The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-11-21
FOR P0IsoNING HIS WIFE.
An Eloquent Young Divine Convicted
He Loved a Dashing Widow.

An Eloquent Young Divine Convicted
He Loved Dashing Widow.
CRAwFoRDsviLLE, Ind. Nov. 20.-The
jury in the case of Rev. w. F. Petit,
charged with the murder OF his wife, this
morning rendered q verdict OF guilty and
fixed his punishment at imprison ment for
life.
THE crime for which Rev. Petit stands con-
vcted was the murder of MS wife 1T their homo
IN Shawnee Mound, Ind. she was sick only
three days and died in convulssonG The body
was hastily eEsbaimed and taken 70 her old
home at West Monroe. n. T., Tor burial. Her
age was "a years Her husband was four years
her junior and was an eloquent young divine,
with bright future before him. He had been
in charge Of the Methodist Episcopal church at
Shawnee Mound for two years. Mr.. Pet 1t stood
high in Masonic circles and was grand preiate
OF the Knights Temp ar of Indiana When his
wife was taken sick she said she believed abe
had been poisoned with strychnine, which had
been scattered about tha house for the purpose
OF killing rata. However, she improved. and the
attending physician pronounced her out of
danger. But two days iarer she was again
taken down and diedtn COMMISSIONS, the symp-
toms pointing strongly to poisoning by strych-
nine, that had evidently been administered In
successive doses. The suspicious OF the neigh
bofs were aroused and it was whispered about
that Rev. Mir. Petit had poisoned his wife.
What gave color TO the suspicion was that there
was wealthy and dashing young widow,
member of the church, with whornthe preacher
had been very intimate before his wife's death.
It 10 prrtty we'll established that Mr. Petit and
the Widow Whitehead were engaged to be mar
ried before Mrs. Petit died. In fact, the state
did offer TO prove this fact in court, aud also
that they were criminally intimate both before
and after her death, but it was not allowed.
Upon Petiits return he attended camp-meet
ing at Battle Ground. ana one morning, going
into cottage bedroom where Mrx Whitehead
and her sister and brother-in-law were quartered,
pulled her about in the bed before she got up
He chided her for hugging her pillow and even
told her that she should get something better
to hug. His wife at that time had not been
dead two weeks A day or two later he asked
several persons how long it would be necessary
for him to wait before he could with propriety
marry again. At Shawnee Mound . church
meeting was called to consider the parsons
actions He aekno wledged his indiscretions.
but said that no wrong had been done, and that
he would do better in the future. He was re-
tanned until the meeting Of the conference,
when he was permitted to withdraw from the
ministry under charges. He refused to stand
trial. although he was told that the withdrawal
under charges meant tnat he murdered his wife
Be was advised by friends to leave the country.
but he only went as far rs Columbus, O., where
he was arrested in September on the charge Of
murder, after the matter had been investigated
by two grand juries Mrs. Whitehead was also
arrested 80 an accessory, but was afterward re-
leased, as the state wanted to try him first She
Is now in California. The trial consumed six
weeks. When the verdict was announced Petit
broke down and cried like q child. motion
for new trial viii be made.