Smyrna times., 1909-02-03
MARYDEL POISONING CASE
INTERESTING TO SMYRNA
THE PIPPlNS ARE WELL AND
FAVORABLY KNOWN HERE

/ Rev. E. n. Derrickson Former Pastor
of Cheswold M. (. Church Refers
to Pippin Confession In Sermon
From the pulpit of the Methodist
Episcopal Church at Marydel there
was delivered Sunday night a spirited
defense of Mr.. and Mrs Samuel H.
Pippin, who signed statements declar-
ing that they had, by mistake carried
a bottle containing poison to the local
opera house for use in an amateur
play, and as a result of which their
relative, Charles L. Pippin, died from
drinking ''stage wine" mixed with
the contents. Soon after mounting
to his pulpit to begin his sermon,
the Rev. E. H. Derrickson referred
to the Pippin confessions, and de-
clared it to be his belief that the
Pippins were innocent of "any in
tentiOnal crime.' In addition to this
Mrs. Derrickson, wife of the pastor,
spoke in behalf of the couple. Both
the pastor and his wife asked the con
gregation to refrain from discussing
the case. When the story of the
admissions of the Pippins became
known among a few of their most in
innate friends several persons visited
the home to console Mr.. and Mrs.
Samuel Pippin. Both are highly re-
spected in Marydel, and no one be-
lieves that they Intentionally put
poison in the wine. Despite the sim
ilarity of name, the Pippin families
do not claim relationship, but have
been friends for many years. The
parties are all well-known in Smyrna
and the case is attracting considerable
interest. One of the bottles from
which Pippin drank the poison is the
color of amber. Mrs. Maude Pippin
said she was not positive the poison
had come from her house until she
heard this bottle described She had
contended the stage wine was drunk
from white bottle until her husband
confirmed the report.
y I HC TtpJtUS pidlu lHGT Ease
f Mrs. Pippin said her reason for dis
t posing of the bottle which Detective
! Pholer recovered from the Well in the
= back yard of the Pippin home was
that she feared she would be unjustly
suspected by anyone conducting an
investigation if poison were found in
a her house. She said that she had
: no idea that the poison might have
: come from her house until she learn
: ed that bichloride of mercury and
e corrosive sublimate are practically
i the same. Samuel Pippin said he
n did not know his wife had the ole
: corrosive sublimate bottle in the
: house. He admitted he bought the
L corrosive sublimate in Wilmington
s and also that when he searched fol
e two bottles for the play he founC
s them in the garret-one an amber
Il colored bottle and the other a green
}, bottle. The mistake might have
d been made while he was labelling two
!. bottles to be used in the farce
a "Chaps. One of the bottles, he
d said he washed, but the other he die
IS not. The reason he did not wasf
W the second bottle, he said. was be-
e cause it was not supposed to contain
u anything, but was to have been la
: beled "'Poison. - Samuel Pippil
ID said he believes he marked the clear
* bottle "Poison" and the unwashet
le bottle "Sherry Wine" AS Charlie
* Pippin drank from the "Sherry
Wine" bottle Mr.. Pippin believes i
was the one his wife had used fo
= the corrosive sublimate.
If Permission to Hold An Autopsy
" 1t was announced Saturday that tn
IS necessary permission had been give
rs by the authorities at Elkton to dis
s. inter the body of Charles L. Pippin
5. the voung undertaken, An autopsy
re will be held and an effort made t
ne discover traces of bichloride of mercu
2 ry in the body. State Attorney Dee
in took the five bottles to the Stat
t, chemist for examination after tn
r. coroner's jury had returned a verdic
in of accidental poisoning, and an
of nounced at the time that if traces 0
Ie poison were found in the bottle h
in would probe still deeper into the case
he The town is excited over the lates
ce developments of the mystery.
es ---- 49, ---7