The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-08-11
CORONER'S JURY
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he heard Mrs. Payton drink part Of
the coffee"
Twelve witnesses were examined
during the progress of the inquest.
Three of these. Wesley Nay, Garfield
Mcdonald and Kate Shuman, test.
fed to hearing Mrs. Payton threaten
to poison her husband. Kate Shuman
said that just before Helen PAXTON
came to Fairmont on Saturday, July
18th, she told her that she was going
to get something to fix him; and If
that didn't fix him she would get some
thing that would"
Mrs. Peyton was questioned very
carefully by Attorney Morris about
this Fairmont trip. She said that on
her way to Fairmont that Saturday
morning she was joined at Under.
wood by Alva Jones and spent the day
in Fairmont running around" with
him. They didn't eat either dinner
or supper but shortly after noon went
out to Traction Park and stayed there
till three o'clock when they went to
the ball game. returning to Fairmont
about five O'Clock. She declared EN-.
phatically that she did not go into
any store while she was in town.
Frank Wright, on the stand, gave
a narrowing description of Payton's
death. He said he got up on his
knees on Payton's chest and tried, in
answer to Payton's agonized appeals,
to "straighten him out" Payton's
head would draw back and Wright
would lock both his hands behind Pay.
tons head and pull it forward. Then
Payton's arms would contract and he
could pull them straight only with the
greatest effort. No sooner would he
get his arms pulled out" than his
legs. would draw in, and by the time
they were Strengthened, his head
would be bent back again, and SO on
till the tortured man died. Payton's
death, as described by Wright and
other witnesses, the doctors who tes.
titled agreed as being characteristic
of strychnine poisoning.
Wright's mother and his sister were
present from Sistersville and were
evidently in great distress. During
most oft the hearing Mrs. Wright
walked up and down the street before
the mayors Office where the inquest
was held.
The verdict Of the jury was told
Mrs. Payton after the party reached
the railroad station to take the train
for Fairmont. When Coroner Amos
told her. she did the customary thing
to the best of her ability but, as one
of the men put it, she was a pretty
bum actor" Wright's shoulder was
convenient SO she tainted against
that, and he comforted her with Zen
dearing ~epithets." He Kept calling
her May" and she insists that that
is her name, though her people say
her name is Helen May.
Wright, by his attorney. A. S.
a iShiiihS, WdiSSu d preliminary near
ing before Justice Amos this morning
and requested that he be permitted to
give bail. Attorney Fleming and At
torney Morris will argue the ques-
ton this afternoon as to whether the
accessory and accomplice" in the
jury's verdict mean accessory be-
fore the fact" or accessory after the
If the latter is allowed by the
magistrate, it is probable that Wright
will be released on bail. Wright
said this morning that he was sure
his father would go on his bond.
When Wright was taken back to
Jail. Mrs. Payton was asked if she
was read: to appear before the jus.
tice. She asked for twenty minutes
to fix her hair. When brought out
she was either really or feignedIy