The morning times., 1896-07-06
CAVE his WIFE hFlTAL DOSE
Charles Holden Arrested on
Charge Of Poisoning.
EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM
Three Women Also Arrested on sus-
piciOn-victim Died After the Hus-
hand Had Given Her Dose Gf
Medicine-CaseDi eDiagnosedasS
nine PoisOning-Inquest to Be Held.

Esteile Holden. colored. better known as
cumstances at 5 O'Clock yesterday morn
ing at her home, No 204 Eleventh street
northwest. 1t was reported to the police
| that the woman had been poisoned, and an
| investigation which followed resulted in
| tiearrest OF four people, who are at present
| held at the First precinct station.
About three weeks ago the woman mar
ricd Charles Holden. colored, with whom
she had been intimate for sometime.
| Holden is one of those under arrest and
| there is sufficient evidence to warrant a
suspicion that he was implicated in caus-
| ing the death OF his wife. Holden was
| taken into custody last evening by Officer
Stenhouse and Acting sergt. kilmartin.
| The police discovered thaN he had pur-
chased :, quantity OF sedlitZ powders at
an Avenue drug store on Saturday. During
the day he prepared one for his wife, who
was feeling unwel. ami Immediately after
drinking it she Was seized with convul-
sions and died the following morning.
PRONOUNCED IT sTRYCHNINE.
When the woman's condition became seri-
oussDr L. v. Hammond was called in.
II is understood the physician pronounced
the case one of strychnine poisoning. A
surgeon from Emergency Hospital, who
also attended the woman, made a like
dia gnosis.
Officers Williams and Warren, who were
notified of the case, went to the house
before the woIGaa's death and arrested
Mamie Mann, Colored, whom ii Is said
threatened the Chisley woman's life re-
Gently. Later in. the day Lizzie Clayton,
also culored, WIS taken into custody by
the Sarne officers. The Clayton woman
lives in the same neighborhood, and for
some time has been Il bitter enemy Of
the dead wnman. 1t was thought Lest to
arrest her, although there is no direct
evidence connecting her with her neigh
hnr's death.
Jessie Cook. the fourth person under ar
rest, was known to he close friend OF
the Chisley woman, and 1t is hoped that
she Ina throw some light on the case. The
strongest suspicion. however, points to-
ward Holden. although motive is as yet
lacking. Several days ago the man pre-
pared II similar dose for his wife TO that
he gave her Saturday. The glass was left
standing on Il liable for few moments and
Susie Hight, a girl who lives In the same
house, drank Il portion OF its contents.
SHE DRANK THE MIXTURE.
Almost Immediately she was seized with
violent cramps. and became so i'll that
she was removed to Freedman's Hos
pital, where sue is at present.
Saturday morning when Holden prepared
the drink for his wife he was alone in the
room, the woman having gone out for a mo-
ment. He also mixed himself a glass and
drank with her. He left the house al once
and did not return unit! late In the day.
His wife was seized almost immediately
with COMMISSIONS and manifested similar
symptoms to the Hight girl who had been
taken i'll from the same cause several days
before.
These facts, together with Hoiden's ac-
tinns before and since his arrest. have en-
ablcd the police to weave a strong net of
circumstantial evidence about him. As
yet. no wever the eexactcause useofthewoman's
death is unknown. This will he ascertain
ed ut the autopsy to obeperformedb by Deputy
Coroner G,aZebrook this morning. The
body was removed to the morgue la st night
and the remnants OF several powders and
other evidence was placed In the possession
OF Coroner Hammett.