The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-26
TOOK REFUGE IN A SWAMP.
MRS. WOODS NEARLY ESCAPED hFTER
BEING ARRESTED FOR MURDER.

she lie Charged with Poisoning Her Neigh.
Dor. Mrs. FirnaE.n, with Cnrboiic Acid
After ~ Day spent In Beer DrinktnG.
Mrs. Margaret Woods OF Kinesland. n. J.. is
now In tho Hackensack jail She is charged
with the murder OF her friend and neighbor,
Mrs. John Flanagan. who died on Aug. IA OF
carbolic acid poisoning.
The two wome en- spent that day drinking beer
at Mrs. Flanaean's house. When John Flana-
gan returned from his work that evening he
found his wife lying on the sofa speechess.
DIR. Trautwein OF Lyndhurst. who was sum-
moned. said the woman had taken carbolio
acid. and he worked over her for three hours.
but could not save her life.
The doctor notified Coroner Alexander Cass.
who came over from Englewood on Aug. 10
and held an inquest. A subpnna was Issued
Tor Mrs. Woods and the inquest was adjourned
until tho 25tli. hut meanwhile Mrs. Woods had
kept out Of the way and the inquest was again
adjourned TO the Both. A second subpoena
was issued. but still the woman could not be
found. and again the inquest was adjourned.
this time until Sept. IL.
Detective Thomas McKenna found Mrs.
Woods late on the night OF Sept. TO- and served
the subpoena ON her. She promised to appear
before the jury on the following day. but when
the jury met she had again slipped away.
Coroner Cass decided to go on with tho case.
and testimony was taken. the most important
being that OF eleven year old Nelly Murphy.
who was at the Flanagans' house on tho day OF
Mrs. FlanaEan's death.
The girl said that at various times during
the day Mrs. Flanagan and Mrs. Woods drank
beer together. Late In the afternoon the Wit
ness went up stairs with Mrs. Flanagan to get
an umbrella. and on their return to tho room
where Mrs. Woods was bottle and a goblet.
,tAh L. a
were standing on the table Nelly heard Mrs.
Woods say to Mrs. Flanagan:
Take another drink OF beer. You need 1t
II don't want your beer" replied Mrs Flana-
gan In asurly tone. Pm done drinking beer
Nelly then left the room. When she returned
Mrs. flanagan was lying on the sofa grooming.
Mrs; Woods had gone. and there was u strong
put away the bottle and the goblets. which
also smel!ed oi carbolic acid.
in a veri lot 10 the effect that Mrs Flanagan
came t. her death through dose OF carboc
lass them issued Wy for the arrest OF
given to ,0hlcer Nc emma to serve. The YER
diet Of the toroners Jury was Kept secret.
Kenna on saturday afternoon on the river
What do You want me for9" she asked
when arrested.
For causing the death OF Mrs. Flanagan"
I'd like to hear the warrant read" said the
women Ini, a, =, ,..u.o, . ., -, .. 4.
he proceeded Mrs. Woods became very nor
yons and before h !S was hall through the war,
o hesr Fl 80 WITH want
They started back to Kinxsand: the woman
q ferk avenue and the river road. " here there
Is thckly wooded swamp There she stopped
My clothing is coming undone. VIII you
walk ahead while 90 into the bushes and
McKenna suspected this was trick to es-
cape him. hut think ing he could easily over
take the woman II she, tried to run. he good
ing allowed sufficient time for repairs. lie
walked hack. but could not see his prisoner.
ne e, called to her e but got no answer. o, =,
stood and saw Mrs; Woods pushing along
ativev scant She had crawled along on her
hands and knees and had broken cover on
Mckenna plunged into the swamp after his
prisoner The water was up to his knees. and
S ew OF se bas
progress quite as rand as that Of the officer:
Presently he saw her run up rise OF ground
cIumn Of trees. When he reached the rise the
After searching, vainly in the, direction in
which, Mrs. Woods had gone. Mchenna re-
rite and %ss Two
small boys coming M the road gave him an
idea. He called them.
There's a woman in this swamp" he said,
and guess she's lost. I'm going in to hunt
for her. One OF you go up Park avenue and
watch. and the other STAY here on the river
rond. If You see her. holler"
Having thus guarded the two avenues Of es-
cape the officer returned to the swamp and
spent n dismal half hour tram ping about in
the mud and water. Just as he was about to
give ND. the futtcr, OF a woman's dress
caught his eye. He ran to tho place
and found the fugitive totally exhausted. with
torn and dragglrd garments. crouched under
a hush. He took her back from Kingsland.
and from there to Hackensack Jail.
As the Grand Jury had Just been discharged.
Grand Jury meeta. In the mean time the
kingsland peonle have not yet learned what
the verdict OF the Coroner's, jury was: and the
general impression is that Mrs. Woods Is now
in jail charged with contempt Of court In fail
ing to ppear before the Coroner's jury