Evening journal., 1905-05-29
Mary Chambers, a Col
Ored Cook, Accused Of
Placing Arsenic in Grid
die Cakes at the Home
Near MiddIetOWn
She Was Discharged
and 1t is Not Known
Why She Was Not
Prosecuted All of the
Victims Have Recovered
speeIal 70 The EvenIng J0urnal.

Special TO Inc Evening JoulAdi'
Middletown, May 29.-The poisoning
Of the family of Robert A. Cochran,
one of the best known residents of
this section, became known here to-
day. The perpetrator is said to be
Mary Chambers, a colored cook, aged
2s years, who placed arsenic in griddle
cakes which the family ate for break
fast on last Tuesday morning
Seven Of the members became seri-
ously i'll, including Mr.. and Mrs. Coch-
ran. and they were in dangerous con-
dition for several days. They have
now all recovered. however. The cook
was discharged by Mrs. Cochran and
returned to her home near Cecilton,
Nd. It is not known why she was not
prosecuted.
The Cochran family reside on a farm
two miles south of AIiddletown. When
the seven victims became i'll DIT.
Ritchie. OF Middletows was summoned
and he at once diagnosed the cases as
arsenical poisoning. He labored with
the pdlenlS luI StNtidl Ao9' bNANA =
they were pronounced out of danger.
AFFAIR WAS KEPT QUIET.
The affair was kept quiet and it was
not until today that the details were
learned. When Mrs. Cochran ordered
the cook to make the grddle cakes the
latter objected. This caused the ma
ternal head Of the family to say to the
servant: rYou will have to bake the
cakes if I mix them" The colorec
cook. as developments show, then moi
only baked the cakes but mixed pol
son with them as we'll She is believed
10 have used a mixture to have killed
rats.
All of the members Of the house
hold who ate the cakes were soon ar
terward taken i'll. The seven victims
were: Mr.. and Mrs. Cochran Mrs
Louise Griffith. a widowed daughter
Miss lydia Cochran, Miss Josephine
Cochran. Miss Adele Cochran, daugh
ters. and little Hettie Cochran,
granddaughter.
Two sons. Doughlas Cochran ap'
Tanes Cochran. did not eat the cake
and were not affected. The cook ais
LET the food severely alone. The col
ored cook had not been living with IN
she was a trustworthy servant
COOK AROUSED SUSPICION.
After the family had eaten breakfast
the negress aroused suspicion by ask
ing different members of the family
rs anyone sick this mornings" Thi
question was repeated so often tina
when the family were attacked in IN
course of an hour or so its signiiicanc
was only too apparent. The COOK Wel
so far as to say that even the cat
sick this morning" The feline II
therefore supposed, ate of the polsone
food.
Miss Lydia Cochran, one of tn
daughters. was the most seriously al
fected. She ate literally of the cake
and within a few hours her limbs be
came paralyzed. 1t was feared for
time that she would not recover.
Miss Josephine Cochran, anoth'
daughter who is aged seventeen year
became i'll after arriving at the Middle
fown High School where she is pup
She vomited freely and this probab
saved her life. She went to the hon
of her aunt, Mrs. William r. Cochra
here. and was attended by DR.. Ritchi
THE SERVANT OUsTED.
Robert A. Cochran, the father, d
not become i'll until several hours a
ter partaking of the meal the pois'
not having an immediate effect up'
him. His recovery, however was slo'
The accused cook, Mary Chamber
was discharged by Mrs. Cochran Wi
warning to leave the premises
once, and this she did. 1t is probah
that the State authorities will make
investigation OF the case.
Mr.. Cochran, who is aged about
years, is a son Of the late Robert
Cochran, and a nephew of ex-Govern
John p. Cochran.