The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-07-24
FOR HIS LKFE.
w. u. WiggIns oh Trial for the Murder
of His yVi:c--Verdlct Not Guilty.

W. bs WlSSins On frtaI for the Hurdcr
of his yyisc--Verdict Not Guilty.
The case Of tho State against W. ID.
Wiggins for poisoning his wife came on
Tuesday afternoon in the Court Of Gen
eral Sessions.
J.V. Griffin and w. B. Allgood were
objected to as jurors by the defense.
The following jurors were sworn:
G. B. Findlcy, Matthew Hendricks,
J. G. jennings, d. A. Coop er, w. II.
Ashmorc, j. M. Nealy, jeff. ID. Holder,
p. ID. Cureton, James II. Harris, w. +.
Pace and G. II. Martin. Mr.. p. d.
Curoton was made foreman.
w. S. Kirksey sworn: Mrs. Virgins
was sick aud died last fall. Was thcro
when she was first sick and just about
the time she died. Defendant was there.
Deceased very sick-awful sick. Com
planned Of hor stomach burning her;
vomitcd watCry stuff, slime, &c. L told
my wife to give her eggs and sugar. De
ceased said Wiggins was killing her with
blue stone That she did not mind dy-
| ing, but she hated to die of poison, rs it
made one hay fits. Deceased had not
been dead long when Wiggins took omo
medicine that looked like blue stonc and
threw III the fire. IIo also took some
from his pocket and threw it i'll tho fro.
Deceased would get better when we
would 8ivo hor tho sugar and whisky.
After her death and burial, her body
was taken up and dissectcd. She was
buried on n Thursday nnd taken up the
next Tuesday.
Cross examined: She told mo twice
that sho was being poisoned. She was
talking to me and Wiggins when Sllo said
defendant was giving her coffee with
blue stono i'll it. She may have told me
about his giving her blue stono Il dozen
times; don't know. Deceased WAS in
her right mind when sho said the coffee
looked like it had dirt da,lbcrS' nests
made Of blue mud in it.
| John Il. CIardy sworn: Saw deceased
twice while sho was sick. She was very
sick. Said medicine he was giving her
was killing her. Wiggins gave her some
medicine from Il spoon. Shc called for
cold water, said she was burning up in
side. iohe clappcd her hands and said
she wished she could tell mo what was
the matter with her. She did not want
to take the medicine. Said it was kill
ing her. Shc kept wanting to get up,
and Wiggins and [ went to the lot. A
child called to us that mother was dying.
When We got back she asked what we
had boon doing. / told her We had been
sitting on some logs. She asked had we
been rolling logr The next timo / WAS
there defendant gave her some more
medicine. She did not want to take ii;
that 1t had somc more of that old blue
stone in it. She still complained CT
burning inside. Her words, thlMk,
were: 80, Billie, L don't want to take
lhat, Its burning mo up inside"
Cross -cNnrninrd: ! am pretty certain
deceased used the words ''bluc stone"
Sho also used the words sold stuff" |
could not help but thiLk THAT WAS some
thing wrong, and I Thought so more
strongly after talking with liirkscy.
Mrs. Ii. y. Bowen: Was to sec dc-
ccaSod.twlco. Last time | went she died
while was there. She complained Of
nausea. llo husband, tic defendant,
gave her medicine. Said ii was quininc.
She objected to taking tho medicine, like
any sick person would. lie gave her
somo whisky.
Cross -examincd: Defendant brought
toddy to mo to ask if it was too strong.
Deceased said nothing to mo about be-
ing poisoned, and / SAW no poison.
j. l.. McCollum sworn: Was ut de-
tendant's house three or four days be
lore his wife died. Saw where sho had
vomitcd. 1t was of yellow green look
lng stuff. Saw Wiggns while his wife
Was lying Il corpse. llo said if things
worked like he thought they would, he
was gong to new country. He took
two powders from his pocket and threw
them i'll the fire, and did the same thing
with some powders hc got from the ma
chine or sidopoard. The powder he
| opened about ten feet from me and look
ed little CLASSY and grccnish.
Cross examined: 1t was the last time
was there when defendant spoke of
going to new country.
DR.. j. +. Williams sworn: Saw Mrs.
Wlggins first on the 18th Of October.
1889. Her husband came for me. From
what deceased said, she had been much
exposed. Her tongue was coated and
sho had some fever; was constipatcd. |
prescribed an anti bilious treatment and !
slippery elm water for the thirst of |
which sho complained. She was better
next day and L gave her quininc. QIcrc
the stove pipo fell and caused stam-
pcdo to the west side OF the court room. } ,
The next timo ] saw her she had much
the Same symptoms as bcfole, with tho
addition of gastritis. She had been
better and ate II mess Of turnip green's. !
h'PI i'I very much Oh the same treat |
ment. She complained Of her stomach |
and throat. Gave quinnc for fever and |
as Il tonic. She died in three days after |
l last SAW her. Sho died the 2tth of |
October. Her system was generally run |
down. Shn vomitcd Frequently whilo I !
there. WiGgius WAS rs devoted to his I
"llc as ever L saw n man. DR.. Quillian i
and | made an autopsy of her stomach. |
We discovered sOmo congestion about |!
the mtestincs and tho lining. 1t was |
what might have been expected from so !
much Inflammation of the stomach and !
bowels.
Cross examination: Deceased was 3S !
years old, Of nervous temperament |
and III bad health. [ attribute throat |
trouble to former attack of diptheria. |
L think deceased died Of bilious fever !
with complication of gastrlts, brought |
on by eating tnlnip green's. L prcacrib-
cd for her throat weak solution of pot |
ash and carbolic acid, and told her to in
hale steam from vinegar.
Ro. direct: Some Of tho symptoms T |
describe would result from poison. |
There wcrc 3trcaks on her body, but not |