The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-16
A REJECTED SUITOR
DEALS DEATH TO HIS FlANCEE'S
FAMILY AND FRIENDS.


roisons the Flour for Revenge-He Is just
from the Chester Pcnitentiary, and
"Fired" for That Reason Lynchins
Probable.
SALEM, ILL.,, Feb. l6.-When the first
report was obtained of the death by
poisoning of James Morton. south of
here, the news was only meagre The
later information is very startling.
The facts, as far as they can be deter
mined, are that Morton and his two
daughters became very sick Just after
breakfast and DR.. Thomas J. Green of
this place was sent for. The family had
eaten some canned tomatoes that had
been put up in old cans. Mr.. Morton
died, and as the two girls were still very
sick, DIR. Green remained.
Neighbors came in, breakfast was pre-
pared and biscuits were made. Dr.
Green, ex-Supervisor John English and
two ladies partook of breakfast, and all
were soon after deathly sick One lady,
who had only eaten one-half of biscuit,
was able to move about, and she gave
the alarm to the neighbors Soon a
crowd gathered, and the couriers were
sent to this place and Odin for medical
aid.
Two More Doctors Summoned.
DIR. j. j. Fiske of Odin and DR.. J. Z.
Schoonover of this place started to the
scene of the poisoning in haste. They
were soon followed by Coroner Lakin
and State Attorney Jennings. The cor
oner went down to hold an inquest over
the body of Morton, and the state attor-
ney to assist at the inquest and to ferret
out the cause of the poisoning.
1t is given out by people of the neigh
borhood that young man living near
the Mortons was suspected of putting
poison in the flour barrel in the Morton
kitchen some time during the night be-
fore the parties became sick, with the
object of killing the entire family. The
same man is charged with having broken
into schoolhouse near his home, during
the holidays one year ago, and having
taken a lot of schoolbooks which he took
to Carlyle, ILL.,, and sold. He was ar
rested there, brought here, indicted and
sent to the Chester penitentiary for one
year. He was recently discharged and
came home.
Was 1t Revenge?
Soon after getting home, it is said, he
attempted to call upon one Of the Nor
ton girls, whom he had courted before
he was sent to the penitentiary and who
he claimed had promised to marry him.
He was driven away from the house.
The young lady would have nothing
more to do with him, and Mr.. Morton
forbade himto appear on the premises.
From all the facts the young man is
suspected of poisoning the family for re-
venge.
1t is so far from town and the roads
are so muddy that at late hour there
was no news as to the condition of DR..
Green and the other patients.
May Cause Lynching.
1t is supposed they are in very seri
Gus condition or the physicians would
have returned by this time.
DR.. Green's wife has gone to see him
leaving a sick child at home. The gen
eral impression is that if the crime il
fastened on the suspect he will never
live to have a trial. He belongs to'ont
of the first families, and, until his first
trouble, was considered first-class
young farmer boy. 1t is the general i'm
preston that the flour was poisoned ant
that a sufficient amount of the drug wa:
mixed in the biscuit to do the dreadful
work.