New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-11
THE TRIBUNE FRGSH-AIR FUND.
THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH OF MRS. BOYD.
WHAT MR. CRAwFoRD's LAWYER sAYs-MRs. BoYps
WEALTH EXAGGERATED.

WHAT MR. CRAwFoRD's LAWYER sAYs-MRs. BoYDs
WEALTH EXAGGERATED.
Mrs. BOYD age eighty, of Brooklyn, died at
Meadow Island, L. J., on Jnly u, under circum-
stances which suggested criminal neglect on the
part of her son-m-law, James NJ. Crawford. she
was supposed to be wealthy, AMI her daughter Dr.
Crawford's wife. it was SAID was her her 70
nearly $40 600. When Mrs. BOYD dled tne
Coroners jury returned verdict OIL deasn
from pneumonia, but after o few Gays ,the
authorities were informed that crawford i nau
bought a bottle of poison a short ume Deiore MIS-
Boyds death, and suspicion OF foul play was III,
medIately aroused. The body was ex6umed ana
the stomach analysed without trace OF poison oe-
mr found but on Thursday Nr. Crawford was ar
rested and imprisoned In the County jan, Wltnoui
bail on the charge Of murder ",
A TRIBUNE reporter called YESTERDAY on ~ A Eu-
ward Woodruff of No. 12O Broadway, MI CraW-
fords lavyer in reference 10 the mans arrest MT.
Woodruff said Il wish to say that l am no,
criminal lawyer, aud had any d9uos S 1, On,
Crawford's innocence | would not defend aim, Our
defence will be that Mrs. BOyds death was aus 10
natural causes and not to poison or negeci. Inoss
persons VINO knew Mrs. Boyd knew that she was
woman who could not easily be lnnuenced "hoh
Meadow Island, she knew where c she
was going and instead of living at the CIub
House a respectable hotel she chose Smiths place
She had been troubled for some time WIN Isetse
the nature of which will be explained 81 the tia.
On Tuesday, three days before she dled, she "ehs
bathing with Mrs. Crawford and irend namsu
Mis-. Burns When che came out OF the water shs
complained of a chil!, but refused 10 nave physi
clan sent for Mr. Crawford was slcS IN Brooklyn
at the time On Wednesday Mr.. Burns asked her
to return home in the yacht, but sue refused BITS
Rovd was not worth SO 900 or anything like that
amount. As far as can ascertain, her entire pos
sessions we're worth ABOUT $4,000, consisting mann,
ly of the good wP of drugstore when sue Owner
In BROOKLYN. Mr.. Crawford was well on, ahn III
pont of money there no cause Tor the aliegeu
crime. We acknow ledge that Mr. Crawford bought
tine bottle of poison under the name OF h. u BOyd,
hut bv that name onlv he was known IN the
peighborhood of Mrs Boyd's drugstore 10 BROOK
Iyn. What he did with the poison Will DO shown
on the trial. but 1t seems so ridiculous that hAh
should go to a strange store near his own ana Duy
nojsOn with which 10 kill MS relative, when ne
eonld have taken any quantity OF II from ms STOCK
without publishing his INTENTION tnat the cbarss
of Inurder appears TO be the yer1est nonsense WIN
regard 10 the cparge OF neglect shall prove that
Mr.. Crawford always showed the greatest love ana
respect for Mrs. Boyd, and always ATTENDED 10 neI
wishes before he oId to his own. lie was conpened
In bury her in Freeport because be could not get
hermit TO remove the body 70 Brooklyn ana ne
omitted funeral services at her grave because us
could not find any minister to conduct them, as tue
cl.rpyuen were either at horse-races. plenIcs OF
claIn-bahes The examination Will DO heid ~ ffee-
port at o'clock on Thursday afternoon.