Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-04-04

Ernest button, colored, was arraigned
IN the Municipal Court Thursday
on the technical charge of administer
I ing poison, with intent to commit
y murder, to William Gibbs and William
Dennis, also colored. All had been
\ boarder5 Mt the residence of Mrs. Rachel
| Ellegood, oolored, No. Mechanic
street, and Wednesday Gibbs and Dennis,
\ and also amos Ellegood, another
\ bcarder, were taken sick after eating
n pork and beans, with symptoms of
n poison. Ellegood's cass did mot appear
to be serious, but the condition of
NJ Gibbs and Dennis soon became alarm
N ing, and during the afternoon they
II were sent to the Delaware Hospital.
IN Chief of Police Massey was notified
VI and detailed Patrolmen Kelley and
VI Gilling on the case, and, learning that
there bad been some trouble between
VI button and some of the other boarders,
the officers took button into custody
W and locked him up pending TN investi-
cation.
a sample of the pork and beans was
lIcent to DIR. Frank Roop Smith, who
taHae chemical analysis and Thursday
t1ofhiug reported in letter to Chief
odyssey that he had found All abund-
gnep of arsenic in the samples, and, as
itM believed the ar.enic was placed
VI lt16the food by some person having
Nfinli ious designs Chief Massey and
#Cis men are making rigid investiga;
fi6De with the hope OF ascertaining who
\ d Responsible for the deed and when
IA where the arsenic was procured.
Ever since Dutton was arrested by
olicemen Gilling and Kelley, on sus.
ihion OF being concerned in the
!, Xp3air. which was Yesterday week..
eiHtective Mitsil has Eeen working on
Lac case, and Friday he learned
That man answering the description
M Dutton had purchased Rough on
HI wats, deadly poison containing
wAenic, at the drug store of Dir. M.
stro, Sixth and Pine streets, on Tues
iW week, when, it is supposed, the
X iroison was placed In the pork and
areans which made others in the house
n Ndpk on the following day.
INE&This was most important clue, and
lN&korder TO follow it up, the detective
VA Harry Stradley, clerk at Dr.
Bstro's store, accompany him to the
Islice station, and there, in the office
tild in the presence Of Chief of Police
Massey, he was confronted by Dutton.
I'D after looking at the prisoner we'll
Stradley told the chief and de,
\ btive that button was the man to
4, t5eom he sold the Rough on Rats. He
Gas positive, and his statements rela-
Eve to the sale were borne out by DR..
NNlnstro, who was in the store when the
sI1e was made.
ANI y Notwithstanding this positive evi.
NJ M5nce against him, Dutton stoutly pro-
NlI NBted his innocen se and said Mr..
I'm HIradlay was mistaken when he; said
II iAM bought Rough on Rats at The store
" IsAs, Tuesday week OF at any other time
CHARMED to know nothing about the
E3isoning. N
Abeteotive witsiI and Policemen
Killing and Kelley. who have also
Ven working on the case have been In
Ehrmed by people at the Mechanic
Nreet house that Duttun made threat:
1Rainst the others there, saying he wai
Nj gping to make change there. He il
lie son in law Of Mr. and Mrs. Ellie
iYod, and the officers were Informed
Wat he and his vile had had trouble
ia ,he had peen ordered out of th
lVuse. This tooK place on Tuesda.
IN VSening. and he remained in the hous
nM night. On Wednesday morning
lrfs. Ellegcod refused to give him hi
ifeakfasS, SO she alleges, telling him Il
10 elsewhere. The authorities beliey
M fley have a strong case.
Nln Municipal Court Saturday morn
Uk, Judge Churchman held Zines
bptton, oolored, in So, 600 for the Cour
pAfA General Sessions. having bee
M yarged with administering poison t
n Itolilliam and Rachel Ellegood, Amo
z alegood, their son and William Gibbs
stiilliam Dennis and Joseph Hopkins
Y esbnrders, all oolored, living at til
ca,use No. Mechanic street with in
W. Nbt to commit murder, In the warrau
n IN We deed is alleged to have been com
I'M Nttted last Wednesday.
call of the sick people have recovere
Ncept Gibbs, who is still 10 critics
qindition at the Delaware Hospita
no physIcians are hopeful of his II
IIs1}Sery. S@
~ luton was arraigned Saturda
Nnd at the hearing damaging evidenv
HKainst him was adduced.
lMMfIhe extreme punishment in sue
IkWE es, III the event of conviction,
WI tpm $500 to 5000 fine, inprisopmer
nt exceeding four years and GO lash,
n H5d one hour in the pillory. Shoul
NE or more of the victims die I'll
u barge is, of course, murder.
LAT the hearing Saturday. Rach
plegood, who keeps the boardinghoui
N No. Mechanic street, testified th;
b Tuesday night all of the people
NIl ne mouse ate Deans, Dut telt no
Xxx Fleets. Some of the beans were lie
< IN ser and warmed for breakfa7t. 81
\ Nh lleged that all who alta OF the beal
lW IN Wednesday morning were made sicl
\ W NJoseph Hopkins, boarder at ii
n Abuse, ate beans for supper, but moi
Nj breakfast. He ate of the pork
Nc beaus in the morning, howeye
h sI3d became very sick shortly afte
\ Nprd. He also ate apple sauce I
\ lflNeakfast. On Wednesday he start
(, NN go 10 work, but was unable to cor
IL Nete the journey and stopped at Il
Y Wsidenoe Of a friend until the ne
n Bshy, when he HAD recovered
Y Hi nWilliam Dennis. one of the men W
JMA As sent to the hospital, said he q
A Msans for dinner last Wednesday. AT;
gR 1Ating three spoonfuls OF the beans
WI W(acanle sick and did not eat any MOI
WE aiarred back to work, but was
1V abs to go far, being yeiy sick, al
atppned on the way. Later he was Sc
VI to' The hospital. Dennis said there "
nj VA Railing betN cen him and Quito
XVII having had trouble over a woma
&MI Dennis alleged that button told h
IN|I thntif be touched him he would ne,
AD|I touch any body else. The witness a.
vH|l said be heard Mrs. Ellegood tell Quite
NVu who is her son in-law, to take
MI eff6cts and leave the house, as he "
ANN cfentlng dissension among the boarde
~ N|l and ne also heard button say to Nj
HnA IN, b. ..