The sun., 1879-02-05
MRS. VAN ALSTINES TRIAL.
ACCUSED BY HER ELDEST SON OF POI-
SONING HER HUSBAND.
Destroying One Of n Neizhbor's Eyes-He-
pulsed by his wire Amer his Release from
Prison-Mrs. Van AistIne's Life In Jail.

Destroying One Of n NeIzhbor's Eyes-He-
pulsed by his WIfe Amer his Release from
Prison-Mrs. Van Alstine's Life In JAN.
HoNEsDALE, Pa, Feb. 4.-Thc trial Of Mrs.
Mary l.. Van Alstne on charge OF poisoning
her husband. Andrew J. Van Alstine. was be-
gun to-day before Judge c. p. Waller. Van
Alstine was n farmer. and lived in Starrucca.
thirty miles north of Honcsdalc. He was an
exceedingly passionate man. In the spring OF
1876 in fit Of anger. he struck neighbor. de-
stroying one OF his eyes. For this offence Van
Alstiue was sent to the pcnitentary for
eighteen months. During his absence his wife
made a paramour Of Samuel Every. the hired
man. Van Alstine's imprisonment expired in
July last He returned home on the 10Th OF
that month. but his wife refused to receive him.
On the goth Of July he died in convulsions. two
hours after drinking n bowl OF bonesct tea. On
the charge Of her oldest son, Mrs. Van Astne
was arrested on suspicion OF having poisoned
hcr husband. samuel Every He'd. Mrs. Van
stomach Of Van Astine wns sent to Prof Cres-
son OF Philadelphia for analysis. A few weeks
after she was placed IN Jail Mrs. Van Astine
gave birth to child Having no means left 70
dcfray tho expenses Of defence. Henry NJ
Seeley and q. G.. Waller offered to conduct
her cnsc II the county would pay them $3.50
Judge c. p Waller ordered the Commissioners
TO allow the lawyers that much ont Of the
county funds Tho Commssioncrs refused TO
~. Ah', vuiE' iSSu'. AthoN
tho Commissioners ordering them TO show
cause why the order OF the Court was not COM
piled with. The Commissioners carried the
case 70 the Supreme Court Pending decision
the February sessions OF the County Court
opened. Messrs. Seely aud Waller concluded
TO appear for tho prisoner and tako chunces Of
the decision being in their favor.
Wenver's Hall. the room In which Judge Wall
Ter and the nnti-Court House Commissioners
compromised the Court House troubles of
Wayne County. as already related in The SUN.
was packed with people at an early hour this
morning. jury WIS obtained IN an hour.
Mrs. Van Alstine Is n prcpossrssing matrun.
about 40 years old. She appeared in court car
rying her four months old baby. Among the
witnesses called Ivy the prosecution was Ira Van
Alstine, the ten-ycar-old son OF the prisoner.
When he took the stand he burst into tears.
His mother also wopt. The Court excused him
from tcstifyinE.
Flora Eta Van Alstine. n pretty fourteen yenr-
old daughter of the prisoner fled To- having
mixed the boneset tea herself, and that her
mother had nothing to do with It. She swore
In her oss-cNamination that her fHthrr told
her on the day Of his death that unless her
mother consented TO live with him she would
never live with any other man, nor he with any
other woman.
Grlfllths Every. son oi Samuel Every. sworc
that Van Alstine told him on the day he dice.
that II he couldn't live with his wife he would
put himself ont Of the way.
DR.. shaw. one of the physicians who con-
Quoted the post-mortem examination, testified
| that Van Alstine bore strong evidence OF having
died from the effects Of strychninc.
The prosecution depend on "A strong chain OF
| circumstantal evidence To establish their case.
| District Attorney l.. G. Mumford Is assisted by
| the Hon. W. II. Dimmick.