Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-10-04
MODERN BORGIA IN ORLEANS :?
Police Suspect Woman OF Several
Crimes-Held for Sisters Death.

d JouHSeI SlsleI, WHOSE llto was IN
sured in her favor, tonight admitted
to the district attorney that she had
administered morphine to the girl,
but had done SO by mistake If the
law succeeds in enmeshing her in the
network Of circumstantial evidence
1t is attempting to cast about her,
this woman, Annie Crawford, aged
20, may have to answer not only
for the death OF her sister, Elise. q
pretty stenographer, but also for the
poisoning of three other members of
her family who have deid mysteri-
ously within the past Is months, all
carrying life insurance in her favor.
The woman, who Is alleged to be
drug fiend, was arrested late to-day
following a report from chemist,
who analyzed the sisters stomach
after her death last Saturday, to the
effect that he had found traces of
morphine. She declared tonight af-
ter hours Of questioning that she had
intended to give her sister calomel
and soda. She said she took NOR
phine from the Presbyterian hospital,
where she was formerly in charge of
the drug department. After discov-
ering her/mistake she was afraid to
call in the doctor and decided to saw
nothing about it. She admitted that
she and her sister were not on good
terms, asserting that Elise had not
treated her right. Miss Crawford
also admitted tonight that she had
been addicted to the use of morphine
for five years with the exception of
brief period and that she had not had
any since last Saturday morning. She
said she was accustomed to getting
the morphine at the hospital
The bodies Of the woman's father,
mother and another sister will be ex-
humed to ascertain whether they re-
ally died from the effects Of poison
ing.
Elise Crawford died suddenly last
Saturday, and under circumstances
so suspicious that the coroner had
the contents Of the stomach analyzed
Of traces Of morphine was followed
by the arrest of the sister. The au-
thorities indicated that the bodies
OF three other members Of the family
would be eXhumed for a similar ex-
animation.
district attorneys pIuu
AZ h'"us, district attorney, de-
cNnoa TO state lo-night whether Ne
contemplated charging Annie yrnw.
ford with The murder Of all four
members of the family but he die
tated the following statement to the
Associated Press:
1T was established to-day that An
ME Crawford is drug fiend, and
probably is addicted to morphine. If
IS also established that Annie Craw-
ord had access during the past three
weeks to morphine and was in posi-
'ion to obtain it in practically any
@uantity during that period. During
ne indisposition Of Elise Crawford
ne bitterly complained that her food
nj drink were doped. ] have charg-
II Annie Crawford with the murder
% her sister Elise"
Maintains Innocence.
For five hours to-day the Crawford
oman was under examination by
'he police. She stoutly maintained
'"r innocence, and appeared cool
nd unconcerned throughout. She IS
mo do
,'tdictory statements, and when con-
ronted with the evidence tending to
terminate her she would declare
again and again, 'Tisnt So"
Annie Crawford also holds an in
surance policy on the life of her
youngest sister, Gertrude, who told
the district attorney to-day that she
was afraid Of her sister
In one-fifth Of cupful Of the con-
tents of Elise Crawford's stomach
DR.. A. l.. Metz, the city chemist,
found 3 A grains Of morphine, suni-
clent to kill two persons.
The First Death.
The first of the Crawford house
hold to die was Mary Agnes Craw-
ford, sister of the prisoner. Her
death occurred June 25, 1910, sud
denly, supposedly of acute meningi-
It's. Three weeks later, July IS,
1910, her father died, uremic poison
ing being given as the cause. After
an interval Of two weeks, or on July
20, 1910, her mother died. In her
case nremic poisoning was also given
as the cause.