The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-28
Police Claim S,..c Murdered Her Father, Mother and
 Two Sisters
MORPHINE FOUND IN
 SISTERS STOMACH
Motive Ascribed Is Desire for ln- surance Policies Held on Rela- tiyes' Liyes-PrisOner Is
 Dope Fiend

New Orleans, September 27.--Sensational developments came thick today in the police investigation into the sudden death Saturday last of Elise Crawford, young sionographer. Following the finding of morphine in the contents of the girls stomach, and the examination of two score witnesses, District Attorney Adams this afternoon formally charged Annie Crawford. an elder sister, with murder. The collection of an insurance policy on her sisters life is the alleged motive.
 Miss Crawford tonight admitted to the eistrict attorney that She did give her sister, Elise, morphine but did it by mis- take as she intended to give her eaiome and soda: that she stole the morphine ftom the Presbyterian hospital and after giving a portion to her sister, had about two dozen tablets left, which she threw away. She said she was afraid to call n rthe doctor after she had discovered her mistake. She admitted also that. she and her sister did not get along well to- gether, not speaking for weeks al tlfe' that she did not like her sister as sne fElise) had not 'ttreated her right
 Her confession was written out and signed by the prisoner and followed a period of constant grilling and question: ing by the police since yesterday aftef- noon. Nothing was said in the con1es- sion concerning the death of the mother and father and another sister.
 More sensational yet, the police tonight announced that they were working on the theory that Annie Crawford not only poisoned her sister. Elise, but was re- sponsible, through the administration or posanous drugs, for the sudden death or her fnther. her mother and another sis- ter. Mary Agnes Crawford. These four members of the family died suddenly within the past 15 months.
 Annie crawford, the prisoner. was the beneficiary named in the insurance poli- cies on the life of each.
 Prisoner Drug Fiend
 The prisoner is believed to be a drug fend. but sine stoutly denied this. She was cool and exhibited an air of uncon- cern during five hours examination oy the police, She made many contradictory statements. however. and when confront sd with evidence tending to incriminafe Ter. she would declare again and again '' Iris not so."
 District Attorney Adams today had the bedy of Elise Crawford exhumed, and It vas rurpored that tomorrow he would or fer the bodies of the father. mother ana other sister taken up for examination
 He declined to state whether he contem- p,ated charging Annie Crawford with the murder of the other members or her fam- fly.
 h statement dictated to the Assocf- ated Press tonight. MT. Adams said:
 sIt is established today that Annie Crawford is a drug fiend and probably is addicted to morphine. It is also established that Annie Crawford has had access during the past three weeks to morphine and was Ill position 10 obtain it in practically any quantity during that period. During the indis- position of Elise Crawford she bitterly complained that her food and drink were doped. l have charged Annie Crawford with the murder of her sis ter Elise"
 Morphine Found
 In one-iifth of d cupful of the con- tents of Elise Crawford's stomach, pr. A. l.. Metz, the city. chemist, found three and one-half grains of morphine, sufficient to kill two persons.
 The first of the Crawford household to die was Miss Mary Agnes Craw- ford, sister of the prisoner Her death occurred June a5, 1910, suddenly, sup posedly of oacute meningitis. Three weeks later. July 15. 1910, her father died, uremie poisoning being given as the cause. After an interval of two weeks, or. on July 29, 1910, her mother died. In her case uremic poisoning was also given as the cause.
 r,.ox ,r5 rtc "a insurance policies on the lives of the deceased in the following sums: Wall ter c. Crawford, father, $500; Mrs. Crawford, mother. s400; Mary Agnes Crawford, siste., $S0O. Elise Crawford, sister, $250. She collected the insur- ance in each case, except that of her sister Elise, payment of which vas withheld pending receipt Of the certifi- cates Of death. On Monday morning following her sisters death Annie made demand on the insurance com : pany for the money. On that day she also went to the railfoad office, where her sister had been employed as stem ographer. and collected s4o due the de- ceased.
 Mooney Gets Clew
 Assistant Chief of Detectives Dan F. Mooney got the first tip involving the prisoner whsn, he learned that she had lcCtnliy PuIcLuStu OAdllC dClu ina | clew put him oh the wcnlans trail ahd he soon had woven about her & strong chain of circumstantial evidence.
 For several years Miss Annie Craw. ford had charge of the drugs depart ment of the Presbyterian hospital She lost her position there more than year ago following the disappearance of a quantity of drugs. Recently she has made several visits to the hospital on missions known only to herself. .
 remarkable feature of the case,' sald police official lis that practical ly every cent of the money which An llie Crawford collected on the several Insurance policies held on the deceased members of her family Was spent for clothes. She also spent a good deal of money for books and her library contains many medical works"
 Wnlter C. Crawford, the father, was a carpenter and a native of this city. The mother was of French extraction.
 Tho prisoner also holds an insurance policy on the life of her youngest sis ter. Gertrude. who Admitted to District Attorney Adams today that sho- Is afraid of Annie. s
 Annie Crawford Is pale and frail and of small stature which is accentuated by hesr black dress. She looks more like a priYn and self conscious school teach CT than Il person with criminal inclih- ations A wealth of da rk. sandy hair arranged in an elderly fashion, causes her to really look older than her a9 ears Her pale blue eyes arc magni fled by eye glasses of large thick lenses. hei nose Is rather small and short, and her mcuih is large with full lips. She frustrated every attempt of the newspaper photographers to get T., Ar{, 1,<