Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-08
POISON IN A BRANDY.soTTLs.
Dead from Poisoned Brandy.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatcn.I

Dead from Poisoned Brandy.
Correspondence Of the Richmond DispatcnI
WELDON, N. c., January 6, 1891.
News of q very startling nature has reach
cd here from Henderson TO the effect that
Mr.. Thomas Parker, q well-known and
highly honored citizen Of Vance county,
and colored man whose name | am I'M
able 10 learn had both died there from the
effects Of poison administered in a bottle
Of brandy. The particulars OF the sad affair
as learned here are substantially as follows :
Last Friday night there was to have been
an eggnog-drinkinR at a neighbours. but
when the guests assembled, owingt to an ac-
cidient in which one of the party had been
killed by the premature discharge of gun
while hunting that day, the eggnog frolic
was postponed. Some one in the crowd
gave Mr.. Parker bottle Of brandy TO take
home with him.
THEY TOOK DRINK.
When Parker reached his room. accom-
panied by his servant. he took a small por-
ton of the brandy and also gave the color
ed man some of 1t to drink. II was not
long, however, after the men had swallow
ed the liquor before they were conscious
of the fact that all was not right.
BOTH DEAD.
The brandy began to have o terrible
effect upod them. and Parker called to his
colored man 10 ring the bell quickly for
help. The call was quickly responded to,
but before aid arrived Mr. Parker had died
in great agony, and the negro only lived
long enough to tell what had happened
when he, too, expired after great suffering.
| learn that the affair is being investigated
and some startling revelations may be ex-
peeted.
TIE MYSTERY.
If the brandy was really poisoned, az is
supposed, who put the poison into the bottle
and why 1t WAS done remains mystery
to be solved. One Of the greatest mysteries
about the whole affair is that il should
happen at an important town like Hender-
son, and vet not line of the sad occur
renee has found its way into any news
paper up TO this date. IL is supposed by
some that the bottle contained poison and
that the party who put the brandy in 1t
did not know of its existence.
CONTAINED srRYcHEINE.
An analysis of the brandy in the bottle
out Of which Mr.. Thomas Parker drank at
Henderson last week and from the effects
of which he died has just been made and
the chemist found il contained strychnlne.
The deceased was brother of Mr.. w. 5.
Parker, of Henderson, well known TO the
businessmen of your city. The authorl-
ties are making thorough investigation.
YOUNG NEGRO FoRGRR.
One day last week young cOlored man
bv the name of Henderson, of Vance coun-
ty, called at the Office of a prominent law
yer in the town of Henderson to borrow
some money. stating TO the lawyer that be
could give good real estate security, and
| that his mother and father would sign the
papers. He knew old man Henderson TO
| be n well -to-do colored man, and accord
| inely wrote the deed, which the young ras-
| cal took home for the signatures. de re-
| turned to town the next day with all the
signatures and the magistrates certificate
| stating that the parties bad appeared be-
| fore him. &C.. &c. The lawyer examined
the deed and il all appeared in due legal
form. so the money was paid over TO
the Young negro and he went on his way
rejoicing. But AS fate would have 1t the
LAWYER saw some of the persons whose
names were signed TO the deed when he
was about TO have the paper recorded,
and. TO his amazement the whole thing
was pronounced 8 forgery. The young
scoundrel had forged his daddy's, man.
my's, and the magistrates names. MOI
one of those whose names appeared IN
rlain black and white had ever seen the
deed or knew anything about 1t.
JUST FOR FUN.
Young Henderson was duly arrested, and
now he is rejecting behind the bars. he
will unwillingly serve his State for not less
than FIVE wears for his little fun, as he
claims he did il all just for fun.
Mr. X. O. Burton, Jr.. of your city, and
Commonwealths-A ttorney Mullen, OF
Petersburg were in Weldon yesterday on
professional business.