Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-10-27
A WEEK IN INDIANA.
RECORD or HAPPENINGS FOR
SEVEN DAYS.
The Petit PoisOninS-A Noted Case
Recalled by Mrs. Elma whitehead.s
ath-A Saddened Woman Whose
Life Was Wrecked.


Shawnee Mound removes the last OF
the parties prominent in the defense OF
the Rev. ". F. Petit, and ends life
that for the last ten years has been 4
burden. Previous to 1857, when Petit
came TO Shawnee Mound as the pastor
of the Methodist church. Ms. White
head was the acknowledged social
leader Of that prosperous community,
and she was also the most influential
woman IN that strong church. She
was the daughter OF the late David
Meharry, man Of wealth and influ-
ence, and she was the widow OF
Methodist minister Of some note.
Fetltt came TO Shawnee heralded as
the most promising young divine in
the conference, and he at once took a
hrm hold on the congregation. His
fame went abroad. and as a minister
and Mason he was known far and
wide, being e'"cted grand prelate Of
the Knights Templar only few
months previous to his downfall. While
IN the heyday OF his success tempta-
ton came his way and he was lost.
David MeharTy called upon him to
make his will, Petit having once been
lawyer, and he then learned that
Mrs. Whitehead was \ woman who
would one day be very rich. Almost
Immediately he seems TO have con
celyed an awful plan for becoming PCS
sessed of this wealth. Within a few
weeks after making this Will, Petit.
although a married man, began clan
destinely and seduotively to lay siege
to the heart of the widow. Only too
well he succeeded. and finally wrung
from her the promise that in case he
should ever be free she would wed him.
Three weeks later Mrs Petit was a
corpse, and the whole countryside was
Sossiping. This gossip finally became
a charge that she had died of poison,
and an investigation proved that she
really had died of strychnine. admin
lstered presumably by her husband.
Petit, in the meantime, had left the
ministry under charges. and when in
dicted, he was found and arrested in
Ohio. When he was brought back to
Lafayette. Mrs. Whitehead sought out
her former pastor. the Rev G. w
Switzer. and, in tears. told him that
she and Petit had been more to each
other than they should have been. Size
ACKNOWLEDGED her fault. but with hOr-
ror denied all knOwledged of the
crime. Two days later other influ-
ences were brought 10 bear on her and
she absolutely refused to give testi-
mOny that would damage Petitt's ease.
Then the state had her indicted as an
accOmplice. Thus the cast stood until
Petit came / Charlottesville Oh a
change of Venue, and it was deter
mined to try Mrs. Whitehead first. This
the state did not wish, as there was no
possible chance of conyicting her.
Therefore her ease was nolied. and be-
fore she could be served as a witness
in the case against Petit she was
spirited out of the state and to the
Pacific slope, where she remained in
retirement until after the minister had
been convicted and sentenced TO prison
for life. Petit suffered in the Michi-
gan City prison for over a year and
died there the day after the Supreme
court granted him new trial, his last
words being: Justice comes too late"
Mrs. Whitehead returned to her faith
er's home after the Petit trial. and
during the remaining days OF the sad
ly-broken old man. she was his devoted
attendant. They Travelled much, and
she, although a physical wreck. was
untiring in her attendance When he
died, several years ago, she took up
her home in the old Meharry place.
and lived there quietly the rest of her
days. She was saddened woman,
and gave mp her hours Of respite from
physical suffering to good works. She
had the sympathy Of he whole COM
munity. as she was regarded as wom-
an who had erred because she was I'M
able TO resist the viii of a powerful
and designing man. She was never "A
woman Of force. while Petit was a
man of wonderful fascination and
strength of purpose. She leaves a
large estate. which, it is thought, she
disposed Of by will.
Indiana Breyities.
The Marion city council has appoint
ed a committee 10 investigate the law
bearing on the question of regulating
the price of gas.
Burglars plundered the Big Four
railway station at Lafontaine, secur-
ing $Si cash and tickets, but overlook
ing a roll of $50.
George Beard, employed in the IN
diana dis.ilIery at Terre Haute. fell
into tank of scalding hot refuse and
was terribly injured.
Judge X. Nj. HOrd met with a rOus-
ing reception at his Shelbyyille home,
in recognition of his election as grand
sachem. Indiana Red Men.
Rocklane, in Johnson county. has
but one street. and il derives its name
from the shape of the village The
town supports two churches
Bert Julian. the murderer of Michael
Houlehan, Of ColfaX. has been com
mitted without bail at Frankfort. TO
await grand jury investigation.
The Murcie News cordially approves
the suggestion that Lawton should be
l,,.itr Ii,r in, h. 70,