Wichita eagle., 1888-12-21
ACTRESS DIGGLES TRIAL
Important Testimony in the Notorious
Iowa Poisoning Case.

CLARION, Ia, Dec. 20-The most i'm
portant witness for the state in the Digglt
poisoning case today was Mrs. Caroline
Overacker. an old lady who has for years
| kept boarding house here Mrs Over.
acker says that Ford came to her house on
Monday with Mrs. Diggle and introduced
her as Mrs. Leland. Every day he came to
see her, and on several occasions he en-
tered her bed room, remaining there a
! long time The odd lady didn't like
| the looks Of things and kept a close
watch on the pair. One day she saw
Ford and Mrs. Diggle lying on the bed
together. Diggle came There from Sioux
Fails on Wednesday, May a, and next day
he was urging her to come home and take
care of her children, which she refused to
do. The couple walked out together and
returned about $50. Mrs. Diggle sud-
denly remembered that she must go down
town and did so. returning in a few min
utes. Immediately after supper Diggle
was obliged to lie down on the bed. bis
wife followed him into the room, as did
Mrs. Overacker, who became alarmed at
Diggle's appearance She asked that a
doctor be called, which she sas Mrs. Dig
gle refused to have done, saying her has
band was used to the spells. In few
moments Mrs. Overacker again
asked to have doctor called,
and Mrs Diggle agreed. During, this time
Ford came into the room, looked NOM
ent at Diggle, who was fast dying, and
then walked away and did not return.
The next witness called was S. Il. Ham
ilton, druggist His testimony was: Il
first saw Mrs. Diggle on May q, at $50 p.
M, at my store; she said she wished to pur-
chase SOC. worth of one-eighth grain NOR
phine powders. / told her | had no pow
ders and suggested morphine pills. She
insisted on the powders and | went to the
prescription case to put them up. She then
ordered SOC. worth in bulk. | asked her if
she was in the habit of using morphine.
and she said perhaps once in TWO months.
While two grains were laying on the
scales she asked if two grains would Kill
person. l replied that it depended
whether the person was in the habit of
using morphine. | then gave her twenty
i've grains in a small white envelope
marked by myself sulphate of morphine,
twenty-five grains. L have not at any time
within the last two years, as my personal
record shows, sold similar quantity of
in an envelope similarly marked
to any person but Mrs. Diggie. The time
| am sure was about 5:15 D. m"
Dr. Muinix said that the symptoms in
Mr. Diggle's case at the time of his death
indicated that he had died of morphine
poisoning.
DR.. Marietta said that on the afternoon
of Diggle's death Mr.. Diggle met him as
he was coming to her husband and asked
him to come with her as her husband had
heart trouble. ] entered the room and
began trying to find the cause of the at
tack. Mrs. Diggle called him out of the
room and told him her husband had swal-
lowed her morphine. just before this
Mrs. Diggle went to her wrap hanging on
the wall, placed her hand into the inside
pocket, withdrew it and left the room.
Soon | sent for her TO come quickly
if she wanted to see him before he died |
She did not come until after he had !
died. When she came | told her he was |
dead. She said nothing, but entering the |
room pronounced his name three times, |
George, George, George; my God, he's !
dead" u. and fell on his breast. She appeared |
to faint, but TO ascertain if she really |
tainted or feigned, felt her pulse, and lit |
had not receded any from the normal |
force. Witness thought if fifteen or
a glass of beer, it would dissolve, and, as it |
IS lighter than beer, would rise to the |
Top and float in the foam; this |
would not be readily observable, |
5he bitter taste of beer and NOR
ohine being much the same. William
J. Mcclure was present at the death of
Diggle, and while he was at work on the
oiCh liltin lOohCu IONctiNl VIC " IIioN anu
saw Mrs. Diggle going toword the water
;loset, il which was found the empty en-
1elope, which was this morning identified
~ the druggist as the one having been
sold to Mrs. Diggle on the morning of the
poisoning.
S. B. Harwood and Mr. Estes, who were
present at the death, testified that, ludg-
ng by appearances, the fainting fit of
Mrs. Diggle was feigned and Mr.. Har-
wood further testified that he saw Mrs.
)iggle coming from the water closet
where, it is charged, she hid the morphine
yraDDer