Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-12-05
TESTIMONY.
He Tells How His Wife Died
From Cramping Spells.
The Evidence About All In and Argu-
ment Expected to Begin To-mor-
row-Much Interest.

The celebrated Avant trial is
grinding rapidly to a close, and
while this article is being written the
defense is examining its last witness
The trial has been closely contested
one, and the verdict of the jury will
be looked forward to with much in
terest.
AS stated briefly in these columns
Saturday, the defendant was put on
the stand to testify in his own behalf.
He was more than three hours tell
ing of the death of his wife, and its
accompanying Incidents. Several
times the prisoner almost broke down
under the weight of mis- grief of ex-
element. The spectacle was very
pitiable and had some effect on the
audience.
According to his testimony he
came to ClarSsville on the morning
of June 12, 1890. He came, he said,
to buy some binder-iwine, and to get
some rat mixture to kill some flying
squirrels and mice. His wife, as he
left home, asked him to buy strych-
nine instead of rat poison, as the last
he bought had very little effect on
the vermin. He protested against
buying the strychnine, but at last
consented. He came to the city,
bought some binding-twine for his
reaper, some drygoods and a. pint of
whisky. AS he passed New Provi
dence he halted at the drug store of
V. w. Smith Iand purchased ten
cents worth of strychnine. He went
on home and drove up to the back
door, handing his wife the things he
had purchased in the city. He then
went to the stable and put away his
horse, returning to the house in few
minutes. He and his wife sat down
and drank toddy together made of
the whisky he purchased that day
here in Clarksville. His wife said
the toddy helped her and when sup
per time came she proposed another
one. Avant went and got the whis
keysand his wife got the sugar and
spoon. They madei toddy and
drank it, each drinking from the
same glass. Mrs. Avant claimed
that the toddy tasted bitter. Avant
replied that it was not the toddy,
that it was a bitter taste she had
in her mouth. TO convince her
that there was nothing wrong
with the toddy ha called the cook
and had her to drink some of the
whisky. The cook said there was
nothing the matter with the whisky
except that it was bad article. They
then sat down to supper. Mrs.
Avant complained of being sick ana
soon she was seized with cramping
spell, telling her husband to rub her.
This he did, aided by the cook. She
leaned back in her chair and grew
rapidly worse. Avant called for
help and soon several persons ar
rived. Mrs. Avant was carried to
her room and laid on the bed, where
she quickly expired, with violent
cramping. She called for water, but
before it could be given her she was
dead. Avant then sent for friends
and had the wife prepared for inter
ment.
This, in brief, is the testimony of
the man who is now under indict-
ment for the murder of his wife. The |
case is attracting much attention and |
the argument will be listened to with |
much interest by the public. From
present appearance this will begin to-
morrow morning, and it is under
stood that M. Savage will open the
same for the State. The argument
will continue about two dayS.