The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-09-24
THE TABLES TURNED ON SARAH.
Charged With Poisoning Her
Husband and Step-daughter.
The Campbell Woman still Held and SnrnI,
Icftwici Also Locked up-Tb. HIS
pand RccovcrinE-Thc Post-mortem
examination Reveals Poison in the
stomach of the Dead Girl.

coroner Gray being notified yesterday
morning Of tho alleged poisoning of
Amanda Leftwich by Susan Campbell,
came down town and viewed the re-
mains at tho oiiico of Oakley IL Wool
wine.
Officer Flick. who made tho arrest
was on hand, and was sent out to sum
mon jury and also witnesses to the
affair.
1t was nearly noon before the coroner
was able to proceed. The following iu-
rors wcrc sworn aDd viewed the remains:
j.. n. Curry, foreman; Robert III. Gold,
>. M. Tucker, j. Il. Greene, II. +. Nc
kean and Edward Lynham.
Several witnesses wore examined
by the jury, among them being Steven
Leftwich, tho father of tho dead rirl
Sarah Leftwich, her stepmothcr: Willie
lierndon, Maria Beverly and several
others.
These witnesses testified against Sue
Campbell, who was locked up on Tues
day night charged with tho crime, hut
their testimony while containing
strong suspicion, WAS totally devoid Of
factE aau circumstances tending to show
tho guilt OF the accused.
Tho other witnesses, all ncirhhors OF
tho Lcftwich family, implicated tho
wife OF the poisoned man and his dead
daughter
1t was shown that Sarah Lcftwich,
who has been in service ut Mr.. IIancs'
went homo on Monday and prepared her
husband S dinner. This she denied DOS
lively, but Witnesses testified that she
prepared and placed pot of beans on
tho stove. 1t was also shown that there
was box of Rough on Rats" in the
house. and that after Sarah had pre-
pared the dinner she loft right away.
John Barksdale figured rs Sarah's
paramour all through the testimony,
and the jury began to open their eyes TO
tho fact that Sarah was the guilty party
DR., Jones testified to calling at tho
place on Monday nigh. to see Lcftwich.
who was suffering from tho effects of
what he considered to be acute arsenic
poisoning. The girl was also sick, but
was then much better. lie called again
tho next day and found Leftwith rct-
ting along very we'll. The condition of
tho girl was then about the same. as no
learned, although ho was not called to
sec her.
a bucket and coffee pot were pre-
duccd before tho jury. DR.. Jones had
examined the bottom Of the bucket, and
said there were indications of scdi-
ment which looked like poison.
This theory corroboratcd Sarah Left
wlch's testimony who said Tie box of
Rough on Rats was directly over the
water bucket, but closer examination
failed to reveal any poison in the bucket
Inc jury decided TO hold post NOR
tenn examination and chemical ANALYSIS.
were appointed to remove the stomach
and turn 1t over to the chemist. Mr..
CorSe.
The jury then held a private consulta-
ton, and decided to incarccratc Sarah
l-cftwich for the murder OF her step
daughter and attempted murder Of her
husband, and 4 coroncr's warrant was
drawn accordingly and executed by Olli-
Ger Flick, who locked the woman up al
police headquarters.
The jury then adjourned over to meet
to-day at 10 o'clock at the Same place,
and hear the other testimony and also
the report of the physicians performing
the autopsy.
10 Officer Flick is due tho credit of
securing the witnesses in this case. No
one know anything about the case at
first, but Flick harncsscd up Il crowd
and carried them before tho coroner
where the matter was made plain.
DR.. Moorman performed tho post
mortcm examination last night and re-
moved the stomach and liver. The
former was red and swollen, bearing
strong indications of arsenic poison. A
further examination revealed tho drug
in large quantities in tho stomach. OF
course, this could not be taken as
evidence without an analysis, and the
whole was sealed in 4 jar ard turned
over to the chemist, who will mako an
examination and report to the Jury
FAST FIRING GUNS.