The Wilmington daily Republican., 1891-06-04
A PRETTY PRISONER.
Mrs. Young Now the Occupant Of
q Cell.
CHARGED WITH HUSBAND MURDER.

Damaging Evidence Against the
Young Wife at the Preliminary
Hcaring-It Is Said the Defense
VIII Be Insanity--No Motive for
the Crime Yet Shown.
WEsT CHESTER, Pa, June 4. = The
reigning sensation here is the arrest Of
Mrs. Blanche Woodward Young, the
pretty widow of J. Norris Young,
charged with poisoning her husband.
The warrant of arrest was read to her
by Constable Turner, In her arms was
the baby boy Ross, who crowed in his
innocence as the officer read the awful
document, For the first time since tho
husbands death Blanche broke down
and sobbed convulsiyely, protesting her
Innocence, and frantically imploring the
officer not TO take her TO prison. :,
The arrest was made very quietly, and
Mrs. Young was allowed to walk alone
to the office Of the district attorney tho
officer following few steps in the rear.
The heart Of the attorney was moved by
the young woman's agony, and he de-
cided 10 leave her i'll the constable's care
until the hearing.
Is Her Mind UnScttlcI2
Tho friends of Mrs. Young have, it is
said, already given an inkling of the line
of defense which they will follow. They
have been limiting quietly that her mind
has been unsettled FOR some weeks.
DR. Ephraim Hopkins, of Marshallton,
who was first called in to attend to
Young, said at the time of his death he
thought it was caused by cholera NOR.
bus. He says now that he will testify
that 1t was undoubtedly poison. He is
reported as saying that shis friendship
for tho beautiful young widow led him
70 conceal his suspicious, but as SO much
has come to light since then he will tell
all he knows about the matter.
Damaging Evidence.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs Young was
given hearing before Justice Alfred
Rupert. The hearing was held in the
grand Jury room of the court house.
The commonwealth was represented by
the district attorney and William But
Ter, Jr., and the defendant by Col L. g,
Hooten and Thomas w. Price.
Dir, Formal, of Philadelphia, and DIR.
Jordan, of West Chester, testified that
arsenic was found in the stomach when
exhumed. Ernest Hughes, clerk in
Martins store, testified that he sold Mrs.
Young box of trough on rats" shortly
before Young's death.
Committed to Prison.
After the testimony was all in the dis
trict attorney asked that the woman be
committed. The defense objected, as
she had a baby, which ought not to be
sent into the Jail The justice, how
ever, committed her. This afternoon
habeas corpus proceedings will be COM
xnenced TO have her released on bail,
While no evidence was produced show
ing motive for the crime of which
Mrs. Young is accused, the authorities
have constructed highly romantic
story, beginning with a forced marriage
and ending with box Of poison.
Mrs. Young was Blanche Woodward.
daughter of thriving miller VINO 10.
Gated several years ago at Trimbleville,
this county. She was fond Of gay
dress and gay company and as result
was forced 10 marry j. Morris Young
In December, 1899. Very shortly after
ward child was born and old John
Woodward went to Virginia TO hide his
shame, leaving his mill in Young's
charge
Young was devoted husband, but
his pretty wife was capricious and her
conduct was freely talked off in the
neighborhood. There were vague ru-
mors Of another man, but the rumor did
not take definite shape until after Young
died in great agony on May 8.