Evening journal., 1909-02-01
PREACHER SPEAKS
FOR THE PIPPINS
Tells Congregations MarydeI
Couple are Innocent
Of Intentional Crime

MARYDEL. Nd. Feb. 1.-Frdm the
pulpit OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
spirited defense Of Mr.. and Mrs Samuel
II. Pippin, who signed statements de-
claring that they had, by Mistake. car
ried bottle containing poison to the
local opera house for use in an amateur
dI reISt,vs enu cbsrles Tesus OF Waiiea Waiea shelr
drinking stage wine mixed with the
contents.
Soon after mounting to the pulpit to
rickson referred TO the Pippin "confes-
slons," and declared Il to be his belief
that the Pippins were innocent OF ANY
Mrs. Derrickson, wife OF the pastor.
spoke in behalf OF the couple. Both the
pastor and his wife asked the congrega-
ton TO refrain from discussing the case.
When the story OF the admissions OF
the Pippins became known among a few
of their most Intimate friends several
persons visited the home 10 console Mr..
and Mrs. Samuel Pippin. Both are
highly respected IN Marydel and no one
believes that they Intentionally put poi
son in the wine Despite the similarity
Of name, the Pippin families do not
claim relationship, but have been friends
for many years.
Detective Pohier says he has no evil
dence to refute the accidental poisoning
theory. He adds that at this time there
Is no apparent motive FOR anyone to
have murdered Charles Pippin. How
ever. the detective expects to submit
the case to States Attorney Deem today.
There are still several details the detec-
tives wishes to investigate before saying
positively how he regards the case.
Found Bottle in Well.
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 des-
cribed. She had contended the stage
wine was drunk from a white bottle
until her husband confirmed the report.
Mrs Pippin said her reason for dispos-
ing Of the bottle which Detective Pohler
recovered from the wen in the back yard
OF the Pippin home was that she feared
she would be unjustly suspected by any
one conducting an investigation II pol
son were found in her house. She said
she had no idea that the poison might
have come from her home until she
learned that bichloride Of mercury and
corrosive sublimate are practically the
same.
Samuel Pippin said he did not know
his wife had the old corrosive subllmate
bottle in the house. He admitted he
bought the corrosive sublimate IN Will
mington and also that when he searched
for two bottles for the play he found
them in the garret-one an amber-col-
ored bottle and the other a green bot
tie.
Samuel Pippin said tho mistake might
have been made while he was labelling
two bottles to be used in the farce
Chaps" One OF the bottles, he said
he washed. but the other he did not.
The reason he did not wash the second
bottle. he said. was because it was not
supposed to contain anything. but was
TO have been labeled Poison" Samuel
Pippin said he believed he marked the
clean bottle POISON" and the unwashed
bottle SHERRY wine" AS Charles Pip
pin drank from the sherry wine bot
tie Mr.. Pippin believes it was the one
his wife had used for the corrosive
sublimate solution.