Evening star., 1895-04-19
sMRS. .AlDARLING CHARGES
She Accuses Her Daughter-i,-Law of
Poisoning Her Husband.
A Story That is Discredited Here
Statements Made to District
Attorney Fellows.

family difference which has often been
spoken of here and elsewhere as a result
of the representations Of one of the parties
concerned has been given the light of pub
licity in New York through the efforts of
Mrs. Flora Adams Darling to have the
grand jury bring in an Indictment against
DR.. and Mrs. Francis Xavier Spranger.
Mrs. Darling Is well known in this city as
writer Of some repute, and as one of the
founders of the Daughters of the American
Revolution. Mrs. Spranger is her daugh-
ter-in-law, her first husband having been
Mr.. Edward Irving Darling. a son Of Mrs.
Darling. Mrs. Darling has heretofore
sought to bring charges against Mrs.
Spranger, alleging that she was responsible,
In connection with her present husband,
for the death of Mr. Darling, a little over
year ago. According to the New York
papers, Mrs. Darling has put the matter in
the hands of the district attorneys office
and an investigation Of the charges is now
being made.
During the latter part of Mr. Darling's
life he was in bad health, result of an
accident in Detroit. a number of years ago,
and DIR. Spranger attended him. Last
month DR.. Spranger and the widow were
married in Baltimore. The charges are to
the effect that Darling died from the effects
of slow poison administered by his wife
and the physician, and that the recent mar
riage shows the motive fer the crime. DR..
and Mrs. Spranger are now In California
travelling. Mrs. Spranger Is a daughter Of
the late Pierce Klingle of this city, from
whom she inherited considerable property
Her stepmother lives in this city, but re-
fused to speak with a Star reporter about
the matter this morning. She and Mrs.
Spranger's other relatives do not place
any credence in the charges. and they are
generally discredited by people here who
know the details of the case.
Statements Made In New York.
According t. statement made in New
York last evening by Mr.. j. q. Adams, a
brother of Mrs. Darling's, she filed state
n.ent with the district attorney of Detroit
in August 1892 charging DR.. Spranger
with the poisoning of her son and stating
that young Mrs. Darling, In her opinion,
was insane and under the doctors nfiu-
ence. The district attorney said that tine
accusation of insanity took the case out of
the criminal courts. Then the mother came
to New York, and in October. 1894. she
filed a statement in the New York district
attorneys office.
Mr.. Adamsfurther says that on his death
bed Mr.. Darling wrote statement charg-
ing his wife and DR.. Spranger with his
murder. This, he says, is in the hands of
the district attorney.
Mrs. Everett of New York sister of the
dead man. in an interview published in the
New York WCrld today, Is quoted as say
irg:
my brother was poisoned. He knew he
was being poisoned, and he told all of us
before he died who was poisoning him.
The affidayits and statements which We
have given to The district attorney are
conclusive proof that murder has been
done
my neither Mrs. Darling, wnen she
went to the district attorney in Detroit
was told that criminal case could not be
made out unless her suspicious were veri-
fed by marriage between my brothers s
widow and DIR. Spranger. This marriage
took place more than a month ago."
Col. Fellows. district attorney Of New
York, said yesterday that his office had not
seriously considered the case, because the
criminal charge, IL it existed, lay within
the Jurisdiction Of the Michigan authori-
ties.
Not Believed in Detroit.
The following telegram was received in
this city today from Detroit:
Inquiry has been made among few
well-known citizens of Detroit. who are