The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-06-25
A MODERN BORGIA.
An Indiana Woman Charged With
Wholesale Poisoning.


INDIANAPOLIS, June 24.-The most
intense interest is felt here in the
charges which have been made against
Mrs. John Dorsey, who is believed to
have poisoned some six or eight per
sons, the victims being four husbands,
two step-children and her mother and
sister the alleged incentive being to
get the money for which the lives of
the victims were insured.
Mrs. Dorsey is woman OF attract
i've appearance, and before she entered
upon her matrimonial career was
Miss Taylor, and lived in this city.
She married Conkling, and with him
moved to Illinois, and here he died
very suddenly, but no suspicion seems
to have attached to her at that time.
She soon after returned to the city and
has since been four times married, her
present husband being John Dorsey, a
laborer.
Six weeks ago her mother, Mrs.
Taylor, died, and the similarity be-
tween her death and that Of her for
mer husbands and two step-children
led to many comments, and these be-
came so pointed that the authorities
determined to look into the matter.
While quiet investigation was in
progress, Mrs. Nancy Wright fell sick
from a similar disease and died almost
before the neighbors were aware that
she was dangerously ill.
All the circumstances attending this
sickness conceded with those of other
cases occurring in the family, but it APP
pears that DR.. Bigger, the attending
physician, had no suspicion that any
thing was wrong. Just before Mrs.
Wright died she said to DIR. Bigger
that that last powder he had given her
was killing her. He replied that he
had not given her any powder, when
Mrs. Dorsey interrupted the converse.
ton by saying
ooh, she means the medicine in the
bottle, DOCTOR" pointing at the same
time to bottle of medicine that the
doctor had left for the patient to take
Mrs. Wright died the next day, and
was buried, but the body was ex
humed, and large quantity OF oxide
of copper Or verdigris was found in he
stomach, Notwithstanding she haC
vomited considerably before she died
Coroner Marker has % vial full of
greenish fluid taken from her stomach
and says that it contains enough oxid,
of copper to kill three persons. ThC
Coroner subjected Mrs. Dorsey to
rigid examination, but he failed t,
elicit anything that would Justify he
arrest. She appeared Indifferent t.
: the opinion Of her neighbors, and inc
every inquiry in a don't-care name
that puzzled the official and for a tim,
4 caused him to be uncertain as to th
proper course to be pursued
He was convinced that Mrs. Wrigh
9 had died from copper poisoning, bu
there was no way to prove that Mr'
Dorsey had administered it, and th
y case presented so many difficultie
that he hesitated to act. For tw
weeks he has been pursuing a quiC
x investigation. And the result Of thi
L was the determination to exhume tn
remains of Mrs. Taylor, the mother {
Mrs. Dorsey, analyze the contents {
J. her stomach, and if suspected cond
tons were found to exist to render til
arrest of Mrs. Dorsey. The secon
a step in the case was taken to-day, whe
Mrs Taylor's body was exhumed an
the stomach delivered to Chemi
& Latz, an expert German chemist, t,
!. analysis. In the course of his exam
! nation Of Mrs. Dorsey the Coroner to
u her that she was suspected of the mu
1t der OF her mother, and said that ]
proposed to have the body of MI
e Taylor exhumed. "You won't fiji
II anything there" said Mrs. Dorsey
''for it has been too long" The Coz
~ ner was dumfounded at the effro
n terry OF the women and was mo
y convinced than ever that she had be-
- guilty of the crimes charged agair
&C. her.