The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-12-20
THE LICENSE WAS GRANTED IN
WHEELING AS RECORD IN
CLERKS OFFICE SHOWS
BIGGEST SENSATION YET SPRUNG IN FAMOUS MURDER CASE

The States attorneys, Lowe and Nor
ris, in some way got wind Of the fact
,rat Wright and Mrs. Payton were
n arried, several days ago. Not until
this morning were steps taken to in
vestlgate. The West vIrsinlan called
up the clerk Of the Ohio county court
and aseertained that a license had
Heen issued to james Wright and Hell.
en- Phillips on the third day of August
last. This comedies exactly with the
time they were in Wheeling and was
the day on which Mrs. Payton, or
Wright, was alleged to have stolen
tie linen.
A copy of the marriage license ar
rived in this CRY from Wheeling on
train "A this afternoon, He gives his
mime as plain James Wright, age q
and residence at sistersvlIIe.
She gives her name as Helen Phil
lips, aged "a, and residence at Man.
rlneton.
The license was returned the same
dsy, August Sd, and was signed by l.
W. Roberts, Minister.
Wright was visited In the county
jail Just before press time this after.
noon by West VirgInian reporter
and asked regarding the matter.
He would neither affirm nor deny.
He was asked If he gave the name Of
James Frank Wright or F. James
Wright, but the only reply he made
was to say, ''You will have to see my
Iawyers. | can't talk to you. have
got myself in trouble now by talking
tco much"
The new evidence will not be intro.
duced by the State, It is thought, be.
cause of the statute existing wherein
a man may net give damaging evidence
against his wife nor the wife against
the husband. The State has hopes of
sending both to the penitentiary, part.
ly en- the evidence of each other.
1t seems that the only question that
could possibly arise in the minds Of
the jurymen as to the guilt or limo.
cence of Helen May Payton is, could
the strychnine which caused her hus.
bands death have been administered
to him without his knowledge? Three
different persons heard her say that
she was going to Fairmont for some
thing to put him away with and two
of these we're informed on her return
that she had procured the stuff. One
of these heard her say, presumably
after administering the first dose, III
that don't fix him I will give him an.
other that will" While in Fairmont
her paramour, Wright, purchased the
drug at local pharmacy and the
couple spent the night together at a
local hotel. There is scarcely any
doubt but that Wright purchased the
drug as the signatures on the hotel
register, where he used his own name,
and on the poison record where he
gave his name as Frank Brown, were
identical as regards the Frank. Near.
ly every medical man of standing in
the city has been summoned and
asked their various opinions as to
strychnine and alcoholic poisoning.
All answer the question as to what
caused death, asked from question
prepared by the prosecuting attorney,
which gives the symptoms on the case,
in identically the same manner All
agree that death was due to strych.
nine poisoning. Deceased, according
to about all the witnesses, was addict
ed to the use Of woOd8!cohol to ex.
cess and besides was confirmed
opium smoker. The States attorney
has asked most of the physicians II
the use Of these two Injurious drugs
would in any way impair the taste
nerves. It seemed TO be the opinion
of all the medical gentlemen that they
would cause more or less numbness.
Then each was asked II strychnine,
in sufficient quantity TO J kill, would,
if diluted in a cop of hot coffee, be
disguised enough to be taken by any.
one. AS this drug is one of the most
bitter known to medical science, some
answered one way and some the
other. That seems to be the only loop,
hole through which the prisoner Is
offered a means of escape. OF course
the statements Of the three witnesses
who testified that they had heard her
say she would put her husband out
of the way and would fix him, etc.,
we're denied in toto by Mrs. Payton
while on the stand yesterday after
noon.
The statements of Mrs. Kate Shu'
man were first dlssected by Attorney
Ogden and the defendant She was
asked If she had ever had such con
versations with Mrs shuman, where
in she, the prisoner, was supposed to
have said she was going away to get
the stun to put Jake out of the way
nn..iol no1o nt rninnnd nrlnes