Evening journal., 1909-12-23
SUICIDE PACT
in ELKTON JAIL
Bride Of Two Months Buys
Poison Here and She and
Husband Swallow Drug
YET In DANGER
AND MAY NOT RECOVER

ELKTON, Nd. Dec. 23-John Gilpin,
the young white man convicted in the
Circuit Court Of Cecil county on Mon
day on the charge OF extorting from
his father-in-law Leon Campbell, of
Perryville, 800 at the point OF re-
volver, and his 15-year-old wife at
tempted TO commit suicide I'm the coun-
ty jail here yesterday afternoon. Both
are In a precarious condition, with
chances against their recovery.
Gilpin and his wife we're both ar
rested on the evening Of December 3
and brought to jail here. Later IT
was decided by the officials not to hold
the young woman, and she was told by
the sheriff that she might leave the
prison. but she refused to go away
from her husband, to whom she was
married on october 30 last. Since
Giipin was convicted the young woman
has ben allowed to stay with her hus-
band over night. She was with him
last night and this morning left the
prison, but before doing so the couple
entered Into a suicide compact.
Mrs. Giipin came down town and, IL
is understood, went 20 one of the local
drug stores and asked for 10 cents
worth Of strychnine, stating that she
desired to kill some rats, but the drug
clerk refused 70 sell the poison, as he
did not know the applicant
Later the woman walked to the
depot where she purchased a round
trip ticket to Wilmington. She boarded
the 9.OS q. m northbound train While
In Wilmington she purchased a quaint
ity Of the poison and returned to Elk
ton on the train due here at 1916 p. IN.
Instead OF going direct to the jail,
which is only a short distance from
the depot, she walked down town and
then up 20 the prison. Upon her ar
rival there she asked permission Of the
deputy sheriff TO go inside the prison
proper TO see her husband Nothing
unusual was apparent in the woman's
conduct. and she was admitted. After
she had been In her husabnd's cell but
short time, one of the other prisoners
ran to the iron door, which separates
the prison from the residence portion,
crying aloud. "Sheriff, Sheriff, a man
in here has taken poison and has con-
vulsionsl"
Deputy Sheriff Stewart, upon learn
ing what was the trouble summoned
DR. H. Arthur Mitchell. and later DR.
dNllU H. dAihait Aut ItAiA IiAN eiNttAhs "A'N
then Sheriff McAllister came up from
the Court House TO take Gilpin before
the court for sentence. A few minutes
later Mrs. Gilpin fell TO the floor.
The physicians found that both had
swalled a large quantity Of strychnine
enough so one Of the doctors stated
TO kill a regiment OF men. The couple
swallowed the poison about the same
l ItsN 10 fIta al frIr n
a few seconds and she vomited. Not
TO be outdone, she swallowed another
dose Of the poison from the vial which
she had i'm her pocket.
The physicians pronounced both the
man and the woman i'm a very pre-
carious condition. but began to work
on them with stomach pumps and ap'
piled antidotes. and they succeeded IL
removing a large quantity of the
strychnine. When the physicians be-
gan to work on the couple both were
I'm a semi-conscious condition, but they
were later revived. Both were placed
under the influence of morphine.
Gilpin is % years of age. He came
to this county some months ago &
work on the new Baltimore and Obi,
Railroad bridge across the Susque
mot Miss Campbell the 15-year-olC
daughter of Leon Campbell. of Perry
Vile fireman on the Philadelphia
Baltimore and Washington Railroad
on October so they eloped to Elktoi
and were married by the Rev. Johr
McElmoyle. pastor of the Presbyter
ian Church. At the Office of the clerl
of the court the girl stated that sh'
was is years OF age. After theii
marriage the couple returned To Perry
willie and lived with her father. whI
forgave them. Some time ago. Gilpin
IL is alleged. threatened TO kin hi
father-in-law unless lac gave him Si0O
lie was convicted on the charge an'
was to have bcen sentenced yesterda.
afternoon. While ON the witness stand
Gilpin stated that his father reside,
In Cumberland. Md, and his mothe
lived i'm Baltimore. Before coming Il
Perryviue. he stated that nc was n
the United states Army and was, also
for a time. cowboy in the West.