The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-07-22
, URRoUNDED In an inexplicabIe
mystery that gives but faint
promise of early solution, the
death OF .Baby'' Vaughan, who

& mystery that gives but faint
~ promise of early solution, the
death OF BABY Vaughan, who
was twice poisoned at the City
Home. was reported to Coroner Taylor
on Monday, and to the police yester-
day. and both coroner and city detec-
.tives are hard at work trying to get at
the bottom OF what appears to be a
cold blooded murder. sSe
The first attempt on the infants life
was made last Tuesday morning at s.
O'clock. when some unknown; person
crept into the ward where 1t was
asleep and administered bi-chloride OF
mercury-corrosive sublimateS Miss
Margaret Venable, a nurse in the ward,
was summoned by Mrs. Ethel Gaylord.
an inmate of the home, VIII o was found
trying to cleanse the child's mouth OF
the poison. The house physicians were
Immediately called, and after heroic
work the infant was brought around stos
safety. 81 # 5l s;.
Killed with ChIoroform.
I Though tho attempt was brazen
enough, no one seemed to take espe-e
scial notice Of 1t until last Sunday
morning, when at the same hour chlo--
lroform was administered. supposedly
by the same person. Again Miss Ven
able and the physicians We're called TO 1
attend the screaming child. Butaevery
effort was invain. for, though not nee
essarily fatal in itself, the chloro-S
form acted as an irritant on the poison
already given, and 1t was the last
straw that snapped the child's life.
After a struggle lasting until II
O'clock Monday morning. Baby
Vaughan. whose innocent life has
brought trouble to many, passed away.
Later in the day DR.. Trevilltan noti-4
fled DR.. Taylor OF the circumstances
IL he thought 1t necessary to hold d
post-mortem eNamtna tion.'
The coroner visited tha home. and
there found plain evidence Of swilfula
murder. On the bahy's mouth were
discovered traces Of some corrosive
poison, and the tongue. and lips were
also badly burned.
s. That chloroform was nistered9 In
the second attempt at murder Is at
tested by Miss Yenable. who detected 4
the odor of the anesthetic as soon aa
she ran into the room. 1T, was the;
combined action ofsthe two poisons that
caused death. No doubt is left that
murder was committed. and a WE'LL.
wrought chain of circumstantiall evi-
,dence points to the fact that some one
now an inmate of the home Is guilty
OF the CRIME. sa N #lnOt1VG@ tor the deed ]
has yet been established.
Looking for the Motive.
1t is thought that the incentive may
have been money furnished by an out
slider. or that the murderer may have 4
been melted to the deed merely out OF i
a grudge against children In general.
Both attempts We're made at s o'clock
In the morning, during the breakfast
hour. The ward occupied by a abandoned
Iinfantss8ts on the second floor. and is 4
impossible of approach except by en- -ss
trance through one of the utter sdo ora 4
or by climbing a fire escape or a. porc
pillar. But no murderer could have
gained entrance In this way without
being observed, sF{ sSss
The person who committed the deed
Is an inmate of the home and Is ac-5
quninted with its ins and outs, and
the presence and absence OF the nnrssS
and dYhelpers. This much seems to have Il
ben ascertained. and 1t new rests with
the detectives to discover. proba bly, by
the process OF elimination, the person
who committed the murder Several
had the opportunity. M III
The poison was taken from the opel.
ating room, which Is situated betwaeriS
the maternity ward. In which the child y
was first placed, and the children,a
ward. In which It met It's death. But 4
"a few minutes would &he required to-
steal poison from the operating 70 ots q
and takesit into one OF the Nj rds TO
administer 1t To tho unpro 10 ted Sba hy,
Roughly Treated by "A ttsndsa a
i3s Miss yenable was seen las AZ ight, bN0 4