Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-07-13

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commissions. There was enough strych'
nine in one piece of candy to have killed
both the Judge and the whole jury. The
candy had evidently been opened and
foreign body, the strychnlne, inserted
Also tasted the powder and the peculiar
bitter of strychnine was perceptlble.
| This witness was gotten through with
very briefly by the defence. His testlmo-
ny was clear, short and sharp.
A SIGNIFICANT ENQUIRY.
james E. Taylor, confectioner Testified
| to the fact that the prisoner came to his
store on the Friday or Saturday before the
Monday of the poisoning and bought a
| box of candy. She asked him if that size
box would 60 through the pos5office. tie
| told her yes. The box she bought was
10 ounce box made shorter and smaller
than the box in which the poisoned candy
was. Candy in the poisoned box was ex-
| actly similar to that sold to prisoner.
Il. n. Ayres. grocer.-Sold the prisoner
| candy same day that the poisoning occur
red. 1t was after l O'Clock in the day.
Some of the candy in the poisoned box Is
similar to that witness sold her.
2. F. Hughes, druggist.-Also sold val
enSlnes. Had sold some to prisoner. Last
sold her some just before last valentine
day. Witness identified positively the
valentine found in the poisoned box as
having come from his store-it having bis
private cost mark on it; but could not
identify it as bought by prisoner. Prls-
oner had an account at his store but no
valentines were charged to her !; for them
she paid cash.
FATAL ADMISSION.
Nm. Simpson, Police officer, accom-
panied by officer Hounihan and constable
Hutchinson, made the arrest of the pris-
oner, at her house. Informed prisoner OF
purpose of his visit and in reading warrant
to prisoner she remarked that she had had
no candy in the house for two weeks ex-
,, cept some hoarhound candy she bought
from Mr.. Haines' the evening before. She
said she could imagine no reason for the
Meredlths complaint of her, as she had
had no acquaintance or correspondence
with them. On searching prisoners trunk
witness found an envelope directed to Miss
Florence Meredith" a letter addressed to
the New York Police Gazette and postal
card addressed to lady. After some hes
itation prisoner told witness she had ad-
dressed the envelope to Miss Meredith.
WITNESS identified the envelope in court
The handwriting is similar to that of the
address on the poisoned box. Witness is
certain the envelope was admitted by pris-
oner to have been written by herself.
Prisoner, in subsequent conversation
the next day with witness. claimed another
envelope addressed to man lin very
different hand writing.) as sample of her
handwriting.
POINT OF LAW ARGUED.
The submission to the inspection OF the
jury of the two addresses ''Florence
Meredith on the poisoned box and the
Florence Meredith" admitted by prisoner
to have been written by her on tue envel-
ope captured in her trunk-for their judy
ment of the identity of the handwriting,
was argued upon the reasssmbling of the
court Friday afternoon. The point was
argued in opposition to such submission
to the jury by Capt. Bumgardner and
Judge McCue, and in favor of the submits
sion By States Attorney Echols.
Judge Smith decided that the two papers
should be submitted to the jury.
Wna. NJ. Simpson recalled.-Had tried to
get both boxes-the poisoned box and that
purchased by the prisoner from Taylor,
into the Postoffice reception boxes. The
latter was too large and could not get
through the orillce.
r. r. Haines, Distributing Clerk at the
Postofice.-A package addressed to Flor
ence Meredith was dropped into the Post
Office between o'clock P. M. and o'clock
P. M. on Monday, April ssh-the day, on
the night of which the poisoning occurred.
1t was about 5sS inches, too large to go
into the delivery oox. and witness laid it
aside and called another clerks attent ion
to it..
THREATS.
Capt. a. Ii. Fulte testified to having
sent for prisoner to come to his law offic 9
in relation to warrant then about being
issued against her lin another matter some
time previous to the offense she is now
being tried forl and to the fact that in the
conversation which then took place she
expressed great jealousy of Florence Mere
dith, who she said had supplanted her.
and said she would find way to put a
stop to it,
Saturdays Proceedings.
Annie st. Clair-I saw prisoner on day
of the poisoning going into PDstofice with
a package in her hand about 8 O'Clock.
The package was wrapped in newspaper.
C. ". Lynhan,.-Testiied to prisoner
having expressed great jealousy while talk
ing in his place of business.
N. Hounihan, Policeman.-A SISTED at
arrest of prisoner. Witness confirmed ac-
curately officer Simpson statement that
prisoner told Simpson that she, herself,
had written the address '.Florence Mere
dlth'' on an envelope found il her trunk.
This is the writing submitted to the jury
with the similar address on the poisoned
box. Witness said Simpson held the en-
velope up before her and he heard her adj
mission Of writing it. No other envelope
was shown her at the time.
Geo. A. Hutcheson. City Constable, was
at the arrest. contirmed the statements of
| officers Simpson and Hounihan. He testi.
fed that he saw some French candy in the
| 4
| house of the same kind that the poisoned
| box contained. The prisoners mother
called attention to this candy in correc-
ton of the statement that none but boar
hound candy had been purchased.