The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-12-28
Mrs. Rathbun Tells Her StOry--Sugar
Used in Poisoned Coffee Brought
From CabOOse, She, Claims.

New Haven. Dec. 2s-Sensation after
sensation has crowded into the revela-
Cons In the Rathbun case, which has al
peady established itself as the most fa-
nous case in the history of the state.
The police searched the .Rathbun house,
No. l25 Chestnut street While they did
not arrest Mrs. Rathbun, they insisted
that she accompany them In the search.
They were her companions and escorts.
The officials discovered jug Of wine
which had the same suspicious flavor rs
the coffee which killed the woman's hus-
band. William Rsthbun. last Friday, and
which poisoned his oldest. closest friend,
John f. Hart, although Hart has recov-
cred.
Within an hour chemical experts dis
covered that the wine. like the coffee.
was heavy with large quantity of sorie
pfeparation of arsenic
They discovered two life insurance poll
efes, each for $500. taken out by Rathbun
and Hart several months ago, and both In
favor OF Mrs. Rathbun.
They learned that two years ago Rath-
bun tried to commit suicide. All the facts
rs to this attempt on his life are not yet
in possession OF the police. But they know
that just before IL Mrs. Rathbun visited
8avin Rock. and that a man was there
with her who probably is the only per-
son who can shed full light on Rathbuns
attempt on his life This man is now In
the South. The police are trying TO get
him here.
ARSENIC IN THE BODY.
The result OF the preliminary chemical
examination of the contents of Rathbuns
stomach was announced Tne stomach
was full of arsenic. which caused his
death.
The. police and Coroner Mix further IN
formed themselves about the death Of
Mrs. Rathbun's son. Willie. who died
from arsenic poisoning six years ago.
Mrs. Rathbun startled her cross-exair-
liners by saying that Hart refused 20 lock
on Rathbuns dead face and refused to so
90 his old friends funeral, An equally
amazing statement was that Hart insist-
81 that sugar be put in his coffee on
Thursday night, the night before he start
ed for his train with the coffee In his din
ner pail.
When she had told her tale, had made
her explanations. Mrs. Rathbun was al
lowed to go home. The police are closely
watching her.
Hart was also severely examined. There
are discrepancies between his story and
Mrs. Rathbuns.
Hart vows that he begged the police
who were holding him on Monday after
noon 10 permit him to go to Rathbun's
funeral.
Mrs. Rathbun was most closely ques-
TONED by the coroner. Police Captain
Brewer and Detective Sergeants McGrath
and Ward as TO the sugar with which
both the wine and coffee were sweetened.
She said:
MRS. RATHBUN's STORY.
"After my husband sweetened the wine
he tasted IL to see II he had put enough
sugar I'm it. lie said il was all right, but
that we would have TO let IL stand awhile
until II worked My son Walter also swal-
lowed some OF the wine"
~ did not know until my husband came
home that he had drunk any coffee or
that he was sick she insisted. IL had no
notion what made the men sick Hart
said TO me when he was I'm the kitchen
after he had come I'm, sick:
VIII will probably be along on the
next train. lie must be sick by this time,
tool
Hart placed the tin pail containing
what remained of the coffee and his lunch
on the kitchen shelf He saw the children
trying 10 reach the can 10 take drink OF
the coffee. Hart cried 10 me, Don't LET
the children touch IT.. But he did not tell
me he thought there was anything wrong
with the coffee. ! washed out the dinner
pail because ! was cleaning up my kitch-
en- tins. and ] did not like to have a
dirty pail around.
My husband came homo an hour after
Hart did. and said ne was dcathly sick
j told Percy. my son. 10 jump the back
yard fence and run for DIR. Klenke. His
yard almost adjoins ours. The doctor got
% our house IN about ten minutes
ONLY IMAGINATION"
when got a chance 10 ask my hus-
bard what made him sick. he told me
that Hart had said 70 him in the caboose
that his coffee tasted like pepper nv
husband said he answered. oh, pshaw,
that's your Imagination But to satisfy
Hart he had swallowed some Of the coffee
and told Hart that II was all right Isn't
Il atrang< that Hart brought home the
rest OF the coffee lie had only tasted a.
Bot ne toid my husband he was very SICK
and must go home"
II made The coffee In large tin pail
A. We drink coffee rather infrsquently
DO not use cOfee pot. Hart told me "a
strain the coffee from the pail In which
~ was r,ade into the dinner pail that he
carried. He said he did not want the
have II strained. He asked me TO let the
coffee stand IN his dinner pa~l sftsr
efrsfning a.. and asked me particularly 70
put IN The rnifk ard sugar ard 70 lei
them stand in The pail ard 10 let TIE
whole mixture boil
NY husband ssfd: No. don't nut the
mIk and sugar Ia new. Wait till nornina