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-MysteTy Surrounds
Affair - Detectives
Think They Have
Clue to Poisoner.

WAsHINGTON. d. C.. January e--A
box o. dates. stuffed with bits Of enr-
hsh wahats and arsenic was the zift
% young Prescott Abbe. tie handsorno
sixteen-year-old son of Mrs Lillian J.
Aobe. o. Rockville Nd received "a fe,,
days since. Despite the e~orts % The
family 20 keep the details of the dia bou
ca. plot against the boys ne from III.
public, the particulars have gradual.
become known.
Mrs Able aud her aged mother Airs.
Prescott. make their home al the coch-
ran Hotel ia Rockville. Young Ptnr-
colt Able. an only SON. ard iaoidentau,
heir TO many thousands u dollars IRON
las Grandfather Abbes estate when h.
becomes twenty-one, resides with his
mother Two weeks stss an express
package came TOT the coy. without
marks 70 indicate the seads.
Poison Is Found.
Why the gTandmother should have
been suspicious Of the package and
opened II before the young man arrived
home - family secret. and would not
he divulged. T6is she did however. and
one ~ the stuffed dates which she found
on top in the package. examined IL
closely. She found the top OF the date
filled with walnuts. Beneath was fine
white powder.
Every date IN the toy layer was sim
Harry doctored. Beneath this layer the
dates appeared 10 be o. the ordinary
kind--the powder heing faseut.
She called the young man anc directed
him TO take the box 90 Dr Claiborne
Mannar. He examined the powder. pro-
nounced g. poison. and the States attor-
ney was mediately notified and began
work on the case There was enough
arsenic N each date TO XIII six persons.
Believe They Have Clue.
Seen last evening the boys mother
and grandmother refused TO talk cor
corning the affair, except 20 admit the
truth of the foregoing facts. Yes. 10
is true too horribly true" said Mrs
Abbe. We don't just know what 10
do or say T. IS awful 10 contemplate
y hat might have happened had the
mother here not been at home and
haS her suspicious aroused. OF course.
We believe We have some clue. but we
are not discussing this. the matter is
ir the hands OF the States attorney.
and you had best see him
Young Abbs was also very reticent. and
beyond the statement that he was glad
ne didn't get IT, would not discuss the
case. The family IS possessed q consid-
enable means. Mrs Prescott his grand
mother being quite wealthy.
His father, Dr. Edward II. Able. of
Washington. vas formerly a resident OF
Rockville. Some Years ago he obtained
a divorce and has since remarked. Il IS
generally understood that the boy and his
father are or good terms. and frequently
see one another. Al effort was made by
a Times reporter this morning 20 see Dr.
Able al his apartments at the Dupont.
but he declined 90 be interviewed
States Attorney Talks.
States Attornev Robert Peter was
seen at his nome 300 Rockville last night
He stated that heretofore he had refused
70 express hlmseI 10 any one in regard
20 the matter. in deferenc 70 the family's
wishes and had To- this reason Iaughingfy
pronounced the story hoax when
questioned. II Howerer." said MT. Peter.
"the facts pave become known here
Just in what manner they became
public don't know. but the story IS
true. It is one Of the most nefarious
crimes which have ever tried TO fathom
We hope 70 find the perpetrator. hut 7
am not at liberty 20 say ia what manner
We are working toward this end. or the
information We have 10 work upon.
Nfr. Peter admitted that he had pri-
vate detectives ~ work on tie case.
Those in charge Of the investigation
would not admit that any particular per
son or persons were suspected
Tt Is understood that the bov has rasy-
ber OF relatives in New York or IN sec
tious adjacent thereto.
The contents OF the viii of the older
Dr Able are not generally known. nor Is
it known outside ~ the family the exact
sum heoueathed TO young Prescott or
what the dispOstion OF this legacy would
be in case Of the death OF the heir. These
questions are probiematical. and many
different rumors are aioat.
No Personal Enemies.
The boy has no personal enemies. how
ever. and Il is the consensus Of opinion
that the legacy IS the real root of the
affair
It Is freely admitted that an analysis
Of the suspicious powder made IN wash
inston, developed the fact that It was
pure arsenic. and had II not been for the
imperfect closing u one OF the dates its
presence might no. have been discovered.
The story first prevalent that the box
contained candy VAS incorrect