More than onc' sne
soned" aud on one occasion, referring TO some fam
ny difficulty, she said, my God ! didnt think that
.sy ono h'a 50 m1'' ''''s' against me 70 20 TINS
ACCUSATION.
Afterwards, In the presence OF her nieco and Mr.
Douglas, she declared that CADET Strykcr, nephew
Of Mr.. Hubbard. had poisoned her. .'Cabe" StTykcr
Ii shoemaker residing on the outskirts OF tho vii
lagc, and 10 quite an old man-ncsrIy sixty
years Of age. He - said 10 have been q
very frequent visitor to Hubbard,s house, but
nothing Is known which connects him directly with
the crime. The noghbors do not think that no would
The greatest mystery IN tho case 10 how tho poison
put into the bottle. IL evidently was not there
froU, ha toftla m pe0u n IN Inv
come person having access 10 tho cellar
the interval. The only persons known
10, nave such Mr. and Mrs Hubbard and
Miss Lusk. but the situation OF the cellar such that
might have ocen entered during the night by some
the stoop Of tho house, but tho entrance rs
by double trapdoor in tine piazza, Just
next impossible 10 enter II unobservod during tho
day. Al night IL wou1 not be SO dinlcuiI IL 10
claimed, however, that the cellar was always kept
locked and il any one. inmate OF the house, OBJ
tanned an entrance u must have been by means OF
false key. Mrs.. Hubbard To had
that her death caused by any inmate Of her
house, and there would seem 10 be an absence OF mo-
Hubbard inseriis his wiis's property by viii he viii
be a considerable loser by her death, whose income
Vas always At his disposal ana was rs en'emy used
and carpetng OF tho house was bought by
Mrs. Hubbard out Of her income, and her whole
thought seems have conferred in making her home
comfortable In view OF these circumstances and
Mr. Hubbards three score and ten years there seems
10 be absolute absence Of motive so tar as he 10
soncerncd Tor the commission OF the crime.
SUSPICIOUS
Some time ago Hubbard obtained quantity OF ar
senc from Or. Van elect. to DO used as he alleged IN
clearing OF the rats which infested his farm. An
other suspicious circumstance ~ that on Tuesday
morning, some little time before tho poison
ing. ho into the cellar where the lager kept,
on the pretense OF getting his boots aud he know the
lager was thorc. One oil the ncighbors Mira Hicks,
the deceased told her saturday that she
din't know what was getting into ner husband lately;
that he was raising the DEVIL Hubbard 10 low
sized, stout built, about I'VE teot ave inches IN
height clean shaver, bis features sun baked and not
all ttg In nngk M n nm - m
moved by his wio's DEATH tor twenty minutes alter
her sudden demise he went into the fields to rake
nay. lie declines to speak about the death, which
he attributes to heart disease. Hubbard was not
present NJ tho last moment as she expired while he
was seeking DR.. Van Clun oil
rBE OFFICIAL INQUIRY.
on learning all the circumstances OF the case tho
eQr q