The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-15
is HELD FOR MURDER
Mrs. Charles Klehaghn Charged With
Causing the Death Of Her Husband.
HER PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION
PRELIMINARY
EXAMINATION
Before Justice Tomlin tn the Police
Court interchangeable Counsel Re.
tanned = The Burruss. DeEendorf
Life Insurance Case,tn the Law and
Chaucery Court. n Hung Jury.

Mrs Charles Klebaghn has been sent
on to the grand jury to answer to the
charge of numbering her husband, who
was found dead from gas poison in his
room over the Mint Saloon corner Tai
bot and Hill streets, last "Wednesday.
The suspicious circumstances develop
ed at the Coroner's inquest led to the
arrest of Mrs. Klebaghn.
The prisoner was given preliminary
hearing before Justice Tomlin in the
Police Court yesterday. She was attir-
ed In black. She was accompanied by
her counsel. Captain John j. Burroughs
and Judge Thomas II. Wilcox. The
prosecution was represented by Mr.
James f. Duncan, Commemorative At
torney.
The most interesting testimony was
that of Mrs. Klebaghn herself, who
said that she did not leave her bed un-
till late in the day Wednesday, not
knowing what time it was, It being only
a little before the officers arrived when
she went down stairs; that she slept in
the front room on Hill st! eet, and her
husband in the back room on Talbot
Dtreet; that when she get up she smelled
gas; opened the door between her room
and her husbands telling him as she
passed out to turn off the gas which was
escaping i'm his room. and came down
stairs and had been sitting there, in the
bar. about five minutes when the Off
GERS came; hadn't had In her hair the
places In the house-one at his bedside
but they belonged 20 her.
Her sister testified that about a year
ago In Baltimore Charley Klebaghn
showed her a vial of laudanum with
which he said he proposed killing him
self; that she took 1t from him and threw
It away; she heard of his death through
the papers, and came on to see her sis
ter.
Mr.. w. H. yenable, who was Kle-
hn rl,rbe NJ 10 40, hoe hi
death in case in the Police Court,
growing out of a fight between husband
and wife, testified that he went to the
klebaghn house with Klebaghn to see IL
she would not withdraw the charge OF
assault upon her under which he was
held. She agreed to do II, and embraced
her husband. saying that 1t was partly
her fault. This feature OF the evidence
was brought out to show that there
was absence OF motive on her part to
kill her husband.
1t was also brought on; in evidence
that he had several times threatened
his life because he was falling in health
was tired of living the way he did.
and because his 'brother-in-law owed
him money.
Judge Wilcox went on the stand 10
show an absence of motive on the wife's
part as to a murder. he testify!ng that
some time ago when he drew up a hill
OF separation for Mr.. Nlcbachn she
Nioii NIil ~ sign IL. lnulcatlnE her
desire 10 remain with her husband
me case was argued at length by
counsel. The prosecution held that if she
mad been In her room all night and near
~ all day. as she testified that the gas
would have killed her also. The defense
maintained the closed door was tight
enough to keep out most of the gas,
and that sufficient did not enter her
room to hurt her.
In passing upon the case Justice
Toml!n said there was an absence of
motive so far as the evidence showed.
but that under the testimony 1t was
not Impossible for Mrs. Klebaghn to
have been the cause OF her husbands
death. and under these circumstances
he would have to send the case on 10 the
grand jury. The points of the evidence
upon which he thought it possible for
Mrs. Klebagn to have been implicated
the death Of her husband were that she
knew the gas was escaping and did not
try to awake him: that after the body
was found, she, when questioned about
The time of day. gave an unusual hour,
which correspondent with q clock in
his room, which was two hours fast; and
tina: her hairpin was found at his bed
side. These. however, only created in
his the Justice's) mind Il slight suspi-
cion of guilt. and for that reason he
said he was willing 10 bail the accused
Mr.. John It. Brady, of Portsmouth,
became the security on a bond Of $500