Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-29
EMPORIA'S SENSATION.
Trial Of Mrs. Walkup, Charged
With Poisoning Her Husband.
A Jury of Old Residents-Testimony In-
troduced by the State to Prove tie
Purchase of Poison-A Fight
of Legal Giants.

of Legal Giants.
EMPoRIA, KAN, October 2O-The trial
Of Mrs. Minnie Wallace Walkup, for the
alleged poisoning of her husband August
"a. was taken up In the District Court yes
| terday. Both the STATE and defense signi-
fed their readiness for trial and Judge
Graves ordered the defendant brought into
court. The following jurors were accepted
and sworn:
j. C. Cooley, farmer, 60 years old
| Charles j. johnson, Swede, farmer, 40
years old, naturalized; o. C.. CassIer, farm
er, As years old: j. X. Peterman, SO years
old; ii. G. Adams, farmer, SIS years old
II. I. Holmes farmer, Al years old; j. S.
Cook, farmer, IS years old; Michael Myers,
farmer, 43 years old; G. S. Clark, farmer,
IS years old; j. NJ. HEM, farmer, A years
old; A. w. Bugbee, farmer, SO years old
W. A. Boyaysnger, farmer, 4s years old.
Second Day.
EMPoRIA, KAN, October 21.-The Walk
up case was resumed at nine o'clock yes
terday morning with full court room.
County Attorney Feighan, on behalf of the
State, explained to the jury the theory of
poisoning alleged against the defendant
and what the State expected to prove.
The first witness examined was EbeneZer
Baldwin, of Lawrence. He testified TO
acquaintance with Mr.. Walkup; that the
latter was large, powerfully built man,
over six feet high, broad shoudered and of
cheerful disposition. He and Mr.. Walkup
went to the New Orleans Exposition last
December and lodged at Mrs. WalIace's
house and became acquainted with the
family, including the defendant
Miss Lizzie Walkup, daughter Of ]. r.
Walkup, testified that she went to Color
ado five days after her father returned home
18th of August, and next day could not
find her sisters mantle and her own plush
cloak and jersey wrap; that she accused
Mrs. Walkup Of sending them away in a
box; Mrs. Walkup had the box brought
from the express Office to the house and
asked Lizzie to see it opened. Lizzie did
not respond at once and when she did the
box was open and only sheet and cup and
saucer were in it. A few hours afterward
Mrs. Walkup told her the servant girl, Mary
Moss, had found the wraps in closet; they
We're then on her Gizzie's9 bed. She ac-
cused Mrs. WaIkup of sending her mother
silk dress; Mrs. WaIkup denied this; Liz
Zie's sister, Mrs. Hood, had told her Mrs.
Walkup had sent the wraps away in box;
did not know who told her about the silk
dress: had been on very pleasant terms up
to that time with Mrs. Walkup; some hours
afterward Mrs. Walkup said Mary Moss
had found the wraps in closet;
they were then on Lizzie's bed; am
interested in the case; Harry Hood and my
self have employed Mr.. Lambert and Mr..
Story on the prosecution.
L. w. Carter testified that Mrs. Walkup
told him that previous to marriage she
thought Waikup we'll off, but after his
death she discovered all his property was
mortgaged. George w. Newman testi-
fed as to goods sold defendant
on her husbands account DR.. Mort
testified to examining powder de-
clerk testified to examining the same
powder at the request Of the defendant. 1t
was quinine. W. X. Irwin, druggist, tes-
titled that Mrs. Walkup called for fifteen
cents worth of strychnine at his store
August II or IL, stating that she
wanted it for preparation she
was making AS she would not tell for
what she intended to use it he would not
sell it to her. Joe Murphy testified to over
hearing part of the above conversation and
heard Mrs. Walkup tell Irwin she had pur-
chased strychnine in Cincinnati but had been
given quinns by mistake. Charles Ryder,
druggist, testified that she applied at his
store August IA for ten cents worth OF
strychnine but having none open
he did not sell her any. Moses III. Bates
druggist, testified that he sold defendant
eight grains of strychnine August Is which
she asked for for a preparation. She
signed the record, but did not fill out
the record as to the purpose for which
it was wanted. His wife was a sister of
Walkup's second wife. The colored ser
want girl testified as to defendants sending
her for strychnine and of being i'll
structed to say, if asked about
it, that she went after butter.
Dr. Jacobs testified as to Walkup'S illness
and death, but nothing important was elic-
tied. Court adjourned.
Third Day.
EMpoRIA, KAN, October 22.-The Walk
up trial was resumed at nine O'clock yes
Mrs. Nickery, neighbor, testified that
Just prior to and after Walkup's death, she
had conversations with Mrs Walkup, in
which she claimed to be innocent; that she
did not know how people could believe the
reports about her: that child twelve years
old would have had more sense than to
have bought poison as openly as she did if
it was to be used to poison anybody.
A STRANGE DREAM
Mrs Julia Sommers, living next door to
Walkup's house, testified to having begun
a conversation about dreams with Mrs.
Walkup the Sunday evening before MIR.
Walkup's death, when Mrs. WaIkup re-
lated dream she had of Lizzie Wakup,
dressed III Grape and singing Crock of Ages
while playing the piano. Mrs. Waikup
went down town the Thursday before
Walkup died and got the oysters and pop |
he insisted on having.
K. 3. Kelly, druggist, testified to selling |
20 cents WORTH $40 grains. of commercial |
arsenic to Mrs. Walkup Sunday afternoon, |
August Is. She said she wanted it as |
and signed the record book.
Mr.. Bates, druggist produced his poison |
record book. He said he had frequently |
filed out the blanks to show the object of |
use. He did not fill out that of Mrs. Walk
ups purchase because she had said she /
would and had not told him the purpose.
The book showed dozen such untitled |
blanks.
Ben Wheldon, druggist, testified to selling !
Mrs. Walkup four ounces or 1000 grains of |
arsenic on Thursday August 20.
Two grains would kill. She said she wanted
It as cosmetic. He filled the blank as he |
had frequently filled them.
Mr.. Bill detailed the conversations of |
and Friday preceding Mr.. Walk
ups death, in which Mrs. Walkup accused
nim of having been very cruel in telling Mr..
Waikup she had poisoned him. She as |
serted her innocence; said she had no OBJ
ect; he was the best friend she had on
earth She admitted the purchase of
;trychnne and arsenic, as related by the
druggist, and said she wanted the strych-
line to take the stains out of clothing and
he arsenic as cosmetic.
L. Severy corroborated the same CONVEX
sation and related how Mrs. Walkup spilled
,np,rantlv nv accident box containing