Middletown transcript., 1898-08-20
REWARD OF 81. 900.

/
The largest reward ever offered in Deli
ware has been offered by Gov. Tunnel an
Attorney General White Tor the arrest an
conviction of the person or persons VIII
caused the death of Mrs. Joshua D. Dean
and Mrs. ]. Preston Dunning, daughters Q
ex-Congressman Pennington, by poisoning
through the means of q box of candy, il
Dover, August 11th and 18th.
A more heartless murder has never oc
Cured in the State. A box of apparently
harmless and inviting chocolates was sen
through the mails to Mr.. Dunning ant
was received on the eveEing mail Of thl
10th, a nephew, Harry Pennington being
the messenger from the post Office. Sitting
on the porch at the time were Mr. and Mrs
John B. Pennington, their two daughters
now deceased, Mrs. Deans fifteen year old
daughter Leola, Mrs. Dunning's five year
old daughter Elizabeth, and visitors, Miss
Josephine Bateman, Miss Ethel Milling
ton, and Miss Edith Clark, niece of Mr..
]. c. Parker, of this town. The candy was
in plain box, and when opened had a
handkerchief spread over it with note
with love for yourself and baby-Mrs. c.
The candy was passed around Fortu-
nately for the visitors they took very little
and far the children they took the smaller
pieces not poisoned it is thought. Mrs.
Deane and Mrs. Dunning ate more and
died from the effects of poison by arsenic,
the former Thursday evening and the latter
Friday evening. From an analysis made
by State chemist, DIR. T. R. Wolf, of Della
ware College there was arsenic enough in
three pieces to kill four persons, there
being Jumps as large as peas. Mrs. Deane
was taken i'll about midnight and supposed
the trouble was from the corn fritters and
fish eaten at supper. DR.. L. A. H. Bishop
was called early in the morning and later
DIR. P. s. Downs. Not for several hours
was arsenical poison suspicioned or the
eating of the candy mentioned. Antidotes
were then too late. The other parties eat
ing the candy were sick but have recovered.
Who sent the candy? 1t came as first.
class mail matter, something very unusual,
the postage being % cents, and the post
mark is indistinct but it is supposed to be
from San Francisco, where Mr.. and Mrs.
Dunning lived for several years. Mrs.
Dunning came east over two years ago and
made her ONE with her parents since.
Mr.. Dunning came east when the war
opened and after a visit to his wife and
oh 10 ho kot al.
associated press. The TRANSCRIPT several
weeks since published letter descriptive
Of battle which he saw, which was
written to his wife. Mr.. Dunning went to
Porto Rico from Cnba and is expected
home to-day or tomorrow. 1t is expected
he can throw some light upon the matter.
The feeling is general that ''there is
woman in it, and that jealousy is the
cause. Dover people talk of nothing else
and in Middletown where was Mr.. Dun
ning's boyhood home there is great SYM
pathy for him and the family or Mr. PEN
niugton.
It is said that Mrs. Dunning asked anx-
iously just before she died if she were
going to die as though she had that upon
her mind which she would communicate.
She was told that she would recover. This
may be thought wise professionally but
under all such circumstances to many it
has the appearance of heartless cruelty.
What is best under such trying circum-
stances is not easily decided, however.
Attorney General White promises to do all
possible to discover and punish the mur-
derer or murderers.