Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-04-07
HER MANY STORIES.
The Woman Poisoner Tells Contradictory
Tales

I y
Tales.
CHICAGO. April Ga champion story
teller is in jail here in the person Of the
woman Mamie Starr, who cooked the
corn who poisoned to death Mr.. and
Mr.. Newland by whom she was en-
ployod. She says she bought the
Rough on Rats at the drug store. in
tending to kill herself, and afterwards
threw it away without once opening
the box. -Avhen Chief of Police Marsh
and his assistants locked the girl up
last night she had positively denied all
connection with the poisoning. She
denied that she was ever at the Anchor
age Mission. the institution from which
the Newland family secured hcras
servant.
A circumstance that greatly strength
ems the denialS occurred when she was
taken before DR.. Rogers. the druggist,
who sold the poison.
Or. Rogers looked her over carefully
in all possible lights and formed his
fOIii ANNAUll lllU~N NNAlUil AANlA lllAlll
he said "She is not the girl who bought
the Rough on Rats. l am just as sure
of that fact as am of the fact that
am alive"
The officers went away puzzled. Ear
ly this morning Chief Marsh and In
Spcctor Hunt entered upon a house to
house canvass To find if any one ir the
neighborhood had purchased rough on
rats at DIR. Rogers store. A man was
found who had seen the girl enter the
drug store. and he described Mamie
Starr accurately. Finally the Chiefand
his companion drove into the city, con-
yinced that Druggist Rogers was either
Intentionally or unintentionally mis-
taken.
The girl was brought mp from the
cell where she had been confined, and
taken into the presence of Chief Marsh.
Inspector Hunt. Capt Laughlin and
other detectives.
Mamie" commenced Chief, why
did you tell me you were not in that
drug Storc?"
surely. ! never said anything of the
kind. said the girl. and her eyes rolled
" llMINs vi NWllA ~ I was IiA AlAf va A-
store. / went there and bought the box
of poison. paid l5 cents for it. aud 10
cents for some gum. l had just a
quarter"
"Why YOU told us last night that you
had never been i'm Hyde Park in your
life: that YOU had never seen the New
lands: that You were never in the
Anchorage Mission. and "a dozen other
things"
"Impossiblc: you must have miSun-
derStood me- OF course ! was in Hyde
Park. I'll tell you just how 1t was. !
was very deSpondcut and did not want
to live any longer: you know ! have
often been dcspoudent and once tried
To- kin myself I'm Chicago two years
ago. So 1 went 10 the store for the
poison and thought ! would take
10 while the family was asleep
that night. hid the stuff
while / cooked supper. / cooked the
corn and ann sure there could have been
mo- poison i'm IT, but it was wrong some-
how for | took taste of it myself, and
was drcadfully sick afterwards. When
AN the family began 10 get sick, was
scared and thought the best thing |
could do would Dee to get out took
the poison and wrapped it mp in my
apron and then went away. was very
much excited at the time. hut rcmcm-
Der that. threw both apron and poi
son away. ] wrapped them mp tight and
threw the package over a fence. am
sure / don't know iuStwhcre it was. but
probably ! could find it If had half
chance"
This is altogether different story
from the one you told yesterday re-
marked Inspector Hunt
"Oh, no. responded the girl. and the
same crazy CLEAN was in her eyes. 'that
is just exactly what / said yesterday
BY the way. doyou know | can't find
my umbrella anywhere? l wonder
where 10 iS?'
10 was am open question with the
officers after the examination, whether
the woman's apparent insanity was
fcigncd or real.
IL never heard of "a ease similar to
this one" said Chief Marsh. Il never
saw prisoner so Sclf-poSscSSed and
cool under arrest for serious crime.