The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-21
is ACCUSED OF
MANY MURDERS
Mrs. Wltwsr Charged With
Causing Death Of IA Persons
POISON THE MEANS EMPLOYED.
-Four Husbands and a Sister Are AmsOg
These She Is Alleged 10
Have Killed.

payton. q, oct 21.-Mrs. Mary Belle
vYtwer. the alleged murdered OF II per
sons. retains q stocism which smazes
The authorities and quite disconcsrts her
attorney She has maintained her com
postre from Che beginning.
ONLY once has she given way 20 tears
and that was when visited by her stepson.
whose father. Frank y. Witwer. her htth
and last husband. is said To have died
from noson which she administered
Young Witwer offered 10 bring the prison
or any delicaoies she might wish and re
minded her that she had always been q
kind mother 10 him.
Aside from this the woman has kept up
an Indifferent attitude under all circunl-
stances Police interviews have Iaileu 10
make the slightest impression upon her
and she has daily reiterated her state
ments with reference to crimes attributed
TO her and reasserted her Innocence. Sew
rral attempts 20 cntrap the prisoner nave
failed and IL is apparent that she viii
make "a good defence.
Evidence against Mrs. Witwer is purely
circumstantlal She is directly charged
with the murder OF her sister Mrs. Anna
q. Pugh. professional nurse. who lived
with Mrs. Nitwer at No 80 Liberty stre<t,
in this city.
Mrs Wnwer lost four husbands and
all died rather suddenly and under Pc
culiar circumstances. In the wholesale
charges Informally made by the authori-
ties she has been accused OF causing the
death of all in addition TO those OF several
children. making total OF fourteen
deaths.
There is no expectation that more than
one crime can be fastened upon the wo-
man. H. indeed. the authorities VIII sue
ceed I'm that She is an adept In holding
her own In trying situations. When ar
raigned on the charge of administering
arsenic 10 her sister she merely shook
her head when the word murder was
pronounced. and at the conclusion OF the
reading OF the affidavit by the prosecutor
she arose. and, in quavering voice, re-
plied distinctly. II am not guilty.
WOMAN OF NERVE.
Mrs. Witwer walked out of the court
room ACCOMPANIED by her attorney, with
her head held haughtily, though her lace
was flushed. She was attired In natty
and neat itting black suit and hardly
Looked her age--forty-seven. Her hair is
slightly tingsd with gray aud she has the
bearing of woman of intelligence and
refinement
In local church circles Mrs. Witwer has
been well and favorably known, naVing
since her residence here been member on
the Hartford street and the Rlverdaie
United Brethren churches She las been
an active member. taking lively interest
In all church affairs. While all OF her
friends were loafh TO believe the charges
against her, none came forward 10 AID
her in her time OF distress. and It deyolved
upon her neighbors To take an interest
in the case. or Mrs. WitWer would hkcly
have been unrepresented at her trial
rha rrelftninarV hearing doNEpftU
for Friday but bv agreement was post
loned until Tuesday next In the mean
time the police hope 10 collect additional
Evidence and believe that a good ease can
be made against the prisoner. She con-
fidently anticipates scduittal, though IL
is the opinion IN police circles that Mrs
Nytwer will bo held tor higher couri.
and that an indictment will be found
against her.
only one offence will be alleged. After
the completion of that one others may ap-
pear. though the story of fourteen mys-
ferious deaths will likely evaporate in
thin air There Is said To be no evidence
associated with the charges informally
made.
Mrs. Witwer was held FOR some time
merely as suspect. The report of
Professor G. G. Howard. of starting
Medical college. was awaited with Keen
interest and il was decided that upon
charge The prisoners attorney became
inratisnt and threatened haheas corpus
proceedings 10 secure the release of MS
client Chief Detective Mcbride imme-
stately swore 10 an affidavit charging her
WIN sdmrntyrErfng ucEutv T'rt-r-rrt r.
Mrs. Push.
CHEMISTS FIND ARSENIC.
proiessor Howard reported the follow
ing fiay and confirmed the chemical tes'
rnhde by Dr. =. VI. Bredenhach. Nh'
found arsenic IN the stomach OF Mrs
Purh who was ~ not more than forty
eigh, hours and suffered great anguish
Prior TO her death Mrs. Pugh summone'
Mr. Fitzgerald LAWYER and dictated tt
terms of her viii Mrs. Witwer wa
called into the room several times 60 re
fresh she ~ TENTS memory FOR names an
addresses 81 leratees. Mrs. Witwer va
beneficiary only upon the death Of he
mother. Mrs Mary Richmond Of Addison
Mich
JUST - the attorney handed Mrs rus
pen with which 10 attach her signstur
1.-the document she sank hack dead "
estate supposed 20 have been worth loA
has been reduced 10 $500 ~ which $500
~ personally and $3.50 IN realty su'a
farm near Franklin. Ohio Two appllc,
,,sns for tho administration of tho estst
hsre hesn hied. ono ny Mt Powell 9
attorney ~ tho suggestion Of the Wtw'
falnilv and The other by Mr Nevis. 81
Recommendations Of the prisoner
Mrs. vitwer Is an inconseoucntial heu'
nciary Ms. Richmond is more ths
eighty year. old At her death the es'a
10 so l.. distributed among Mr. Liz
brown and Mrs. Witwcr Of tiis cit
r-nnnie parashot. Of New y orb. Fran
richmond 90 Addison. Mich. snd Jol
Rlckmond. Of Nashville. Tenn.
srs witwsr asserts that her moth
bought Ioisun 20 kin rats which we
eating isiafoes, but Mrs. Riohmout u
riss the charge While the police
unable 20 nnd potatoes in the cellar vhi
they first Investigated. they made snofh