Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-03-27
WAS HE POISONED ?
A BURNING QUESTION on THE EAsr-
ERIN sEoRE.
The Trial Of Celebrated cass-hrs'
Taylor at tie Bar-Interesiing
Testimony.
fspec,al telegram 10 tho Dispatch.l

March 96.-Another large crowd filed The
courtroom this morning 10 witness the
second days proceedings IN the trial OF Mrs.
Virginia Taylor on TIE charge OF killing ner
husband.
DR.. John W. Bo1doIn, resuming bis tes-
timopy, described Taylor's condition during
bis illness. He visited him i've times; never
saw BIN IN severe commission; found him
comfortable Thursdav night and Friday
morning, but complaining Of soreness and
sick-stonnch. His pulse was full and bowels
costive. The wltuess gave bin pnrgattye
medicine and a compound OF opium. On
saturday morning the patient appeared
much better. Witness was summoned late
Saturday night, but found Taylor dead. Did
not 20 In TO see him.
cRoss.ExA MIEED.
DR.. Bowdoin being cross-examined
said be did not at The time know the
canse 81 Taylor's death. lie knew The
symptoms reSembled strychDne-p poisoning.
but thought such thing impossible In the
case. He had been frequently at Taylor's
house, but never knew OF any trouble be-
tween Taylor and his wife. He saw Mrs.
/ TaylOr ut Modes.town December 18th, the
| day her husband was taken sick. she told
| him TAYLOR was feeling badly, but she did not
insist on his going to see him. During his
/ (wItBess's) visits Mrs. Taylor was not often 10
| the house. They were killing hogs at Tay-
! lor's and she was busy with hsg work. he
never told Mrs. TAYLOR 10 give her husband
sugar I'm his medicine. The medicine be
| gave needed no sugar. TAYLOR died Saturday
night aud was buried on Monday.
THE POsT-MoRTEN.
Dr. Bowdoiu held pOst-mortcm on the
! following Friday. He found the bloed dark
and liquid throughout the body, the heart,
! liver. and other organs apparently healthy,
| but some slight bruises on the inner lining
OF the stomach. The lungs were full OF
blood. Taylor had complained OF pains IN
bis breast during his illness, The Doctor
des ribbed to the jury the symptoms OF
poisoning and the difference
between these symptoms and those OF
| common tetanus. He said the symptoms In
! TaylOr's case we're similar TO those OF dumb
| brutes be had seen die from strychniue. Dr.
Bowdoin stated that several DAYS before Iay-
| lor's BODY was exhumed Mrs. Taylor came
10 see him and said she would not allow his
body to be taken up. He told ner the law
would not regard her wishes in the matter.
ACQUISITION.
Mrs. Taylor then asked bin whether II he
should hold the autopsy no could decide
positively whether Tsy Tor had been poisoned.
| He told her he could not. Mrs. Taylor then
said: $50 ahead and take him up" Dr.
Bowdoin had frequently stopped at Taylor's
house while hunting on the neIghborinR sea-
side marshes and had never seen anything
wrong between Taylor and his wife.
HAD THE JERKS.
John w. Bundck. a neighbor Of Taylor,
testified he went to Taylor's on the morning
/ Of December l4th 10 help him kill hogs. He
found Tsylor in bed. Taylor told him he
| H.. loR otfo ~ ha artr
wife had given him a dose Of household
panacea Just before he went to bed
the night before. Taylor said he had
never been in such coalition before
| lie bad NO use OF his LEGS and was
constantly Jerking and twtching. Taylor
| described his attack TO witGess. He sad he
was walked by jerking motion. After
having several attacks in bed he sat before
the fire. While sitting there another spasm
came upon him and he fell 10 the floor still
snd unable TO rise. During the forenoon.
while witness aud Edward johnson were
killing the hogs, Mrs. Taylor called them,
aud on going INTO the house they found
Taylor LIVING on the floor with 8 spasm on
him. His flesh and limbs were stiff, lips and
nose purple, eyes starting, teeth clenched.
and froth issuing from bis mouth. AS soon
as the spssm wore of Taylor said ne felt "a
II pins were sticking in him all over his
body and asked to be rubbed.
MORE sPAsNs.
In few minutes be had another spasm
similar 20 the first, and shortly afterwards he
bad a third attack. His head and heels
would almost touch, and during these at
tacks Mrs. Taylor did not come into the
room where her husband was but she came
10 the door and asked il he was dead. Jim
DIX atlas Townsend, the young man en-
! ployed bY TAYLOR TO work on his farm, was
not ut home when the men went there that
morning, but came in about Q
O'Clock, He did not 20 where Tay-
or was nor render any assistance during
his attacks Taylor perspired freely after
these attacks and SAID he was perfectly con-
scious all the while, but could not speak.
TAYLOR asked for water after the spasms
were Off and complli1ed OF sick-stomach
and a bitter taste in his mouth and vomited
freely, after which he got better and went
10 sleep. Witness SAW Taylor the two fol-
lowing DAYS and found han better. Late
Saturday night he was sent for 10 help
shroud Taylor; found Mrs. Taylor getting
out his clothes. she remarked; swell,
Bill is gone" but she did not appear to be
grieyed. She told witness she wanted the
body buried carly Monday morning.
CONFIRMED.
Edward Johnson, close neighbor Of Tay-
lor's, who went there the morning after Tsy-
lor had his first attack, confirmed the testi-
mouy Of the preceding witness. He heard
Mrs TAYLOR tell Buudick shortly after the
severe attack Thursday that she was going TO
try TO get her husband to take the rest OF that
medicine. Witness stayed with Taylor that
night Mrs. Taylor. went up stairs about s
O'Clock and did not Come down till the next
morning. Witness saw TAYLOR several
times during his Illness thought he was
nearly well Saturday night and went home.
VIVID ACCOUNT.
Here the witness gave vivid account OF
how Mrs. Taylor came 10 his house about II
O'Clock Saturday night and aroused him,
telling him that her husband was sick again
how he went hurrIsdly with her across the
fields and arrived just IN time 10 see Taylor
expire.
W. d. Parks testified that he went to
Taylor's house Saturday evening aud found
several persons. Taylor seemed 10 be 80
much better that all the neighbOrs except
witness went home. About 10 O'Clock Mrs.
raylor asked her husband II be bad not bet
ter take some medicine. Taylor said no.
when Mrs. Taylor went upstairs TO bed and
witness got In bed with Taylor. In short
while Taylor called TO bis wife 10 come
down, and she gave him some medicine.
SUGAR.
Mrs. Taylor came down m her night
clothes. went into the kitchen. and came
back with glass Notwithstanding white.
which she said was sugar. she gave II 10
Taylor and then went back upstairs. Tay-
Tor complained OF the bitter taste OF the
medicine, and in few minutes had another
attack, which bent him nearly double and
caused him to jerk so violently that he
fwItnessl thought the bed would fall.
On being called Mrs. Taylor came
down and went out to arouse the neigh6ors,
but james Dix, who was sleeping upstairs,
came down very reluctantly aud for some
time refused TO help witness hold Taylor on
the bed. saving be had q chill and didn't like
10 see Taylor in that CONDITION. When wit
ness proposed to sent for DR.. Bowdon, Mrs.
TayIor said the Doctor could do him no
good. Taylor had three commissions ADD
died shout one hour and hall after the brst
attack. Witness asked Mrs. Taylor what
r,edtcine she had given her husband and she