Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-09-29
from the Winchester Star.l
Four Persons Poisoned.

brought the intelligence of shocking
affair, which threw the good people Of
that place into an unusal pitch Of ex,
citement, and broke the even tenor Of
the usual Sunday evening. A tragedy
had occurred near Old Chapel which
had no precedent in the memory of the
oldest residents of that vicinity. Ru-
mors of all kinds were afoat-exag-
geration predominating the fact
soon became apparent to all that a
family living near the historic old
chapel had, either Intentionally or un-
willingly, been poisoned.
The rumor to that effect reached
Winchester, and early Monday morn
ing The Star, which is ever to the
front in the matter of furnishing news
to its patrons, sent reporter to the
scene of the poisoning, who gathered
the details of the case, which We give
to our readers.
Mr.. George Everhart, a farmer, liv-
ing in the neighborhood Of Old Chapel,
and his three small children were the
victims of the poisoning. Mr.. Ever
hart is widower, some forty years old,
and for years his family and relatives
have lived in the vicinity Of Boyce.
Some time ago he secured a lucrative
position in Front Royal and moved to
that place About SIX months ago his
wife succumbed to that dread disease,
consumption, leaving him and three
small children to mourn her loss. Mr..
Everhart, after the death of his wife,
moved back to the vicinity of Boyce
where his and his wifes relatives re-
sided. Since the death of his wife the
comforts of the household have been
looked after by his sister-in-law, Miss
Fannie Pyles, comely young lady of
twenty-five years.
From all accounts, the affairs of the
household did not progress evenly and
there were times when hot words
passed between Mr.. Everhart and Miss
Pyles. 1t is also said that since the
death of his wife Mr.. Everhart has
been given to spells of melancholy, and
the theory is suggested that the unfor-
tunate man had poisoned himself and
his little ones in fit of deep despond-
ency, hoping to end his own life and
the lives of his children at one time,
and thus escape from the troubles and
despair f this world, but there are
many facts, which will be related later,
that tend to disprove this theory.
Last Saturday night week ago, it
is said that Miss Pyles and Mr.. Ever
hart had disagreement at dance
which was held at Old Chapel, and
since that time Miss Pyles had been at
her home and Mr.. Everhart had been
keeping house himself. Gossip says
the quarrel was the outcome ofjealousy
on the part of Mr.. Everhart, who was
in love with his sister-in-law, and OBJ
lected to the attentions Of other gen.
men being paid her; but rumors of all
kinds are current, and everyone knows
something of the case. more or less
true.
Yesterday at noon Mr.. Everhart
prepared the midday repast for himself
and little ones, and warmed pot of
cold coffee which was setting upon the
stove, instead of preparing it fresh.
Shortly after eating the meal one of
his children was taken i'll, and he hur-
riedly started for doctor, but on the
road was taken violently i'll himself
and was compelled to summon Sheriff
Briggs, of Clarke county, who lives
about a mile from the farm occupied
by Mr.. Everhart. Mr.. Everhart was
taken home, and it was then found
that the other two children were also
i'll. The symptoms pertained to those
of poison, and DR.. Mccormick, Of Ber-
ryville, was hastily summoned to the
scene. In the meantime the father
and little children were suffering the
intense agony occasioned by the man
ner of drug which they had taken. DR..
Mccormick worked all the afternoon
with his patients and his efforts were
crowned with partial success, for today
the patients are somewhat better, and
hope is now entertained Of their COM
plete recovery.
After the family were comfortable,
DR.. Mccormick examined the different
articles of food the small family had
partaken of at dinner, and it was then
discovered that quantity Of trough
on rats" still remained in the bottom
Of the coffee pot. The dose was sufi-
cient to have killed the entire family
had not prompt measures been SO
quickly applied, and even now it will
be something short of miraculous if the
man and children survive the dose
they swallowed, as trough on rats is
poison of deadly order, and the dose
unknowingly taken by all four was
sufficient to kill them. How the poi
son got into the coffee pot is the mys-
terry now to be solved. The children,
the oldest of which is three years, could
not have done it, and if the father had
meditated suicide, he evidently be-
came frightened when the effects of the
poison began to tell upon him, and he
repented his rash deed and hurried for
assistance. Others claim that the poi
49,. xx.o, bu Tho IacInp Nf