The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-04
MYSTERIOUS POISONING CAsE.is
Man on Trial For Giving His Mother
Arsenic.

Dover, n. H., January 3.--Good pro.
gross was made during the first day of
tho preliminary hearing in the local po-
lice court of Alfred W. Jones, charged
with the murder of his mother, Sally W
Jones.
Mrs. Jones died in December, 1896, and
1t is claimed by the local authorities that
her death was caused by arsenic Just
previous to her death. Mrs. Jones was I'M
der treatment by physician, having re-
ceived injuries from being thrown from
q carriage near Rochester. where she was
going with her husband, VIM. Jones.
While only two witnesses were heard
today their testimony was most impor-
tant for the state.
Prof. Edward F. Wood of Harvard Medi-
cal school, testified to receiving a letter
from Albert j. Jonesl in relation to an
examination of the stomach and mites.
tines of his mother whom he was positive
had been poisoned. Prof. Wood also told
of receiving thesstomach and intestines of
the deceased, and of finding a small guam
tity of arsenic, but the exam ination as
yet is not complete. He was not able to
form an opinion whether the arsenic
caused her death until a further examina-
ton had been made and he had been in
formed of her appearance before and after
ler death.
The other witness for the day was Vim.
Jones, aged ~ years. father of the ac-
cused, and the husband of the deceased.
He proved an excellent witness for the
state in reciting the particulars of the
accident sickness, and death of his wife,
and the finding of Alfred looking into a
chest that contained valuable property
of the household.
He testified that no had lived with his
wife Sc years. On October .. 1896, they
both started for Rochester, n. H., in a
team, but on their WAY there the horse
took fright the cars, and both were
thrown out. Mrs Jones was severely in
Jured and was taken to nearby house
where she remained for 10 days. Alfred
was "a frequent caller.
Alfred told me thaJ his mother was
going to die and for me to chose whether
should go with him to his house or to
the county farm. When sally was dy-
ing, Alfred asked Mrs. Prescott for the
keys to the chest, where the money and
papers were kept.
He unlocked the chest and took out the
bank book and papers, In the chest were
$40 in bills and $40 in geld. There were
also diamonds in the chest together with
two notss from Alfred TO his mother
one Tor $3.50, and another for 500, testi-
fed MIR. Jones'
Mr.. Jones said that he was powerless
to stop his son. He looked in the chest
on Thursday and did not find any of the
valuables. He never had any poison
about the house, and didsnot poison his
wife
Under cross-examination gwitness said
that he consulted Attorney Edgerly about
the property which he claimed Alfred had
taken, but said nothing about the poison
ing. The keys and the bank hoolS were
returned few. Il days, after. the ddeath of
Mrs. Jones.
Mr.Jones was oross-examined at length
regarding the affairs of the household.
He said he never had any trouble with
his wife.
The examination of tho witness had
not finished when the court at o'clock
adjourned until 8 o'clock tomorrow
morning.