The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-03-15
MADISON POISON MYSTERY,
Two OF Family Dead and Three Criti-
cally III.


Two OF Family Dead and Three Criti-
cany Iii.
MADISON, March 11.-ISpecial. The
death Of Miss Eva Ross, thought to be
suicide, and the sickness OF the whole fam
lily that followed, an account of which
vas given IN Friday SENTINEL, has stirred
up the whole city.
Yesterday the rir's mother disd, tele-
grams come from Anderson that her
brother James. who left there Monday
for his home in that pace, was at the
point Of death. two younger brothers. Joe
aud Albert, were stricken in the same
deadly manner Albert is not expected
20 live. and all have symptoms OF poison
Ing. LAST night Joe was seized with
the fatal pains which have attacked al
the victims lie was hurried to Morgan's
saloon and dosed thoroughly with whisky
and not drinks and taken to Dsd. \
'd:anching Uerspiration followed and it Is
thought he sweat the poison out. The all
absorbing questions to the public are who
administered the poison. where it was OBJ
tanned and low 1t was given. The intent,
il intent there was, Is probably lock cd IN
the darkness and silence OF the grave.
Examination of the stomachs of the dead
women shows the presence of arsenic, as
does tho vomitings of Albert. Witnesses
az the inquest describe the symptoms as
pains IN the stomach and head and con-
Vulsions only. Only the members of the
family who drank coffee IN the house on
Monday were affected, indicating that
poison had been put into the coffee boiler.
Mary Blaze. q neighborinR girl about
eleven years DID, said that she accom-
panied Eva Ross and her little sister,
Minerva. aged ten. to Harper's drug store
Sunday night. Eva and her sister went
into the store, while Mary remained on
the outside, looking through the window.
She saw the clerk hand Eva bottle. Eva
leaned over the counter apparently in con-
veTsstlOn with the clerk. The bottle was
taken from Eva and small package given
in return. Eva concealed the package
about her clothes. The two clerks az
HarDer's were seen by THE SENTINEL re-
porter. The one TO whom the description
given by the child most nearly accords adj
mits that he was az the store Sunday
night. He was Oft all day, bat came back
tn accommodate one OF the other clerks.
he denies having waited on Eva Ross,
and does not remember that she was In
the store. The other clerk said she dealt
at tho store. but he did not remember
that she was there On SUNDAY night
though he was on duty. 1t Is a problem
yet TO solve where the poison was gotten.
1t Is surmised that the girl Eva admins
tered it to the rest Of the family Monday
morning a. breakfast. in the coffee. II js
certain that after the meal the family be-
gan 10 feel sick. Jim eft on the morning
train for Anderson, and before he got
home he was taken violently i'll, with
cramps and commissions, and required
the attention OF three physicians
who pronounced il a case OF poison
What the girls motive was, If she did
commit the deed, no one can surmise, and
II she did she must have intended self-de-
atructiOn. as she partoOk OF the poison
herself and died. She revealed nothing
before she died and all is a mystery. She
had been often heard TO say by her com
panions in the cotton mill. where she was
employed. that she would kill herself but
no one thought her serious. Eva Ross
had the reputation Of being exceedingly
high tempered. 1t is extensively rumored
that she was grossly mistreatcd at home,
and that she was forced to give up her
earnings. She recently joined the
Christian church and wanted Z new dress
10 fit herself for attendance, which was
denied her.
Coroner Forshse will push investiga-
tions as rapidly ss the circumstances will
allow. He said this morning that there
were other parties foreign to the family
who were suspected of having hand in
the deed, but be mentioned no names, and
made no particular charge The result Of
his analytical tests of the stomachs of the
dead women is awaited for with much
impotence and interest.