The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-19
The Poisoning Case.
TESTIMONY IN THE CASE.

before Justices Pearman and Kayser. Jas.
Bumgardner, jr., and w. E. Craig appeared
us counsel for the defense, and Common
wealth-Attorney Echols for the prosecu-
ton. The police court was crowded with
amOtley throngo of men and boys.
Mr.. VIM. Meredith was the first witness
examined, and his testimony, insubstance,
was the same as we published last week.
Miss Florence Meredith. the recipient of
the candy, testified that when her step
father handed the box to her, she was suf-
fering with toothache. After opening it
and discovering that it contained valen-
tine and candy, she wondered who sent it.,
and preserved the address in order to COM
pare the writing with some letters she had
from her aunt. She handed the box around,
and some of the candy was taken by Mr..
Meredith, Mrs. Meredith, Maria Hulvey,
and a little son of the latter. In handling
the box she got some of the white powder
on her finger, and putting the finger in her
mouth to remove the powder she discov-
cred that it was very bitter. About this
time Maria Hulvey entered the room, say
ing that she had been poisoned and fell to
the floor in commissions. Witness ran for
the doctor. From the reports that had
been carried to her stepfather by Mag.
Greaver. witness Suspected her rs the per-
son who sent the box. She (witness) had
not spokento Mr. Meredith for, q year, be-
cause she thought he believed some of the
reports Of Mag. Greaver.
Mrs. Meredith testified that she and the
little boy had eaten some of the candy
without feeling any injurious effects.
Miss Maria Hulyey testified that she was
made very sick by the candy she ate, and
was satisfied that it was poisoned.
DIR. F. l.. IIenkel stated that he had been
saw Maria Hulyey, and thought she was
suffering from the effects of an emetic, she
having taken ipecac and mustard. Shortly
| afterwards saw Mr.. Meredith, who had
violent spasms. Administered antidotes
for the poison, believing it strychnine.
Brought the box of candy to my office and
kept it under lock and key until the next
day, when in the presence of DIR. Fnltza and
Miss Florence Meredith, made n solution
OF about one-tenth of 4 grain Of the pow
der and injected it under the skin of a cat.
The cat exhibited symptoms of poison by
strychnine and died in three-qllarters of an
hour. Was satisfied that poison WAS strych-
nine.
| B. +. Hughes, druggist, testified that he
had sold Mag. Greaver valentines, and that
the valentine found in the box had his cost
mark. Could not tell whether he had sold
that identical valentine to accused.
| j. E. Taylor testified that he had sold &C.
cused candy on the Friday evening before
the poisoning. Had sold her about three
fourths of pound Some of that in the
box was like that she had bought.
r. NJ. Ayres sold her five or ten cents
worth of candy Monday Could not identity
the candy, but kept in stock some of the
pieces found in box.
VIM. NJ. Simpson, policeman, went with
officers HOnnihan and HrtchesOn to make
| the arrest. Read the warrant. Mrs. Fuller,
mother of accused, said there has been
no candy in the house, - and prisoner said
''she had not bought any candy since the
death Of her stepfather several weeks ago
until Tuesday when she purchased stick
at Haines store In prisoners trunk l
| found an envelope addressed / to Miss
Florence Meredith" Envelope shown
and compared with address on box. The
resemblance between the two was very
marked in fact to the ordinary eye they
appeared identicaD. Prisoner hesitatingly
admitted that writing on envelope was hers.
Several envelopes addressed to different
parties were also found in the trunk, to-
gether witha Accommodation to the ''Police
Gazette Some mixed candy was also
found about the housess ulcers Hounihan
and Hutchinson corrobsfated ths testimony
Of Mr.. Simpson. f'#s.' =
/ Fay Haines, deputy clerk at the post
office, testified that the box had come into
the office after two o'clock Monday even
ing.
Miss st. Clair testified that she had seen
accused go into the postofiice between
and O'Clock Monday evening with a.
bundle in her hand, and come out without
it. DIR. Shelton testified that accused came
to his Office about two clock witha bundle
in her hand.
Mr.. T. A. Bledsoe, called as an expert,
gave it as his opinion that the handwriting
on the envelope found in the trunk, and
the address on the box were the same.
Mrs. Fuller, the mother Of accused, tes-
titled that the address on the envelope
found in her daughters trunk was in the
handwriting of L. b. Greaver, witness
son, now in w. Va, and that other spec
linens Of writing discovered in the same
lot were written by various members of
the family. Witness said her daughter
was at home at four O'Clock Monday even
ing, she having left at three and brought
with her q bundle containing hat. She al
ways burned the letters she got from her
daughter, and therefore had no specimens
of her handwriting.
After argument by counsel the justices
sent the prisoner on to the grand jury, re-
fusing to bail her.
| A TERRIBLE MORTALITY.-The death
of the wife of Hon. VIM. Mines, at Mines
on Sunday last, makes the ninth victim
that the grave has claimed in this family
in the short space of twelve months. In
the list of the dead are the mother of Mr..
Mines, three grandchildren, three chill
dren, and lastly his wife. Truly is not
this terrible mortality for one household,
| for they all lived under one roof? Is not
the cup Of sorrow and affection of this
grand, good man, William Milnes-than
whom none have warmer, truer heart
| which beats for the good, and the true, and
the beautiful full to overhowing? We
trust so, and if our brain could think or
our pen could trace what we feel for him
and those yet living so dear to him, we
would not tire in the expression of our
sympathy. We do trust that God, in his |
infinite mercy and goodness, will 'stemper
the wind to the shorn lamb Shirt of the |
Valley,
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS PROPERTY
Judge Bond, in the United States Circnit |