The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-25
THE WALKUP POISONING.
The Early Life of the Alleged Murderess-Her
Great Beauty of Face and Form.

New ORLEANS, Aug. 24.-Nothing for long
time has created so much excitement here as
the newyof the arrest, in Emporia, Kan. of Mrs
Minnie Wallace Walkup, for poisoning her hus-
band. The marriage took place just month
before the death of her husband Mr. Walkup
had been familiar figure on the streets of New
Orleans. He was Virginian, and handsome
energetic man of considerable wealth and ability.
He was about forty five years of age and a
widower with two daughters, The youngest of
his children, Miss Libbe, is year older than
the wife he recently married He was six feet
two inches in height, finely proportioned weigh
ing over 200 pounds, with blue eyes, light brown
hair, small mustache, and bright, cheerful
face, which tailed with his disposition. Minnie
Wallace Walkup is seventeen years old. Her
father is James Wallace, a lawyer, and form
erly United States commissioner. Every one
who ever saw her noted her beauty of face and
firm and ladylike department. She was seen
frequently on the street, and was noted for her
charms of person and fine taste in dress. She
was about FIVE feet seven inches in height. Her
eyes were large and beautiful. Walkup had met
Minnie when child, and watched her bloom
into womanhood then he claimed her as his
bride at Covington, Ky. The wedding took
There were sixty persons present. The
Rev Rev: DR.; , Lasr' a. Methodist aa1U,d min min
entire party crossed the river to Cincinnati, and
a fine supper was served at the residence of a
relative. Mrs. Moore, on Plum street Mr.. Wal
lace bado them goodbye at Cincinnati, and re-
turned to New Orleans few days later. The
bridal couple seemed very happy, and left for
Niagara Falls, making a short trip, and then GO
ing direct to the home of the groom at Emporia.
From her letters Mrs. Walkup seemed to be liv
inc happy life, with no wants unprOvided.
Her last letter, received five days ago, said that
Mr. Wakup was going on a short trip on bust
ness, and that she was to go along.
Willie VILLAGE was eleven months older
John D. Wallace, who died in Florida
several years ago. His mother was niece of
Mrs. Walkup's mother Mr. Wallace died when
her boy was three years old, and left HIM to the
care of Mrs. Wallace, with whom he has lived
ever since. Willie and Minnie were raised
together. Willio's mother had died of con
sumption, and he seemed to have trace of the
malady. He was delicate boy, of slender
build. He was much attached to his cousin
as brother. Mr.. Walkup asked the boy to go
out West as his protege and intended to assist
him III carving out a successful career Her
friends say that the purchase by Mrs Walkup of
arsenic may be accounted for by the fact that
she was addicted to the use of the drug for the
sake of her complexion.
A telegram from Emporia, Kan, says: ''Hon
j. H. WalkupS funeral took place at the Metho-
dist Church. at = O'Clock this afternoon, with an
immense attendance filling the church and
adjacent streets, many people coming from the
surrounding country. The interest manifested in
the case surpasses all precedent here Mrs. Walk
mp retains her easy, cool, self possessed bearing
and the attendance at the house yesterday might
be called a levee for her. She continues to
assert her entire innocence. She did not attend
che funeral at the church, as her presence might
have given rise to great excitement. The cor
oner's jury met again this forenoon, and took the
testimony of Jacobs. the physician who attended
Walkup. 1t developed nothing startling.
The analysis by DR. Gardner of the stomach and
other parts of Mr.. Walkup's body did not deter
mine the presence of arsenic or other poison,
and he has taken the parts to Kansas City for
more complete and exhaustive analysis. The
coroners jury. after hearing DR.. Jacobs's testi-
mony, adjourned to Tuesday morning. The
Doctor subsequently stated as his opinion that
arsenic would be found in the remains and that
probably mixture of strychnine and arsenic
was used
Reports from New Orleans as to the stand
ing of the Wallace family there are very con
flicting. Mrs Walkup, nee Minnie Wallace re-
mains at the residence in the care of the sheriff
ard has, so far. been treated with entire respect.
The mystery Of the case seems to deepen and
the interest to intensity hourly