Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1901-10-08
WOMAN SUSPECTED OF
FOURTEEN MURDERS.
A Widow Under Arrest at Dayton, o.,
Pending investigation Into Aw-
full Charges.

Dayton. o., Oct S.--Mrs. A. ]. Wit
mer, widow residing In this city,
has been arrested by the police at the
instigation of the coroner. and Is held
prisoner at Central station, pending
an investigation into very serious
charges.
Mrs Wilmer. the police say, is sus
pected of IA murders, the list includ-
ing four husbands, FIVE children. one
sister and four members OF different
families In which she was employed
as housekeeper.
The last supposed victim was her
sister, Mrs. Anna Pugh, who died a
NeeA $50 Lal1l aAs seefious elfeuIn-
stances ) An autopsy. performed at
the request of Mrs. winners mother,
who came here from Detroit, is said
to have disclosed the presence OF
arsenic and copperas in the stomach.
Deaths OF othsrs Followed.
Following closely upon the death Of
her FIRST husband, Fred Schweger,
came. according to the police depart
.rnent data. the death OF two children.
The second husband, Frank Brown
died suddenly seven years after the
wedding, aud the children Of this mar
rage died in rapid succession. The
ret husband, william Stone, died at
Middletown, o., and the post norton
disclosed arsenic in the stomach Her
last husband. A. J.. Wilmer, died last
April. In each instance death was
somewhat sudden, and all were
strangely alike.
The prisoner is A years Of age and
formerly lived in Mfddletown, this
state. She has two sons In the Phil
ippines and . sister. it Is stated, In
q New Fork asylum. No conceivable
motive for the suspected crimes has
been disclosed. Drugs which were
found In the house occupied by Mrs
Wilmer are In possession Of the POI
lice and win be examined 0
The death Of Mrs. winners sister,
Mrs. Anna Pugh, took place within
~ hours Of her illness and was as
cribed to gastritis.i Mrs. Pugh
owned property valued at $4,000 and
had will written beQueathing it to
her mother. Her sickness assumed
such a violent form that she was In
capable Of signing the will, although
4 pen was put into her hand while sue
was dying.
Shortly after Mr. Stoves death
Mrs. Wilmer came to Dayton and be-
came housekeeper for Charles X KEEL
Ter, a widower. Keller died suddenly
and the information since gained by
the coroner concerning Kellerss death
is that his ailment was similar to
that OF a person affected by poison
Mrs. Wilmer next acted as house.
keeper for John Wentz, a druggist
In July last Vents 4-year-old son
suddenly died, and two months later
Wentz died. The doctors attributed
VENTS death to blood poisoning. but
Low tell the coroner they were dissat-
isied with their diagnosis at the
time Mrs. Stowe then went to live
with q Mr.. and Mrs. Gabler on Best
street. Rive1,dale. These two persons
died suddenly, and the coroner says
their sickness was Of the nature OF
arsenical poisoning.
Poisoning Not Confirmed.
Prof. Russell Elliott, the chemist.
reported to the coroner last night Ga
the chemical examination made on IL
drugs found in the home Of Mrs. Wit
mer The chemist found no POISON
In IL Of the drugs. The other will be
examined today.
Mrs. Wilmer maintains her limo,
cence of any crime
II was ascertained yesterday that
her nrst husband, Luther Swanger.