The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-09-29
ADMITS THAT SHE
GAVE MORPHINE
TO SISTER
ShOckingCrime Charged Against
New Orleans Young Woman
SUSPECT A dope" FIEND
Annie Crawford, Aged 20, May Be
Charged With Four Murders
for Insurance
SUSPECT A DOPE" FIEND

New Orleans, Sept. 29.--Annie
Crawford, young woman Of French
American extraction under arrest for
the murder of younger sister whose
life was insured in her favor, admit
ted last night to the district attorney
that she administered morphine to
the girl but did so by mistake. II
the law succeeds in enmeshing her in
the network of circumstantial evidence
1t is attempting to cast about her,
Miss Crawford, aged 20, may have to
answer, not only for the death OF her
sister, Elise, stenographer but also
for the poisoning of three other mem
bers of her family who have died
mysteriously within the past 10
months, all carrying life Insurance In
her favor,
The woman was arrested late yes
terday after a report from a chemist
who analysed the sisters stomach
after her death last Saturday to the
effect that he found traces of NOR
phine She said last night, after hours
of questioning, that she intended to
give her sister calomel and soda. She
said she stole the morphin from the
Presbyterian hospital. After discover
ing her mistake she was afraid to call
In the doctor and decided to say moth
ing about it, She admitted she and
her sister were not on good terms,
asserting that Elise had not treated
her right"
Miss Crawford also admitted last
night that she had been addicted TO
the use ofmorphine for five years with
the exception of a brief period, and
that she had not had any since last
Saturday morning.
Elise Crawford died suddenly last
Saturday under circumstances 80
suspicious that the coroner had the
contents of the stomach analysed by
an expert chemist. The finding OF
traces of morphine was followed by the
arrest OF the sister. The authorities In
dictated that the bodies OF the three
other members OF the family would be
exhumed for a similar examination.
Dist. Atty. Adams said last night:
1T was established today that Annie
Crawford is probably addicted to NOR
phine. 1t is also established that she
had access during the past three
weeks to morphine and was In posi-
ton to obtain it in practically any
quantity. During the indisposition OF
Elise Crawford she bitterly complain
ed that her food and drink were
doped.' ! have charged Annie Craw-
ford with the murder of her sister,
Elise" -.
The first of the Crawford household
TO die was Mary Agnes, sister OF the
prisoner. Her death occurred tJune
%. 1910, suddenly, supposedly OF
acute meningitis. Three weeks later
July 5, 1910, her father died, uremic
poisoning being given as the cause
After an interval of two weeks or on
July 10. 1910, her mother died. In her
case uremic poisoning was also given
as the cause.
Annie Crawford held insurance poll
cies on the lives of the deceased IN
the following sums:
Walter c. Crawford, father, $SOV'
Mrs. Crawford, mother, $500; mary
Agnes Crawford, sister, $500; Elise
Crawford, sister, $3.50. She collected
the insurance in each case except that
of her sister, Elise, payment OF when
was withheld pending receipt OF the
certificate OF death. On the Monday
morning after her sisters death Annie
made a demand on the insurance com
pany for the money. She also went 10
the railroad offices where her sister
was employed as stenographer and
collected s45 due the dead girl.
For several years Annie Crawford
had charge of the drug department oil
the Presbyterian hospital She lost
lher position there more than year
ago. IL is alleged after the disappear,
ance of quantity of drugs. The girl
lis small, pale and frail. She looks
more like prim and self'conscious
school teacher than person WIN
criminal inclinations.