Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-10-06
MURDEROUS PLOT.
A Conspiracy to Poison Three Clergymen
and Their Families.

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ST. JOHN On. 3 }, October 5th.-This CITY
was thrown into a state of horror yester-
day over wholesale attempt to poison the
families of three Protestant clergymen.
On Wednesday the wife of Rev. Donald
MacRae died suddenly after having been
seized with spasms, and the announcement
late last night that an inquest would be
held on the remains was received with sur
prise. 1t has become known that she was
the victim of poison sent through the mails
in box of confectionery. On Wednesday
morning a box was delivered by the post
man at Rev. DR.. MacRae's residence, and a
servant received it and handed it to Mrs
MacRae. 1t is believed that she ate of the
confectionery and died in consequence, the
attending physician, DR.. Christie, being of
the opinion that her symptoms were those
of poisoning by strychnine. The box was
handed to w. f. Best, public analyst, and
an analysis resulted in finding enough
strychnine in each piece to kill any person
partaking of it.
Further inquiries disclosed that three
Protestant clergyman-Rev. DIR. MacRae
Rev. J. Deseyres and Rev. T. ]. Deinstadt
had each similar packages sent to their
address, the unmistakable object being the
wholesale poisoning of themselves and
their families. The box in each case ap-
pears to have been a small white one, three
or four inches square, and having no other
marks than the address and cents in
postage stamps.
When Mr.. Deseyres received his package
he hesitated ABOUT opening it, but later
partook of some of the mixture it con-
tanned. He detected a bitter taste quite
foreign to any sweetmeats and at once re-
moved it from his mouth, being careful
not to swallow any of the substance. The
taste of confectionery was strange one, but
the gentleman had an idea that it came
from bitter aloes, which he imagines might
have been put in the candy to make him
i'll. He thought the whole matter might
be an attempt of practical joker.
After a while Mr.. Deseyres concluded to
take the candy to DR.. Harding, who in
formed him that the taste was that of
strychnine. 1t now began to be evident
that there was terrible side to the practi-
cal joke, and this became clearer as the case
proceeded. The candy was taken to w. F.
Best for analysis, and Mr.. Deseyres was in
formed that the apparently innocent box
of candy he had received by mail contained
strychnine in deadly quantities.
In the case of Mr.. Deinstadt the package
was delivered by the postman TO a little
girl, who handed it to the clergyman's
wife. She thought it was a wedding cake,
but on opening it found it contained candy,
and only an intuitive feeling kept her from
giving some of the mixture to the child.
Mr.. Deinstadt thought it might possibly
contain q mild dose of some sickening
mixture intended for himself, and thought
some of his sermons might have caused
some one to attempt to play trick on
him. He took the box to Mr. Bests office,
where he learned the facts concerning Mrs.
MacRae's death. Then the receipt of the
box addressed to himself suddenly assumed
terrible significance.
LATER-The excitement over the poison
sensation increases. The confectionery
trade of the city has been at ridiculous
standstill for two days. Every effort to
trace the offender is being made by both
the City and Provincial Government. To-
day they announced a reward Of 81 900
anieca for their datpcfinn