The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1911-06-13
MRS. CRAFTS BODY
EXHUMED BY CORONOR
STOMACH SENT TO COLUMBIA FOR
ANALYSIS.
Body Taken up at Request of Father
And Other Relatives of the Dead
Woman


! At the earnest solicitation Of the
father and sisters Of the dead Wo-
man. Coroner Felker, of Newberry
county, and Coroner Eugene Batson.
! of Greenville county, on Sunday morn
ing exhumed the dead body of Mrs.
Beatrice Crafts. wife of Moses C.
Crafts, who died in Greenvil1e some
days ago, and who was buried in
! Rosemont cemetery, this city-her
former home. 1t will be recalled that
last week Governor Blease ordered q
re-investigation into the facts sur
rounding the Woman's death, and it
vas reported from Greenville that this
! re-investigation had been made, and
that it had been determined that death
was from natural causes.
Tie stomach was removed from the
| body by DR.. W. A. Dunn, and was sent
to Columbia for examination by DR..
F. A. Coward, the: State chemist.
Mrs. Crafts was found dead in bed
at her home in the Carolina mill vii
lage, in Greenville, on last Thursday
morning week ago. An inquest was
held, and verdict rendered that
death was due to heart failure. Tn
der date of June 5, Governor Blease
wrote to Sheriff Poole; of Greenville
county, instructing him to have the
matter re-investigated Immediately, in
view of reports which had reached
him. Governor Blease said in his let
ter that it was "repvrred that Crafts
! bought a coca cola the night before
! (the night before the death of bis
wife) and gave it to his wife; that
she drank it and went to sleep and
did not wake again. 1t is also stat
ed," wrote the governor, that Crafts
left home that morning, left his wife
in bed ASLEEP ID went off wit':.:l his
breakfast, something that he had not
been known to do before. 1t is fur
ther reported that he had the inquest
held and the body embalned before
any of her relatives could reach tie
place. It is further reported that
Crafts was cruel to mis- wife, and her
people have suspicion of poisoning"
Governor Blease asked that the mat
ter be thoroughly investigated. and if
there were suspicious circumstances,
that the body be taA7n up and exam
ined by physicians.
Later Coroner Felker of this city
was Informed by the Greenville sher-
IT that the matter had been investi-
gated and that there was no founda-
ton for the suspicic.s Of relatives.
The WOman's father and other rel
atlves were not satisfied, however,
and last week, Mr.. Ellie B. Goldman,
of Columbia. Mrs Crafts father, ac-
companied by his two married daugh-
ters, went to Greenvilla to confer with
Sheriff Poole and Coroner Batson.
They had a conference with Sheriff
Poole but did not see Coroner Batson.
They returned to Newberry on Satur-
day and requested Coroner Felker to
have the body taken up.
Coroner Felker communicated with |
Coroner Batson. of Greenville, and
told him of the situation, and Coroner
Batson came to New5erry on Saturday
night. These two officers secured
the services of DR.. Dunn and on Sum
day morning the body was taken up,
and the stomach removed, and sent TO
Columbia to the State chemist for
analysis.
Mr.. and Mrs. Crafts formerly lived
in Newberry. Mr. Crafts was a DO
llce1nan here for a few months during
last year, resigning the position be-
fore the expiration of his commission.
The two daughters who have been
the matter with their father
are Mrs. George Wilson, of Columbia,
and Mrs. Jesse Crafts, of Atlanta. the
latter having married brother of her
dead sisters husband.
The Williamson Company.