The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-11-21


yesterday with colorod people to hoar
the evidence in the murder trial of
Sarah Leftwich, who is charged with
poisoning her stepdaughter, Amanda
Leftwich, September 81.
Sarah has been locked up at police
headquarters since her last arrest. and
was brought over promptly at 10 o'clock.
1t did not take long to secure jury and
tho court soon got down to business.
Messrs. Hardaway and Payne appeared
for the defense, and Roy b. Smith for
the commonwealth.
a last list of witnesses for tho COM
monwealth were sworn and placed in
an outer room, from which they were
called in one at time.
The testimony is rather weak. Tho
physician and chemist say that Amanda
was poisoned; other witnesses say that
Sarah made threats to kill her step
daughter, but mono saw her do any sus-
p1cious act, nor was she traced to
drug store. or any other place whore
poison could have been bought.
DIR. Meorman was the first witness
and testified that he was authorized to
perform the autopsy. On examination
he found indications of corrosive poison
in tho stomach, but could not tell
whether or not it was arsenic He
turned tho matter over to Mr.. M. b.
Corse, giving him four or five ounces
of the liver and stomach. He thought
there were Indications of arsenic
poison.
MIR. M. b. Corse testified that no
made an analytical examination of tho
stomach and liver according to scien-
tific test. He found tho Iced part of q
grain Of arsenic in the liver.
Celia Ann Hatchett testified that she
went to Leftwichs house about an hour
before the child died. Heard her COM
plain of being sick a week before. Her
testimony was unin portant.
Dossie Dent, another colored woman,
testified that Sarah Leftwich came TO
her house the evening the child died,
and asked her to make tho latter dress,
thai Sho needed clean dress because
she did not think she would live.
Mariah Beverly testified that she
saw the child walking about tho morn
ing after She was poisoned, or alleged
to have been poisoned.
Susan Campbell, who was first ar
rested as being tho murderess, was next
placed on the stand. She testified that
she did not know anything of her own
knowledge about tho girl being pois-
oned. She had heard the prisoner
make threats against Amanda's life,
saying that if She made any moro fuss
between herself, husband, Sue Camp.
bell and John Campbell and John
Barksdale, She would kill her.
She also said that Sarah went off to
Lynchburg and left the child without
anything to eat. She gave tho child
gnmpthiup tO ~ n, ~; Go 49,, ~, 4, I,coz.o
and they had q row about it when she
camo back.
Sue also stated that she saw Amanda
Leftwich sick and vomiting on Monday
morning, September 21st. This was
before Sarah began stringing the snaps
for their supper. She denied having
told Ella Brown, another witness, that
Amanda had told tales on her, and that
she (Sue Campbsll) had ever threatened
to kill her. Sue got badly mixed up on
being cross examined.
DIR. Jones attended Stephen Leftwich,
the father of the girl who had symptoms
of arsenic poison, and through his treat
ment he recovered. He did not attend
the girl.
Rawley Duffey testified that he saw
Amanda Leftwich stringing snaps on
Monday evening, and heard Sarah tell
the girl to be careful with them, as they
were her (Amanda's) and her fathers
supper.
Mr.. l.. R. IIanes, said at the time of
the poisoning Sarah was employed as
cook at his house. She was there all
that day, except from three to five
o'clock. Sarah gathered basket of
snaps out of his garden to take home.
and asked Mr. Hanes to allow her to 90
home Mr.. Hanes gave her a very
good name, and said Sarah was the best
servant he ever saw.
Sylvester Price was the next witness
and testified that about September he
saw Sarah abusing the child and
threatened to beat her if she did not 90
for a bucket of water. He also heard
Sarah and her husband having a fuss
about John Barksdale. Stephen said
Barksdale must leave the house. Sarah
said she would leave if John went.
Barksdale went away and Sarah went
to Lynchburg and camo back in o few
days.
Witness heard Sarah threaten to kill
the child for telling tales about her and
Barksdale. He saw Amanda on the
morning of tho day she died with q
bucket on her head coming from tho
spring. Sue Campbell and Sarah had
been very intimate, but had fallen out
about him this timo,
Ed. Tucker, colored, beard Sue Camp
bell say, evidently to herself that she
intended to kill tho child. He knew
nothing about The case.
ELIZA Davis said Sarah passed by her