The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1883-02-23
FREDERICK w. BAKER, Editor
b e l. A I r., M d.
THE NORRIS POISONING CASE,

The case of the State VS.. Mrs. Mary Norris
was called in the Circuit Court for Hartford
county, on Tuesday morning, Judge Walters
presiding. Col Herman Stump and VIM.
Young, Esq, represented the accused, States
Attorney Maynadier and S. w. Bradford, Esq,
appearing for the State. Some of the States
witnesses were late in arriving, and whilst wait
ing for them several petty larceny cases were
disposed Of
THE PRISONER IN COURT.
At one o'clock both the State and the defence
declared ready for trial. Mrs. Norris, leaning
upon the arm of her father, Richard Mcdonald,
and accompanied by Deputy Sheriff Carman,
came into the courtroom. She took her seat in
the place provided for persons on trial for GRIM
inal offences, her refined, lady like appearance
being in marked contrast with that of the stolid,
ignorant looking colored men and women, who
occupied the same seat q short time before.
HER APPEARANCE.
Mrs. Norris is apparently about So years of
age, with q rather pleasant face, dark hair and
dark gray eyes. She was neatly dressed in
mourning. Her demeanor was perfectly calm
and seli-possessed, and she was outwardly, at
least unmoved by the observation of which she
found herself the centre. AT the request of the
court she arose and held up her right hand, but
was allowed 10 remain scared WING Deputy
Clerk r. T. Martin read the indictment to her
1t was long document, and charged her with
wilfully, feloniously and of malice aforethought
causing the murder of her husband, by mixing
arsenic with bread for him to eat.
SHE PLEADS NOT GUILTY.
The Indictment finished the prisoner again
arose. and to the Clerks question, "Are you
guilty or not guilty of the matter whereof you
stand indicted?" her reply was clear and unhes-
itating-"Not guilty"
She listened attentivcly to the medieval phra-
seology with which the document abounded,
and her face became pale, but not even the
quiver of an eyelid denoted any inward agita-
ton, and stranger would not have known that
she was, of all present, the one most deeply in
terested in the proceedings
SELECTING THE JURY.
As the names of the petit Jurors were drawn,
one by one, from the box, they were called up
to the clerks desk, sworn and examined upon
their 0Oir dire touching their qualifications as
jurors in the case. Two of the regular jurymen
were absent, by reason of sickness, and of the re-
naming twenty-threc, 10 were challenged by
the. defence, A were disqualified, on account of
having expressed an opinion, for conscientious
scruples in relation TO capital punishment, ! eX-
cnsed and Z were sworn.
The regular panel being exhausted, Judge
Walters ordered Sheriff Whiteford to summon
ten talesmen, which was done in few minutes,
the court room being crowded. lie summoned
Dr. W. w. Virdin, Benjamin Hitchcock, Joseph
A. Coalo, X. Lee Grafton, VIM. q. Sheridan,
John G. Monks, Martin Colder, Oliver Richard
son, Thomas Hanway and Robert Fife DR..
Nirdin and Mr.. Fife were excused; Jos. A.
Coale and Thomas Hanway Disqualified John
&. Monks and Oliver Richardson challenged by
the State and the Others, four in nnmber were
sworn. One more juror was needed. Again
the sheritfsummoned two talesman, John T. Bay
less and Moses Coe. The first named was chal-
Hanged by the defence and the latter dispualifi.
ed. Messrs. Charles II. Street, and Charles
Waters were summoned, but neither was ac-
cepted, Mr.. Street, having formed an opinion
and Mr.. Walters being challenged. Then
Lysias Rockhold and Thomas b. Macatee were
called. Mr.. Rockhold was challenged but Mr..
Macatee was occupied by the defence and sworn.
The jury was as follows:
James r. Lilly, George Rahl, Robert L. Prigg
). Houston Mitchell, Alexander Norris, Archi'
bald Wilson, W. B. Chamberlain, Benz. Hitch.
cock, h. Lee Grafton, VIM. G. Sheridan, Martin
Colder and Thomas b. Macatee.
The Indictment was read to them, and court
then adjourned until Wednesday morning, at
ten o'clock.
Forty seven witnesses were summoned for the
defence and ~ for the State
Wednesday Morning.
