Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-11-18
A MURDEROUS PLOT.
AN ATTEMPT TO POISON PACKER ARNOUR'S
FAMILY.
4 Small Boy Leaves Package Of Buskwhsat at the
Houss-Ths Package Pound to Contain Enough
SHychniDs to Kill Dozen Pani-
heS-Conirmed

CHICAGO, November IA local paper
prints an account of an attempt by un-
known parties TO poison the family Of P.
D. Armour. 1t appears that on Monday
morning small boy brought to the
kitchen of Mr.. Armour's residence on
Prairie avenue, a paper sack, marked on
one side, Best Quality Buckwheat," and
in the other, Sample Package" The
cook supposed from the marks on the
package that it had come from the grocers
who supply the family regularly, and so
put it on shelf The butter happened
to come in, and, knowing that Mr.. Ar
mour has issued orders not to receive
any sample packages, ran after the boy
and caught him on the street. The boy
said the package had been given him by
two men at the corner of Wabash avenue
and Twenty-first street, who paid him
twenty-five cents for delivering it at Ar
mOur's house. As the boy knew nothing
else, the butler let him 90 and gave orders
that the package should not be touched
until Mr.. Armour had been consulted.
Later in the day gentleman called at Mr..
ArmOur's Office and said he had overheard
A STRANGE CONVERSATION
between two men on the corner of Wabash
avenue and Twenty-frst street that morn
ing, as he was waiting for car. One Of
. h. -hA hnI hA, l. ,1t q id
around his neck, handed boy package,
and told him to deliver it to no one but the
cook.
Where are you sending that tor ask
ed the mans companion.
''To Armour's," " was the reply.
What's in it?''
Poison" replied the man with the sore
neck.
"Why, you'll kill the whole family"
exclaimed the other man.
That's what want to do" replied
the scOundrel. There are too many Ar
mOurs in this country If that stuff takes
hold it will give us what we want. Ar
mour is at the head of this thing, and he
must be gotten out of the way"
Mr.. Armour placed the matter in the
hands of the PinkertOn agency, and went
home to examing the package. 1t was
found to contain buckwheat, but some
thing had been mixed with il. The pack
age was taken to a chemist, who analyzed
it and submitted his report, which was in
effect that the buckwheat contained a
large quantity of strychniue-enough, in
fact TO kill a dozen families. The stuff is
h.. l., nE hn OH nh
boy who delivered the package at Mr..
ArmOur's house has given the detectives
who have been employed by Messrs. Ar
mour Tebbetts and Garland, a minute
description Ofthe men Efforts have been
made to keep the affair quiet, but it finally
leaked out.
ARMOUR CONFIRMS THE REPORT.
A statement that an attempt was made
n few DAYS ago to poison Mr.. Phil Ar
mOur and his family by two men who are
alleged sympathizcTs with the stock yards
strikers was confirmed by tha: gentleman
this morning NJ. Armour was busily
engaged at his desk when reporter called
upon him. No traces of mental anxiety
could be detected upon his features as he
scanned the many documents and letters
that lay before him, hut his face ClOuded
instantly when asked whether the state
ments concerning the alleged attempted
crime was true.
IL don't care to talk about it, " said Mr..
Armour, at least not just at present. !
don't know for the life of me, how the
thing got out You may say, however.
that the story is quite true" he conclud-
ed, as he once more resumed the persual
oT his nnners