Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-02
A LONG ISLAND MYSTERY.
The Poisoning of an Aged Woman-A
Peculiar Story.
Special to Ne.o York Times.

an aged lady who lives IN the little settlement
known as Miller's Place, about six miles
| from this town, and the mysterious circum-
stances connected with IL, have occssioned
considerable discussion of q quiet nature
among the residents there. Although it
has been reported from time to time that an
official investigation was TO be made, dill
gent inquiry among those likely TO conduct
such an inves igstion has failed to elicit the
| Tact that anything of the kind has been be-
gun or is contemplated, and the people of
this village have almost ceased to discuss
| the matter, calming themselves with the
assertion, Nothing is to be done about IT,;
there Is no proof that any one deliber-
stely attempted to poison Mrs. Rowland 1"
This lady Is nearly 20 years of age. She
Is the widow of jeremiah Rowland. Her
maiden name was Ridgway, and when she
married Rowland she was the owner of
valuable property in New York city and on
Long Island. They had two sons; one of
them died, and the survivor is Joseph Row
land, who is widely known among turfmen.
de mas owned many trotting horses, and the
famous stallion Regulus was his property.
When jeremiah Rowland died his widow
still owned valuable property, but much had
been disposed Of. Her son Joseph favored
the society OF sporting men, and became
USED TO handling large sums Of money He
married an estimsble young lady, the
daughter OF clergyman, anj they had
several children, who have grown to man
hood and womanhood. His wife discovered
some years ago shat she could no longer
I'VE comfortably and happily with him, and
ne gave her house near the one
occupied by his mother, and parted
with her. Joseph's mother lived I'm a
mansion which for size and elegance was
superior TO anything in this portion
OF Long Island. When It was first con-
structed 1t was talked of by the neighbors
ss "Rowland's Folly" Mrs. Rowland was
kind and indulgent to her son, so the neigh
DoTs say, and 1t is well reported throughout
Suffolk county that his frequent demands
upon her for money seriously embarrassed
her. In fact, 1t is said that her property Is
now well nigh mortgsged for it's full value In
consequence OF her sons liberality. At the
time mis- wife separated from him 1t was
common rumor that he insisted upon having
the society OF woman from New York.
Ihis woman, 1t is said, he determined should
live in the same house with his wife and
mother. The wife Indignantly declined any
such association, and demanded that her
husband should provide for her elsewhere.
This the husband agreed to, and gave his
wife the house In which she now lives.
The mother entreated her son to
save her from the disgrace which he threat
ened to visit upon her by making q home
for the woman from New York In her house,
but the son was determined to have his own
way. The strange woman was duly INSTALL
ed In the house, and at first everybody in
the county commented upon his conduct.
As time passed they lost interest in the sub
ject. but whenever Joseph's mother appeal
ed to township officials for advice as to
what action she should take regarding the
strange woman, she was pitied and told to
bar the doors of her house against the Wo-
man whenever that extraordinary person
should happen to be outside. The aged
lady found In the strange woman one who |
was determined to be mistress of the eitua- |
tton, and quarrels were the result.
1t was whispered among the neighbors |
that recently the strange woman had under |
taken to drive Joseph's mother from the |
house at the point Of fork. Joseph was |
frequently absent from home. He con- |
tinued his expenditures, spending money /
rapidly. His great trotting horse Regulus. |
for which, it is said, large sums were offered, |
died In his stables. His other trotting horses
were sold Ia order that he might obtain
ready money. Frequenters Of race tracks
on Long Island were as familiar With his
face as they were with the appearance of the
tracks. Employees on the railroads, keepers
OF taverns and proprietors OF other public
resorts were well acquainted with him, and
speak in pleasant fashion Of "Joe Row
land, !" and recall his rollickIng ways.
ments. DE Is compared in dash and vim to |
great cavalrVman OF the late war. Heis
recognized as zone of the boys'' wherever
he goes, and is always cordially welcomed
by men OF his class. His treatment of his
wife, and the fact of his association with
the strange woman, long ago made him an
ooJect OF horror to the respectable people
OF his neighborhood. Quarrels between his
mother and the strange woman recently are
recalled. A few evenings ago Mrs. Row
land was alone in the house at the supper
table. She put some granulated sugar In
her tea, and finding 1t very sweet, removed
the cup without drinking the tea Then she
ordered another cup. This time she placed
less sugar in the tea. After drinking 1t She be.
came very Ill, having frequent spasms.
physician was called, and he said
that she exhibited symptoms of
poisoning. Mrs. Rowland, Joseph's
wife, who had not spoken to his mother for
q long period, visited the house and assisted
the physician. Emetics were given, and the
aged lady fully recovered. The sugar was
analYzed and found to contain strychnine.
Mrs. Rowland was quite Ill until Yesterday.
She is now regaining her usual health. Her
son has visited her, and the strange wo-
man returned to the house, but there
seems to be a disposition upon { he
part OF the son and this woman to
absent themselves more frequen, lv than |
was their wont. The neighbors confidently |
expected that some attempt to discover the
would-bs poisoner or poisoners would be
made. To-day Mrs. Rowland's friends as
sured Times reporter that she would not
talk to any stranger upon the subject. She
was anxious that nothing concerning the
TACT OF the poisoning should be published !
IN the newspapers. She was IN good spirits,
and desired not to be quoted as making ac-
cusations against any one. Her son and the
strange woman were not in the house, and
i was said that they had gone on a visit to |
friends in another part of the county. JUS
lice Of the Peace Saxton said that no com
plaint had been made to him by Mrs. Row
and or any OF her friends concerning the
poisoning, and that there was little proba-
oility that any complaint would be made.