The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-09-26
A REMARKABLE TRIAL. :
A MiSTRiAL IN THE FAMOUS CHES-
reRFlELD POISONING CASE.

| Mary johnson and Her Friend David y.
Jacobs on Trial for Administering
strychuInc To Her Husband The Details
of the Case.
CIIESTERFIELD, Sept. IA most re-
markable poisoning case has just been
brought to trial in this county. 1t WAS
the case of the State against Mary a.
johnson and David J. Jacobs, who arc
charged with wilfully, fcloniously and
| maliciously administering poison to
| Mary, on the 22d of August. The case
consumed two whole days and was full
of the most revolving developments.
and, contrary to general expectation,
resulted in Il mistrial, the jury standing
two for acquittal and ten for convic-
tion. Jacobs's wife and daughter and
the sons of the dead man were the
principal witnesses. Jacobs is any
thing but Il handsome man. is tall, thin
and apparently about fifty years Old
Mary Johnson has seen some thirty
summers, and is not prepossessing by IL
large majority. 1t was shown during
the trial that Il criminal intimacy cX-
listed between the pair. notwthstand-
ing they went from house to house
holding prayer meetings.
Johnson and Jacobs were ncighbors,
Jealous ffil M Of of her her hutssband amIt Mary John
son, and j ohnSon was jealous OF his
wife and jacobs. Jacobs visited Che
Johnsons daily. and frequently carried
Johnson'S wife TO and from Sunday
School in his buggy, allowing his own
wife and children to walk. Johnson
was heard to remark that II jacobs dlti
not stop visiting his house there would
be trouble, and it is said that jacobs
cursed and abused the deccnSed
On the 22u of August Jacobs carried
a box OF snuff to Mary and "had some
secret talk" Johnson, who was q man
about 60 years of age, ate hearty sup
per that night and retired about )
I o'clock in his usual good health, with
the exception of Il bad cold. Ills wife
testified that she reminded him that he
had not taken some quinine which he
= had promised her that morning to take.
and that she then brought the phi, or
capsule; and he swallowed 1t. Shortly
: after retiring the household We're
t aroused by Johnson, vino had become
II suddenly and violently Ill. Inc alarm
n was given and one of his sons WAS dis
r patched for Jacobs. WHO was met COM
questions in the @od. hGd .s4W bat bhsS EasT was tG
II matter ~ Wv
JohnSon complained Of the bitter
quln'he and said that his tiiroAt w:..
Pa!chcu. lie called for water All the
: .ihie and asked for something to make
/ MN Vomit, but nothing was gwen. Ills
little son wanted 10 go for q Gorsur hut
was Ioic Dy those attending his father
|, IliC doctor could 10 no good" and
none was sent for. i'ha sick man rrry
. worse and conVuiSion after couyui;jnn
1 Followed; lis limbs were drawn. thn
: paIoNtShS became longer and more VIC,
' iCiiv' N!S tceth cicnchcd ina s&rtlOnic
grin, and ut u. IN. the end came.
Jacobs was the first person to arrjl,
on the scene, and he and Mary tool,
Chelr places at the bedside of the sick
man and watched, whispered and gave
Ineir patient water. At first Mary thr
Wile, seemed TO be much distressed, but
soon became calm. After .Johnson's
, ueath, jacobs took charge Of the BODY
ana made all the arrangements for tho
funeral, etc.
Some of the neighbors were not sat-
lsiled ut the SuddcnneSs of Johnson's
death. and demanded that an in0urst
iRhE9Haa RE2a aahd hdf aJta1ctobss daughter testified
4, |
der in her fathers trunk, who, when
called upon the second time, admitted
/ that he had kept Strychnine for twenty
/ years to kill crows. DR.. Rutledge cX-
amincd the body and declared that
, death had been caused by Strychnine
} poison.
Before and after the inquest Jacobs
! and Mary met and held several secret
talks" Mary-Mrs. johnson was heard
; to say that it must have been the pill
l that killed her husband and that if She
was sent to the penitentiary she would
burn everything before her husbands
y folks should have them.
Jacobs and Mary were arrested, and
q while being conveyed to Jail asked that
they be allowed to ride in the same
= buggy, but the request was refused.
jacobs takes the matter very lightly
and is inclined TO joke over the affair.
c He believes in charms and exhibits
{ black cats foot. the picture OF 4 woman
, and wreath OF black hair. When ask
ed 10y the Solicitor who gave him the
wreath and picture, he said he could
4 not remember the name 1t was oh.
served that Mary'S hair had been shin
, gled, and was OF the same color as that
shown by Jacobs.
The defendants denied all improper
. relations and said that no poison had
2 been given, and that nothing but qui-
nine had been administered and that
$ with no criminal intent.
Some of the powder found in jacobs
s trunk by his wife and daughter was
f tested and proved to be strychnine and
the quinine capsules found at John
sons were also tested and found to he
r all right.
The theory of the State was that
Jacobs furnished the Strychnine and
that Johnson's wife, Mary, put some of
1t in one of the quinine capsules and
Z" administered it us medicine.
f The jury was out about two hours,
5 but failing to agree, the Judge ordered
e a mistrial and the prisoners we're COM
4 mitted TO Jail.
I Tragedy After the Play.
@ NEW YORK, September 15.-An cleo