Wednesday morning Judge Yelott occupied
the bench with Judge Walters. The prisoner
again came into court leaning upon the arm OF
her father and took her seat at the trial table
between e her counsel, Messrs. Stump and Young.
rsGl
filed demurrer to the Indictment, which was
overrued by the court. In consequence of
these proceedings it was necessary o charge the
jury anew, which has done, Mrs. Norris being
seated in tine dock while the Indictment was
again read.
WHAT THE STATE EXPECTED TO SHOW
Geo. Y. Maynadier, Esq, States Attorney made
a statement to the jury of what the prosecution
ing life by poison, crime which of all others is
done in secret, and the evidence must necessarily
be circumstantial. Nicholas Norris was re-
spectacle, Woodworking farmer, in moderate cir
cumstances. He was quiet, inoifensive man, a
member Of the Presbyterian church. He had
married the prisoner some time before his death
Things appeared to go happily with them until
man named Sullivan came upon the scene in the
guise of laborer. From that period change
took place between Mr.. Norris and his wife,
EXAMINATIONS and determinations were frequent
in reference to Sullivan, whose attentions were
pointedly offered and received by Mrs. Norris in
opposition to the wishes of her husband. This
state of affairs continued until on certain occa
sion in July, 1881 Mr.. Norris, whilst on his way to
Baltimore with wagon load of produce, was
taken sick on the road. He returned home sick
A physician was called, medical attention was
given and by the middle of the following week
the dangerous symptoms had subsidized. Unac-
countably to the physicians and others the symp-
toms were renewed with more violence than be-
fore and continued until his death. He was
buried. From the facts attending his death sus-
picion was aroused. On the 18th of January last,
nearly Is months after his death, the body was
eXhumed. The contents of the stomach and liver
were carefully extracted and sent to Prof. Tonry
for examination. A sufficient quantity of arsenic
and copper were found to show that Nicholas
Norris diedfrom poison beyond all question. The
conduct of his wife in connection with Sullivan
leads irrosistably to the conclusion that il death
was caused by poison she administered it. After
the sale of her late husbands effects by the adj
ministrator, David Wiley, Mrs. Norris removed
to York, Pa, where within short period she was
Joined by Sullivan, and they lived together in
criminal intercourse, until she was arrested
STATEMENT OF THE DEFENCE.
Col. Herman stump, counsel for the accused,
said the prisoners life Ind bnpn M wnr laeo
to her during the last years of her husbands ex-
istence, by ISLANDERS, which after his death drove
with her two little children, to seek home in
another State, she was pursued even there by
s SANDER he and persecution: Persistent attempts
her, but they were always ignored until last No.
vember. The moment she heard of the charge
she voluntarily left her work bench in shee fac
tory to answer it. The States Attorney expects
by suspicious circumstances to weave a web
around this woman by which she is to be dragged
to the scaffold but suspicion is not sufficient
When she enters this court house, in the eyes of
the law she is innocent, without one blush against
the purity OF her character. Unblemished and
sits beside her counsel. There are two distinct
charges for the jury TO consider. First, did Mich
was 1t administered He might have died of
poison without its having been feloniously or
with malice-aforethought administered by any
body. Nicholas Norris was good man, and the
speaker did no injustice to the Norris family by
saying that in the estimation of his wife he was
the best of them all. In 1871, while in the employ
of Richard Mcdonald, he was thrown with Nc,
Donald's only daughter and the intimacy ripened
into marriage. They lived with Mr.. Mcdonald 2
or years. Norris was poor, but industrious and
energetic and having accumulated something by
his labor, bought home, which he was unable to
pay for. The marriage was blessed with n son
and daughter, now IL and 9years. There was not
a happier household in Marshal's district. The
husband toiled to pay the debt on their home and
the wife assisted in every way she could. He de-
fled the State to show single interruption of the
harmony of that household. Both were commu-
nicants in the Presbyterian church and Mrs. Nor
ris taught regularly in the Sunday School, We
are told about paramount man named Sulli-
van, and the sneers and ISLANDERS which poisoned
this happy household. These ISLANDERS Nicholas
Norris spurned with contempt, saying that after
investigation he found they originated with his
own family. Sullivan came to Mr.. Norris three
years before his DEATH boy 10 or n years of age.