Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-31
ALMOST A TRAGEDY.
An Attempt Made to Poison the Entire
Family of ii. c.. Purcell, in
Columbia.

The Columbia Record contains the fol-
lowing account of an attempted poison-
ing:
One of the most diabolical deeds ever
committed in this or any other place
was the attempt to poison the entire
family of H. G. Purcell on Monday morn
ing last.
The case is a most peculiar one in all
its aspects, and especially so from the
fact that the examinations of the par
ties implicated failed to show any mo-
tive for the attempted crime.
Soon after eating breakfast Monday
morning the members of Mr.. Purcells
family, consisting of himself and wife
and seven children, one of whom is an
infant and escaped eating the poisoned
food, were taken i'll. Physicians were
sent for and all was confusion and alarm.
None could account for the sickness
which had thus suddenly come upon
them, but suspicion naturally pointed
TO something they had eaten for break
fast, and finally settled upon the bis
cults, and these proved to have been
the source. Some of them were taken
to the Columbia drug store where an ex-
animation and test was made and they
were found to contain morphine. Wheth-
er the amount was too small or too great
to produce death is not known, but hap
PLY all the sick recovered but not with
out care and medical attention.
Then came the task of solving the
question of who had attempted the fiend-
ish murder of whole family. Mrs. Pur-
cell does her own cooking, and the only
servant on the place is a 12-year-old
nurse girl, among whose duties is that
of lighting the various fires in the MORN
ing. Nothing was learned until Tues
day morning, when Mr.. Purcell ques-
toned the girl closely, and she finally
confessed that she had put something
in the dough tray, but that 1t was given
to her by one Rena Rivers, and that she
did not know what 1t was. The Rivers
woman was employed as cook by Mrs. l..
G. Clark, nearby neighbor The young
girls name is Lulu Odom, and warrants
were at once issued for them both.
They were taken before Justice of the
Peace F. F. Koerber and examined sep
arately. Lulus story was in substance
that while she was on her way to Mr..
PurcelPs, about daylight, she was over
taken by Rena, Who handed her small
package and told her to put it in the
tray and tell nobody about it. This she
did when she arrived at the house and
lighted the kitchen fire. She stated that
the stuff was white and like soda, but
that when she asked Rena what it was
the latter refused to tell, and only
laughed and cautioned her to do as she
told her. She said there was large
tablespoonful of the powder, and that she
intended telling Mrs. Purcell about it,
but circumstances prevented and she for
got all about it until she came to eat her
breakfast, when she thought of it and did
not eat her biscuit and this fact aroused
suspicion, not only in regard to the bis
cults, but also led to the belief that she
knew something of the matter.
The testimony of the Rivers girl was a
direct contradiction of Lulus story. She
denied even having seen her on the MORN
ing in question, and told her story in
most straightforward manner, which i'm
pressed the court with the idea that she
was innocent of the charge made by the
child, and this view was held by nearly all
who heard the evidence.
Having gained all the information pos
sible at the time, Justice Koerber sent
Lulu to the calaboose while Rena was al
lowed to accompany the officers and
others who desired to further question
her alone. And a different tale she told
She confessed that she had sworn false
ly and said that she did give Lulu the
morphine, but that it had been given to
her by still another girl with instructions
to give it to Lulu and tell her to put it
in the tray. She gave the name of Estell
Goodwin as the party who had procured
the poison, and further stated that Dali
las Rhines had purchased it for Estell at
the City drug store on the Saturday night
previous. This statement, which she af-
forwards swore to in court called for the
arrest of the parties named, and they
were soon De1Ore MS noHDI. lHci
stories, told separately were fatty OPP
posed to that of Rena. Estell denied Civ
ing the poison to Rena, or of knowing
anything about It, Said she did not see
Rhines that night and that he did not go
to the drug store with her and get the
morphine, as Rena had charged.
The evidence connecting Dallas with
the affair was not sufficient to warrant
holding him and he was discharged. Re-
ma and Estell were held in the sum or
$500 each to await the action of the
grand jury, and not being able to give
bond they went to Jail. Little Lula was
placed under 500 bond, which was readi-
~ given.
& All the parties implicated are negroes.
and with the exception of Lula. are of
unsavory reputation. The two girls Re-
ma and Estell,i live in the same house,
and Dallas is said to be the lover of Es-
tell She at one time cooked In the Pur-
cell family but said she had no reason
to wish to injure any of them, as an at
tempt had been made to show One bit
of evidence was secured which showed
malice on her part toward the Purcell
family, and it is freely talked on the out
side that she bears a strong hatred to-
ward them, especially the children. There
is more in the case of these two girls
than has yet appeared, and the investi-
cation of the grand jury will be anxiously