The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-09-30
MODERN BORCIA
New 0tlsans Police Suspect YOaDg We
mrn ol Several Crimes.
SAID TO Be DRUG FlEND

SAiD III BE URUG flEND
Annie Crawford, Arrested for Mur-
der of Young Sister by Use OF Nor
phine.-Three Other Members of
Her Family Died Mysteriously in
Last Fifteen Months.
a young woman of French-AIer-
lean extraction, under arrest for the
murder of younger sister, whose
life was insured in her favor, Thurs
day night admitted to the district
attorney that she had administered
morphine to the girl but had done so
by mistake.
Three other members of the Craw-
ford family have died under OYSTER
ious circumstances within the past
fifteen months, and Annie Crawford
was the beneficiary Damed in the in
surance policies on the lie of each.
The politics she held on all four
amounted to only S1,750, however.
The police say she spent nearly all
the money on clothes.
Elise Crawford died suddenly last
Saturday, and under circumstances
so suspicious that the coroner had
the contents Of the stomach analyZ-
ed by an expert chemist. The find
ing Of traces of morphine was COL
lowed by the arrest Of the sister. The
authorities indicated that the bodies
Of the three other members OF the
family would be exhumed for a SIM
liar examination.
District Attorney Adams declined
to state whether he contemplated
charging Annie Crawford with the
family but he dictated the following
statement to the Associated Press:
1T was established Thursday that
Annie Crawford Is drug fiend and
probably is addicted to morphine.
1t is also established that Annie
Crawford had access during the past
three weeks to morphine and was in
a position to obtain it in practically
any quantity during that period
During her indisposition Elise Craw-
ford complai1-cd that her food and
drink were doped. I have charged
Annie Crawford with the murder OF
her sister Elise"
For five hours Thursday the Craw-,
ford woman was under examination
by the police. She stoutly maintain
ed Innocence and appeared cool and
unconcerned throughout. She is al
legged to have made numerous contra
dictory statements and when con-,
fronted with evidence tending to in.
criminate her she would declare:
again and again, ''tisn't So"
Annie Crawford also holds and III
surance policy on the life of Ter
younger sister Gertrude, who told the
district attorney Thursday that she
was afaraid of her sister.
In one fifth of a cupful OF the
contents of Elise Crawford's stomach
DR.. A. l.. Metz the city chemist
found 3 and 1-2 grains of morphine,
sufficient to kill two persons.
The first of the Crawford house.
hold to die was Mary Agnes Crawford
sister Of the prisoner. Her death
occurred June 25, 1910, suddenly,
supposedly of acute meningitis. Three
weeks later, July Is, 1910, her faith
er died, uremic poisoning being given
as the cause After an interval of
two weeks, or, on July 20, 1910, her
mother died. In her case uremic poi
soning was also given as the cause.
Annie Crawford held insurance
policies on the lives of the deceased
in the following sums:
Walter G.. Crawford, father $500;
Mrs Crawford, mother, $400; Mary
Agnes Crawford, sister, $500; Elise
Crawford, sister, $3.50. She collect
ed the insurance in each case except
that of he- sister Elise, payment of
which was withheld pending receipt
of the certificate of death. On Mon
day morning following her sisters
death, Annie made demand on the
insurance company for the money.
On that day she also went to the
railroad office where her sister had
been employed as stenographer and
collected $45 due the deceased.