The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-03-14
WAS POISONED.
Pat Her husband Ou: Ct the Way
Wish Arsenc
A COLUMBIA SENSATION.


Cercea:ed IN the House.
Where it Was Hid by
the Wife.
Columbi. has sensational case for
her next term of court. About the
middle Of last January man By the
name Of J. ". Graddick took sick aud
after time died under very suspicious
circumstances. His wife, Mrs. Belle
Graddick, was arrested on the charge
of poisoning her husband, but was soon
released After the nan was buried
the case was reopencd, the body ex-
humcd and an investigation made by a
chemist, which resulted in the finding
Of arsenic in his stomach, which the
jury Of inquest says was administered
by his wife, who has been res1rested
aud lodged in Jail to stand her trial for
numbering her husband. Graddick was
about 25 years old, the driver Of a bread
wagon. He married when quite young
aud his wife was very good looking, but
they did not live happily. 4 young
maa named Daskins, who was put un-
der arrest, but released, was quite init
mate at the house, and at the coroners
inquest it was stated that he was like
BROTHER TO Grsdoick.
THE INQUEST IN DETAIL.
The coronor's inquest had been post
pond from day TO day, awaiting the re-
port of the chemist, and Wednesday
night when the hearing started the
Court House hell large and anxious
crowd waiting for the developments OF
the case.
The FIRST witness Wednesday night
was the Gradd;cks' cook, colored girl,
named Matte Fisher, who said that
the last Sunday she worked for the
Graddicks Graddick complained about
the cofee. After he took some of the
coffee in the morning be vomited, and
at dinnsr Mrs. Graddick Put something
Gle in the coffee. She quit after that.
GradGick had complained that he was
sick all Saturday night and that his
wife would not hold him up. She asked
Mrs. Graddick what it was she put in
the coffee and Mrs. Graddick told her
itwas something to stop Graodicl from
drinking. She knew there was poison
or something about the bottle because
Mrs. Graddick told her not to wash
Graddick's dishes with the others. She
told Mrs. Constantine, neighbor, that
Mrs. Graddick was puttiog something
in Graddick's coffee that made him
.onit. Mrs. Graddick threatened to
tell D4wkins to kill her and she was
afraid of him She certainly told lie
at the last irquest, but she was afraid
Of Dawkius, ,he friend of Mrs. GRAD
dick. Witness did not eat atthe Grad
dicks on sunday. Mrs. Graddick
made her wash Graddick's coffee bowl
in large can, Graddick and his wife
had hight during Christmas. Grad
dick and Dawkins were friendly: same
as two brothers. Some time before the
fateful Sunday Mrs. Graddick had her
dig hole to put someli,iag in the hole.
Mrs. Graddick told her she got the bot
tie from Ella Tay lor aud paid Sl5 for
it, and it vas to keep Graddlck from
drinking. Mrs. Gradd,ck did pot in:
tend her to see the bottle She called
the stuff ''cofee essence.
MRS. ANDREW CONSTANTINE,
testified that the Negro girl had told
tie story pretty straight. The girl told
her she left there because she knew
something was goirg to happen and
she would be accused. Abouta week
before the Fair Mrs. Graddick said She
wished she was 8 widow, aud she tod
her she would regret it. She did not
keep company with Mrs. Graddick. as
she had heard reports Of her. Grad:
dick rented from witness. She visited
Graddick the day he died. The doc
i tor asked her out Of, the room. DR.:
Sa7le slammed the door after her and
the Negro girl told her there was 20
use to give Graddick so much morphine
and Ehiskey. She told Mrs. Graddick
it was too late to cry after he was dead,
ard seem,d to be provoked there was
neither preacher Dor priest prtsentThen
he died. She had heard pistol shots
over there, but did not know who shot.
ELLA TAYLOR coLoRED,
testified that she knew nothing about
the case. She bought some medicine
from Mr.. Germany. The GTaedlcks
had the same medicine for sale. She
had never sold Mrs. Grodick any sort
Of medicine. She bought good deal
of root medicine aud she let her board
ers have some of it. She Owed Mrs,
Graddick for groceries and never sold
her a cents worth Of anything. She
was lot root doctor, she insisted.
She has the reputation Of being regu-
lar root doctor, whatever that may be-
JOHN SANDERS, a coLoRED BOY,
testified tha: he worked for the Grad
dicks. He vas with Graddick one
night while he was sick. He was IL
the store and did not know anything.
He ate at the Giaddicks with the cook
Mrs Gradiick gave lin what she said
was the medicine during tbs night.
EMMA THOMAS,
q very antique colored woman, testified
Mrs Graddlck came to see her and told
he she was wiling to pay $50 for some
hing to pu, Mr.. Graddick to sleep so he
would never wake. She refused to sell
her anything and they parted. She
lived short distance from the Grad
dicks. She bought occasionally from
the store. SLe was no root doctor and
knew rothiDg about such things.