The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-21
PETTIT,s CRIME.
story of the Sensational Trial and
Conviction for UxOricide.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Story of the Sensational Trial and
Conviction for UxOricide-
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
LAFAYETTE, Ind, Oct. 20-The brief
statement in the papers, last night, that
the Supreme Court had reversed the cele-
'brated Petit case created no little talk In
this city. This Case had attracted so iauch
attention during it's progress, as well as
before it was fairly begun, that 1t was nat
ural that it should be revived by the find
ngs of the court according the defendant
q new trial. The case was one of the most
interesting, and at the same time one OF
the most circumstantial, ever tried in TIE
courts of Indiana. Petit was n leading
minister of the Methodist denomIlatIC;..
He was man of considerable pulpit Pc yer,
aud one Eho was popular with his congre
CATION. He was stationed at Shawnee
Mound, this county, at the time Of the SUI
den death of his wife, and out of which
grew all the trouble. Mrs. Petit had baen
in poor health, and went to South Bend,
where she remained for some time. On the
18th of July, 1889, she returned home, ner
husband meeting her at the train, and
companying her to the parsonage at Shaw
nee Mound. Mrs. Petit was far from We'll
when she reached home. On the day fell
lowing, however, she did a hard days work
cleaning up the house. which had been
almost deserted during her absence, Mr..
Petit having boarded around among his
parishioners, principally at the home Of the
wealthy and well-known Methodist, David
Meharry. On Sunday Petit went to a
local church and delivered sermon,
exchanging pulpits with brother
minister On his return Mrs. Petit
was stiIl Ill, and her husband prepared for
bar off hon la.. hAr
TO drink she complained that it did not
taste right; that it was bitter, and she
herself suggested that possibly Mr.. Petit
had mixed the tea in a cup in which she
had placed poison when she left home,
with the object of killing the rats and mice.
In few moments after drinking the tea
Mrs. Petit went into spasms. Neighbors
hurried for n doctor and ministered to the
wants of the patient, giving her coffee and
hot mustard drinks. causing nausea, and
soon after the commissions ceased. The doc
tor arrived, gave her medicine and went his
way. The next day commissions returned
ard the doctor came hastily Tuesday Mrs.
Wednesday. In the morning of the latter
day, July IL, 1889, she died. The body was
shipped to New York for interment
Soon after the gossips began to talk
They thought there was something the mat
ter. The fact that there were commissions
apparent recovery therefrom and then a re-
turn OF the spasms, the latter following the
partaking Of drink or medicine given by the
husband, started the talk and termoinated in
the expression of many that death was
caused by strychnine poison. The doctors
were consulted, and finally chemist, Dr.
Peters, of this city. was sent to New
M nGrk Petit e Ea too, the body Of
and returned to make chemical ANALYSIS.
In his written report to the prosecutor he
stated that he found unmistakable evi-
of this Petit was arrested. He was at
mat time at Columbus, o., selling books
ne he IVA MAS brought here and a preliminary
In $4,000 bond. This bail he could not give
Hapeas corpus proceedings were brought
nit him to bail Then followed a motion
Tor a change of venue, Petit swearing that
he could not obtain fair trial in this
county. In his affidavit he also set out that
he was unable TO secure an impartial trial at
crawfordsvlle because of the bias and ex-
element among the people there and be-
cause OF the enmity, as he believed, of Rev
George Switzer, prominent divine Judge
Langdon struck out the affidavit relating
TO Montgomery county and sent the case
TO Charlottesville for trial. The case was
set for hearing on the Sth of October, 1890
A motion was made for delay, but this was
oyerruled, and the case began on the 18th
six weeks and on the 10Th of November,
1890 the jury, after being out few hours
r2turned verdict of guilty, fixing his pun
ishment at life imprisonment in the North
ern Prison A motion for new trial was
overruled, and, on the sth OF Janu-
airy, 1891, Petit was sentenced and a
Prison North. where he has since been.
The cost of the trial of Petit, including the
expense of the chemical examination, the
attorneys fees on both sides-he making APP
plication to the court to assign him counsel.
as he was unable 10 procure It himself-was
upward of $1,000. Since his Incarceration
from time TO time came reports from the
prison that he could not long survive
The only motive that the State sought TO
prove for the killing of Mrs. Petit was
that Petit desired to marry Mrs. Elma c..
Whitehead, well-to-do widow, member
of his congregation at Shawnee Mound.
Under the rules of the Methodist Church
it is claimed that a minister cannot be di-
yorced from his wife and remarry. Petit.
at the time of his arrest, the grand
prelate OF the Indiana Knights Templars,
and one of the best-known MasoRs in this
part OF the State. His family consisted OF
himself, wife and one child, a daughter.
The latter, since death of her mother. has
resided with her mothers sister in New
York State. The grounds on which a re-
versal was granted are not yet known, but
If it was on the error of the judge in send
ing the case 80 Montgomery county II
would eventually have brought the case
back here for trial Since the trial Hon. Il.