Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-11
ALL OVER THE STATE.
i DouBLE POISONING.

M rye CAnarss or n. c. reskins- Dele
aasss Chsssn.
nsspmderce ofthc Richmond pispatch.l
LOUISA c. H., March 10, 1888.
Louisa Christmas, who was arrested
y FEBRUARY last by William Saunders,
{ Justice Of the peace, and lodged IN
nil ct this place charged with having
psisoncd with strychuinc two chill
lrsn--thc eldest four years old, and
! De other an infant Of eighteen months
daughters Of Robert G. Perkins, Esq,
who lives twelve miles from the Court
house, was to-day indicted by the
grand jury for murder, and will be
tried At the next term Of the court.
Louisa is . mulstto girl, aged fifteen
years, Of good face, and had been in the
employ Of Mr.. Perkins as nurse Tor MS
two children for several months pre-
yieus TO the double murder. The chill
drcn were very fond of her, and 1t was
Thought she was much attached to them.
In The family is an invalid sister Of Mrs.
Perkins Miss Mary Gordon, who has
been under medical treatment for some
tame. In January last DIR. Crenshaw,
Of Richmond. prescribed strychnine for
Miss Gordon. TO be taken in pills. The
prescription was put up by Polk Miller
1 Co.. druggists, Of Richmond, and
mailed to Miss Gordon on the 9Th OF
January, the box containing one hun
bred pills, and each Of the pills had one
twentieth Of grain Of strychnine in it.
Miss Gordon was TO take two Of them
day.
Abou, the time the pills reached their
proper destination Louisa was repri-
psnded by Mrs. Perkins for having
frightened Miss Gordon. Louisa spoke
10 her mother about the reprimand, and
expressed desire that she would be al
lowed to quit the service Of Mr.. Perkins
and remain at home. Her mother would
rot allow her to do so. On the evening
Of January 10Th Louisa took the eldest
girl -four years old) to the nursery TO
put it to bed. and remained in the room
with il alone about one hour. During
this time the child was taken suddenly
sick. Louisa became frightened and
called in the child's parents who found
Il in commissions. A physician living
near by was sent for, and on his arrival
found the child dead. No examination
was made, and no foul play was sus-
pected until after the death of the
second child. which occurred on the
roth ultimo.
On the 9th Of January Louisa walked
out TO a pcrsimmon-tree with little Sa-
die. an infant eighteen months old, re-
NAMED ont about three quarters OF an
hour. and returned TO the house; and IN
a few minutes after reaching the house
that child was also taken sick, the symp-
tens being similar TO those developed
in the case of the elder sister, but OF
much milder form. The child soon re-
covered.
On the 2Sth the child remained in
the house. but on the goth Louisa again
took it TO the persimmon-tree, where
she remained a short time. When she
returned to the house with her charge
the child was again taken sick. Louisa
was asked by members Of the family
what she had given the child, and stated
that she had given it persimmon, bat
that she had taken the seed out OF 1t.
The family became frightened and sent
for DR.. K. &. i. Broome, who reached
the house in a short time. lie found
thechild in commissions. and did every
thing that medical skill could suggest,
but failed to relieve it. 1t lived but
short time after his arrival.
After the death of the child DIR.
Broome made careful examination OF
the body and pronounced the cause OF
death, in his opinion. to be strychnlne.
This aroused the suspicious of the fam
ily. The box containing the strych-
nine pills was examined and thirty of
them were found to be missing. Lou
isa's behavior further aroused their
suspicious.
William T. Saunders, justice of the
peace, was notified, and arrested Louisa,
charging her with the crime, which she
denies.
The intes,ines of the children. to-
gether with the liver, have been sent to
DR.. W. II. Taylor, Of Richmond, for
examination. and it is stated by parties
here that strychnine has been found by
him.
Yesterday meeting was'held by the
farmers Of the county TO send delegates
to the Farmers Convention that is to
be held in Richmond on April 18th.
The following gentlemen were appointed
delegates J. J. Boxley. +. 7. West,
Jr., William T. Coleman, W. I. Mead,
Colonel William 4. Winston, William
Kean, J. o. Cosby, Charles Q. Mere
dith. ARAMlNTA.