Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-06
A STRANGE CASE.
The Poisoning of Mr.. sIusser's
Child at Louisville.

r~e-4NAAS u A~ARa - Y .
Newton at Louisville, on Tuesday
morning last, and the murder Of Mr.
Slusser's little four-year-old afflicted
boy, continues to excite painful inter
est ana public comment. The Louis
vile Oourier.J ournal Of yesterday has
long account of the affair, and addi-
tional light is thrown upon it, though
an air of mystery still surrounds the
woman's motive for committing the
awful deed. After mentioning that
Mr.. and Mrs. Newton reside in
neat little cottage at 1922 Thirteenth
street, and how Mr.. Newton came
home after trip on the railway to
find his wife in an apparently dying
| condition, with the child dead at her
side, that journal says Mr.. Newton
was wild with grief, and hardly knew
which way to turn. Presently. Mrs.
Toner, who resides over the way, came
across and lent her assistance. Mr.,
Newton accompanied her back to the
room, and almost the first thing which
his eye fell on was sealed envelope
lying on the back of the bureau.
Picking it up eagerly he handed it to
Mrs. Toner, exclaiming: Here it is;
read it." The envelope was opened
and found to contain the following,
written to her husband:
DEAR LoU:-All the natural re-
quirements for little Elmer and me
will be found in the middle dresser
drawer. Oh, how hard to go and
leave good friends. | have SO many
things / would like to say, but will 60
and say nothing. Farewell to all.
MRS. NELLIE NEWTON.
| WAS born in Tompkins county,
Ithaca, N. Y. Aged thirty-three
years and Eve months, Little Elmer
| Slusser, Louisville, KY, aged four
years and five months"
1t was some time before the party
assembled could recover from the as
constituent produced by the revela-
ton, but the sight of the dead child
and apparently dying mother awoke
them to the situation. The child was
lifted from the bed and placed upon a
sofa, and then a messenger was dis
! patched for DR.. Cox. The Doctor
arrived at the place at 8 o'clock anC
administered emetics, which, in short
D time, emptied the woman's stomach
From a small white envelope, which
was found on the bureau, there ap
pears no doubt but that the poisol
t taken was morphine. The enVelop,
{ shows that the drug was purchased a
W. w. Smiths drug store, on Sixtl
and Market streets, but the peopl
: there do not remember the sale, no
does the register show that Mrs. New
s ton bought it. Another circumstauc,
y is that the last sale Of morphine i
: recorded in the book on May 2. which
q makes it appear that Mrs. NewtoI
/ had thought some time over tn,
matter. ~.
a Coroner Miller was summoned il
the case of the little boy, and as til,
= woman was recovering postponed tht
{ inquest. He, however, impaneleC
s his jury and took possession of til,
}. the child's stomach for analysis, mas
! much as it has not been clearly estab
lished the character of the poisor
which caused the death Of the child
Mrs. Newton, although yesterday
afternoon was considered out of dan
ger, has said nothing concerning the
e crime. She was very restive, tossing
5 wildly about the bed, aud at times
breaking out in piteous meanings. Al
times she called for water, aud, though
: apparently conscious Of the surround.
: ings, did not refer to the subject which
it seems would, to the exclusion Of
all Others, burden her mind.
: All the circumstances in the case
/ point to the fact that the love, bearing
/, or destruction. which she had formed
: for the boy led her to the act. She
is said to be lady of deep affections.
and having lost two of her own chill
dren, her heart went out the more for
: this child, who had, besides possess-
y ing a bright and beautiful face, been a
cripple from spine disease, which ap-
pealed to the tender heart. So inti-
V mateIy had she and Mrs Slusser been
: associated before the latter's death
that they were like sisters; and when
she left her little crippled boy
: Mrs. Newton became intent on
taking the child to herself
The death of Mrs. Slusser oc
! cured last September at Memphis
whittier she, her husband and family
had moved, Mr.. SlusSer having been
stationed there by the Louisville &
. Nashville road. Shortly after this
sad event Mr.. and Mrs. Newton Wis
t tied Memphis, stopping some time
s with Mr.. Slusser. 1t was during this
J stay that Mrs. Newton formed such q
| strong attachment for the child. A
! Mrs. Newton aud Mrs Slusser had
been as sisters, so had the husbands
| been as brothers, and when the lady
A begged for the care of the child Mr.
. Slusser gave her temporarily itl
s charge. When she brought the chile
+ home her love for it increased, unit
she remarked that she could never
5 give him up.
! Several days ago Mrs. Newton heard
/ that Mr. Slusser was going to get mar
!. ried, and since then it appears tha
r she has been laboring under the ap
4 prehension that the child would b
Y taken from her. Her husband, how
! ever, did not hear her say anything OF
: this subject, but she gave expression
t TO her fear to DR.. Cox, the family
4 physician. Mr. Newton left her OF
Q ednesday evening to 90 out on tn,
/ road, but failed to note any change i