The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-02
WHERE ARE THE WITNESSES?
II Is Thought They Have Been Spirited
Away 10 Parts Unknown.
GRANGER MURDER CASE A MYSTERY.
p'' 'ayior Discovered Arsenic in tho
o'o"ach of the Dead Chiid-JeaI-
ousy Believed To Have Been the
ohJcct Of the Alleged Murder.

deceased mouse. the stomach or a
small boy some i've years of age. and
'"e whereabouts OF a rather cookbook
ing woman and "a negro boy. are a COM
.o4nation OF topics that are Just now
commanding the attention OF the good
people OF Halifax. A strange murder
case IL is. and there is romance and
mystery mixed. Dr. William II. Taylor.
state chemist. IS one OF the important
witnesses in tho case. and Common
"ealih's Attorney Lee. OF Halifax has
found knotty little problem 10 solve.
DF. Taylor was engaged inl making
scientific Investigations In regard to the
case Tor a month or more Every kind
OF test-tube. chemists lamp, .alkali and
experimental apparatus usually found iu
an experts OiiiCe. was employed IN the
analysis which was Of a delicate and diff
hcult character, and il was no easy
task. Dr. Taylor used the microscope
some hydrogen-gas. and few pieces of
porcelain. but they wouldn't reveal what
ne was looking for. Several other ex-
peflmcnts were resOrtcd 90, and finally
the long-sought deadly drug was found
II was arsenic, and It is thought to have
been the death Of the child.
HISTORY or THE cAsr.
The history of the case IS moro u.e
hction than fact though none the less
true FOR all that. In Halifax there lived
woman named Ada Seamsier. Whether
or not sho was "A widow has not been
investigated. At ali events. she had a
splendid figure. She dressed well. had
pretty face, and was just such a look
ing woman as would attract man.
she WAS said 10 be little lively, and
several gay Lotharios liked her She
had them stopping around rather ii, ely,
and didn't mind flirting with them ac-
cording 10 reports.
j. Cabell Granger strange TO say. was
all devotion I'm his attentions to her.
lie IS a victim 10 muscular rheumatism.
and is bent and considerably drawn IN
appearance. Indeed. he IS physical
wreck, and has been so for long time
That didn't KEEP him from getting
violently jealous. however. and. accord
ing 10 the Indictment he demonstrated
his Jealousy I'm a desperate way. he
was at the home Of Mrs. Seamster one
day about the middle OF last July. and
30 is said that DC attempted TO poison
Mrs. Seamstcr. Certain 70 IS that ne SEE
cured some arsenic from somewhere, and
IL IS also certain that some of This |
arsenic got into the mcal-hag. for Mr.. |
Granger being the only one on the place |
that day who did not partakc of the |
bread made from this meal was the |
only one who did not get sick.
TN CHILD IoIsoNrD.
Mrs. Soamster, her hvc-yoar-old boy.
negro on the place. as well as a dog, and
"a mouse that had access 20 the bread |
and the meal. were taken violently III.
AIRS. Seamster recovered, as did also the
negro and the dog The child and the
mouse died.
t,ir.nr,,sts.n,cs et,~,o,,r,gf,tr tho caco
looked suspicious. and an investigation
WAS instituted, which led TO the arrest
of Granger The body of the child was
sNhumed. under the direction OF Com
monwcalth's Attorney Lee. and botn the
stomach of the child, and the mouse were
brought to Richmond and Dr. Taylor
engaged TO make a rigid analysis This
wa. commenced, and. after several days
hard and tedious work. DR. Taylor was
notified by COmmonwcal. Attorney Lee
not TO proceed further until so advised
The cause OF this new feature was UNI
derstood TO be a hitch in the Halifax
Board Of Supervisors as To- the expense
incurred by the Investigation. Strange 10
say before Dr Taylor's report was COM
pietc. Granger was let out OF prison.
Finally another effort was made TO pur-
sue the matter further. and Dr. Taylor
resumed his INVESTIGATIONS. The scientist
discovered arsenic in the child's stomach.
anu last 1 NtNItA was at iidiiltAs ~ an
swer TO summons to give I'm his tcst-
mony about the case which was set for
trial for that day.
PRINCIPLE WITNESSES CONF
There were a number of witnesses sum-
moncd 10 appear al the trial, and real.
live sensation was looked for by those
who gathered 90 hear the testimony The |
principal witnesses summoned We're the
woman and a negro boy. who
claims 20 have seen Granger put some
thing in the mcal-bag. They were con-
-piCuously absent They are said TO
have been spirited away. and. as a con-
sequence. Commonwealtns Attorney Lee I
was at HIS wits end The negro boy is
said 60 have run away 20 some remote ,
part Of North Carolina, ana nobody knows
where the woman is. II is thought she
has skipped 10 parts unknown TO escape
being forced TO testify. Commonwealth
Attorney Lee and his assistants are maxi q
ue inquiries. Try ing 60 trace Tie TWO Wit q
icsses. without whom the trial cannot
proceed.
The trial had to be postponed tim the Z
,oxt term OF The court, and Dr. Taylor u
.eturned 20 this city. Commonwcalth's
attorney Lee has cnjoined every one con- n
,o.fed with the case 10 bc careful not 10 ! L
av ANYTHING about IT, while he tries TO v
.scertain the whereabouts of The missing u
witnesses Hc saws NJ he can find ont
where they are hc viii make them give [
.an for their appearance when the case v
omes up next month, or put them in v
al &
Granger is said 20 be well-connected. c
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