The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-03-16
GIRL TELLS OF
NTECE'S DEATH
MARY CRAWFORD MAKES HER
STATEMENT IN FAMOUS
MURDER TRIAL.

the II ost dramatic stories ever listen
ed 10 in the New Orleans criminal
court, Mrs. Robert Crawford, a kindly
faced woman of middle age, today re-
lated the circumstances surrounding
the sudden and mysterious deaths last
September of her niece, Elise Craw-
ford, and of how her suspicious were
aroused against Annie Crawford. who
is on trial for the alleged murder of
Elise, her sister, by the administra-
tion of morphine poison. Mrs. Craw-
ford was the first witness for the
state. She was followed on the stand
at he afternoon session by Gertrude
Crawford sister Of the defendant.
Step by step Mrs Crawford traced
Elsie's last illness to the court and
jury. She broke down and sobbed dur
ing the recital.
Seven days after Elsie became sick
Annie, who was nursing her, gave
her sCme medicine. Elsie soon feI
into a stupor and slep for thirty-s six
hours. When she awoke she was very
weak.
The evening of the night Elsie
died Annie came to me and asked
how long it would be before l would
move. / had been intending to move
for several days. | told her EIsie"s
sickness might postpone it.
Annie gave Elsie some calomel and
soda in a capsule and shortly after
Annie asked n-e this question Elsie
fell into stupor somewhat resemb-
ling the previous one. Suddenly
heard Elsie give a harsh sort of a
snore. Annie was in the next room.
Does Elsie always snore like that?'
l asked her. Sometimes she does,
she said. p q
81 reached over and felt Elsie's
face; it was cold and clammy. It
felt as though she was already dead.
called to Annie to get the doctor
and then l knelt beside Elsie and
! began to pray. When 1 was in the
middle of the Act of Atonement, which
was whispering into Elsie's ear,
Annie called to me, is she still breath
/ ., y
through my mind.
ELSIE died before the doctor ar
rived. AS she lay dead 1 turned TO
i Annie: Did you do this, Annie?' l
asked. She turned and said: Aunt
Mary's gone crazy A few moments
afterwards she brought me a glass
with something in it. Take this she
said, it will be good for your nerv-
Ousness.' l dashed the glass from her
hand. The doctor came and pro-
nounced Elsie dead.'
A full jury reported today at the
ope hing of the court for the trial of
Miss Annie Crawford, charged with
killing her sister, Elsie, with poison.
With other details out of the way,
Prosecutor st. Clair Adams began the
hearing of testimony with the first
of his fifty or more witnesses in the
chair.
| That the accused will take the
stand in her own behalf is regarded
almost as a certainty, the belief being
that the principal defense will be that
she gave morphine to her sister, be-
lieving is to be calomel The ac-
c1sed made this statement in her
confession and has not deviated from
this statement in subsequent inter-
views. 1t is believed she i'll spend
many hours in the witness chair.
AS only attaches of the court and
newspaper men are allowed to attend
Judge Chretien is overwhelmed with
: applications from outsiders desiring
to lear the trial. A squad of police
men is kept busy keeping the crowds
of curious away from the courtroom
| doors.