Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-11
CRAWFORD'S
DEATH LAID
TO WIFE
Coroner's Jury Holds Capitalist
Was Slain by Poisoning,
Recommends Inquiry,

warrant for the arrest of Mrs.
Mary Belle Crawford, widow of ]. ..
Crawford, on the charge of murder
ing her husband by giving him poi
son, was issued late Friday after
noon, signed by the Coroner of Car
roll County and returnable to the
Fulton Country Grand Jury.
The verdict of the Coroner's jury,
which was read at Friday morning S
hearing of the famous will case be-
fore J. N. Anderson, auditor, recon-
mended that she be arrested and
held for a Grand Jury investigation
The verdict was:
We, the jury, find that the de- !,
ceased came to his death from
, poison administered by Mrs. Mary
Belle Crawford, and recommend
that she be held for Investigation
ny the Fulton Grand Jury.
The inquest was held Thursday in
Carrollton. 1t was an adjourned ses-
sion OF the first inquest on June ~,
when the body was exhumed. DR.. II.
f. Harris, of the State Board of
Health, and Miss Viola Whitman, a
woman who lived with the Crawfords
after the marriage, were the wit
nesses.
Dr. Harris testified to finding NOR
phine in the stomach, and that in his
opinion Crawford did not die Of pneu-
monia or any disease of the lungs.
Saw Medicine Given.
Miss Whitman testified to seeing
Mrs. Crawford give her husband med
icine from a small vial.
Attorneys for Mrs. Crawford al
lowed the verdict to be submitted as
evidence, but stated to the auditor
that they would later file an objec-
ton on the grounds of the inquest
not having been legal They stoutly
maintained that before the hearing
ends they will introduce positive evil
Gence that Crawford died of pneumo-
mia, and that the morphine found In
his stomach was administered by his
family physician.
J. S. James, attorney for the heirs
at-law stated he, in all probability,
would start action along the line out
lined in the recommendation of the
Coroner's jury, but that he had not
yet determined how soon he would
do so.
That the testimony of DR.. II. f.
Harris would be torn to shrads
by the introduction of DIR. j. w Hurt,
Crawford's physician, was the decla-
ration of Attorney Reuben Arnold.
Doctor Gave Drugs.
DR.. Hurt will testify, according to
Attorney Arnold. that for several days
before the death of Mr.. Crawford
he gave him small quantities of NOR
phine TO allay his suffering, and that
it was unquestionably traces Of the
drug he administered found in the
stomach when the body was exhumed
last month. More than ten of the
most prominent medical experts will
be placed on the stand to substan-
tiate the testimony Of DR. Hurt.
Colonel James announced that
he would introduce no more
witnesses on the poisoning the
DRY, except statements from citizens
in Florida, who, according to Colonel
James, say that before she married
Crawford Mrs. Crawford was heard
to make damaging statements to q
friend.
Colonel James said he would intro
duce testimony with view to hav-
ing the marriage annulled, and thus
automatically have the property re-
vert to the heirs -at-law. He said he
would show that Mrs. Crawford was
illegally divorced twice before she
married Crawford.
The case before an auditor will not
be concluded for more than two weeks
and it then will go to the Superior
Court again,