The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-10
Prescott Able Receives
a Package of Dates
Stuffed with Arsenic.
CRIME RECALLS
MOLlNEUX CASE
Boys Grandmother Examined the
Package and Sent It to Doc
tor-Mystery Surrounds
Affair - Detectives
Think They Have
Clue to Poisoner.

WASHINGTON. d. c., January "a
box OF dates. stuffed with bits OF Eng
lish walnuts and arsenic. wan the Gift
OF young Prescott Able, the handsome
sixteen year-old son OF Mrs. Lillian =.
Able. OF Rockville, Nd received few
days since. Despite the. Efforts OF the
family to keep the details OF the d!aboli-
cal plot against the boys lie from the
public, the particulars have gradually
become known
Mrs Able and her aged mother. Mrs.
Prescott. make their home at the coch-
ran Hotel, in Rockville. Young Pes
colt Able, an only son, and Incidentally
his Grandfather Abbe's estatel7when he
becomes twenty-one, resides with his
mother. Two weeks ago An express
package came Tor the boy. without
marks to indicate the sender
Poison Is Found.
Why the grandmother should have
been suspicious of the package and
opened it before the young man arrived
home Is q family secret, and would not
be divulged. 1Cis she did, however. and
noticing the rather ragged condition OF
one of the stuffed dates which she found
on top in the package. examined 1t
, closely. She found the top OF the date
filled with walnuts. Beneath was fine
white powder.
Every date in the top layer was SIM
i,arly doctored. Beneath this layer the
dates appeared to be OF the ordinary
kind--the powder being scent
] lied tt.nsS nj directed
him to take tho box DIR. Claiborne
! Mannar He examined the powder. pro-
nounced It poison, and the States, attor-
ney was Immediately notified and began
work on the case. There was enough
arsenic in each date to kill six persons.
Believe They Have Clue.
Seen last evening the boys mother
and grandmother refused to talk con-
cerning the affair, except to admit the
truth of the foregoing facts. Yes, 1t
! is true. too horribly true" said Mrs.
Abbe. I'VE don't just know what to
do or say. 1t is awful to contemplate
what might have happened had the
mother here not been at home and
had her suspicious aroused. OF course,
we believe we have some clue. but we
are not discussing this. the matter is
In the hands of the States attorney,
and YOU had best see him.
Young Able was also very reticent. and
beyond the statement that he was glad
he didn't get it." would not discuss the
case. The family is possessed OF consid-
enlble means, Mrs. Prescott, his grand
mother. being quite wealthy.
H,s father DIR. Edward II. Able, OF
washington. was formerly a resident OF
Rockville. Some years ago he obtained
a divorce and has since remarked. 1t Is
generally understood that the boy and his
father are on good terms. and frequently
see one another. An effort was made by
Times reporter this morning to see DR..
Abba at his apartments at the Dupont.
| but he declined to be interviewed.
States Attorney Talks.
States Attorney Robert Peter was
| seen at his home in Rockville last night.
He stated that heretofore he had refused
to express himself to any one In regard
to the matter, in deferenc to the family's
wishes, and had for this reason 1aughngiy
| pronounced the story a "hoaN'' when
! questioned However" said Mr.. Peter,
"the facts have become known here.
Just in what manner they became
| public I don't know, but the story is
| true. It is one of the most nefarious
crimes which have ever tried to fathonl.
We hope to find the perpetrator. but
am not at liberty to say In what manner
wa are working toward this end. or the
information we have to work upon"
Mr. Peter admitted that he had pri-
vate detectives at work on the case.
Those sn charge of the investigation
| would not admit that any particular per-
son or persons wera suspected
It is understood that the boy has nxn-
Der Of relatives In New York or in sec
tions adjacent thereto
The contents of the will OF the older
DR.. Able arc not generally known, nor Is
1t known outside Of the family the exact
sum hequeathed to young Prescott, or
what the disposition OF this legacy would
be in case of the death Of the heir. These
questions are problematical. and many
different rumors are afloat,
No Personal Enemies.
The boy has no personal enemies. how
ever, and 1t is the consensus of opinion
that the legacy Is the real root of the
affair.
1t is freely admitted that an analysis
OF the suspicious powder made In Wash
ington, developed the fact that 1t was
pure arsenic, and had It not been for the
imperfect closing Of one Of the dates Its
presence might no. have been discovered.
| The story first prevalent that the box