The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-04

The above is the verdict of the coro-
ner's jury that has for two days been
holding an inquest over the body of
Julia Hobby, the wife of Green Hob
by, who died Sunday afternoon, appar-
emily from the effects of poison.
The evidence on which this verdict is
based is very slight indeed. and purely
circumstantial. but the jury seemed to
feel under the necessity of holding some
body after the long and tedious inyes-
tigatiom they had gone through. and the
result was the above verdict. 1t is pos
sible that hereafter evidence may he
discovered that will connect the boy
with the crime, but so far there is
mighty little.
The evidence yesterday against George
Lee. who is the dead woman's brother,
was this:
l. He acknowledges buying rat poison,
and says he bought it on Saturday night
before his sister was taken sick at
breakfast on Sunday morning; but that
he bought it for man named Sam
Jones. The druggist says he bought it
Sunday morning between IL and II
o'clock. which was after his sister was
poisoned He inquired at three drug stores
Saturday night for the poison and told
one druggist he was buying it for Sam
Jones. who was troubled by rats.
,. He did net eat breakfast at Hobby 5
Sunday morning, but went off before
breakfast with some boys, to hunt wild
grapes. He remained away all day.
and when he returned he stopped at
the Hobby house, which was full of PEG
pie, only few minutes. He then went
on to a neighbours where he stayed for
some two hours.
This is the sum and substance of the
evidence brought out at the inquest
against George Lee, and on which he
is held. OF course there may be other
evidence discovered later,f not the grand
jury will never be able TO find a true
bill against the boy.
Green Hobby, the dead woman's hus-
band, was released from Jail ON the
finding of the verdict against George
Lee.
Hobby was represented at the inquest
by two attorneys. j. G. l.. Harris and
Il. A. Johnson. The Lee boy had no
attorney.
The coroner's investigation, which be-
gan at Green Hobby's house Monday
afternoon at o'clock, and lasted some
ing ait 1920 O'Clock in the court house.
AT 1:3O, an hours recess was taken
for dinner. When the court re-assem-
bled at 2.30 o'clock it was in session but
a few minutes and then another recess
was taken until ) O'clock in order that
post norton examination of the
dead woman's body might be made. The
examination was not completed until
5:15. The doctors made their report
and the jury took the case at 5:3o, FIT
teen minutes later they came back and
rendered the above verdict.
The post norton examination was
made by DIR. j. j. Il. McCullers, coroner;
DIR. +. Il. Hines, counEy superinten-
dent of health, and DIR. A. ]. Buffaloe.
Their report was as follows:
.We, the undersigned, beg to repor,
that we have examined the body OF
Julia Hobby, deceased, opening the cav
ity Of the lungs heart and abdomen.
and we found all the organs in healthy
condition except the stomach, small N
testines. and the right lobe of the liver,
which were very much conge$e1. We
removed the stomach entire, sealed il
up i'm glass bottle prepared for Ii,
purpose and dlivered the same to tie
coroner.
The coroner delivered the bottle con
tanning the stomach to Mr.. Julius Lewis
chairman Of the county commits sioncrs
as the law directs. Mr.. Lewis wi
have II chemical analysis or the con
tents Of the stomach made by the State
chemist at the earliest possible date