The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-01-18
DAUGHTER SAYS
FATHER KILLED
WIFE BY POISON
Aged Recluss Replies by Accusing
Child Of Plot Against
Mother.
BATTLE OVER AN ESTATE
Coroner's Jury Gives Verdict After
Hearing Family Secrets
Exposed.
Z 8.
BATTLE OVER AN ESTATE

Chicago, Jan 17.--A daughter &C
cused her fatheryof attempted uxor.
eide yesterday. and this was his re-
ply. s-e.' 7ss.1
II am moro than eighty years old.
MY daughter hates me. She Will
stop AT nothing TO ruin me. 1t must
have been she who put poison in my
wife's bfother--not intending to kill
ihy wife. but to make evidence to be
used against me-
John II, Hewitt, octogenarian.
wealthy to the extent Of about
sa6o.Ooo. was apathetic king Lear
like ngurc at the inquest conducted
yesterday over the body Of his wife.
She died December 20 at the Hewitt
home, 1886 Lunt Avenue. The re-
suit was corDner's verdict which Is
unique among such documents. It
says:
I'VE, the jury, believe either that
an attempt was made on the part of
one person to take the life Of the de-
ceased. or that there was an at
tempted conspiracy on the part of
the other person to have said John
i. Hewitt declared insane. Owing
TO the con6ictinE evidence presented
we are unable 10 determine whfchl
one Of the twosis guilty. We there
fore recommend that, the evidence
in this case be presented to the
states Attorney for a grand jury in
vestigAtion."
Scenes Of intense drama followed
each other In Quick succession as the
hearing progressed At one time the
aged father and his daughter we're
brought face to face. The woman
was Mrs. Jessie Wynne.
Battle Over Estate.
For long time, according to the
testimony. Mrs. wynne and the now
deceased Mrs. Leah Hewitt had
sought by every means to force di-
vision OF the old mans estate. He
was miserly. 1t was declared, and
his wealth had done little to give
comfort to the two women.
Mrs. Wynne was not present in
the room when her father first testi.
fed. she had given her own story
first. Then she was taken out and
the old man was led before the jury.
There was enough strychnine in
that broth. Hewitt was told, ito
kill twenty-five persons. Your
daughter says you are responsible. :"
docs she? Does she say that?"
asked Hewitt. His voice was thin
and high pitched. He was trembling
a little, perhaps with age. Finally
he shook his finger at Coroner Hoff-
man as he said: "They have de-
termined to ruin me. That's all
there is to 1t. They want my prop
erty."
Then 1t was that Mrs. Wynne was
recalled She faced her father with
out fiinching. and he looked at her
squarely
Accuses His Daughter.
do you believe that Mrs. Wynne
put the poison In that BROTH" Hew-
lit was asked And he continued TO
gaze at his daughter as he shouted: !:
Il do, do, / dol"
He pounded the table as he spoke.
.She says you did 1t yourself, =
said the Coroner.
That's not true"
1T must haye been one Of you.
either you or she." argued Coroner
Hoffman. The old man paused and
recovered from his excitement.
~ think. he said, that you are
right in believing 1t was one of US.
My daughter is the cause of all this
trouble. She placed the poison In
the broth She did not want to poi
son her mother. l admit that. But
she intended 10 blame me. and have
me dec'are insane, so that she and
her mother could get hold of my
property. That is what. they have
always wantsd-my property
Took No Precsution.
Mrs. Wynne, when first called to
tsstisy, admitted that she had taken
ao pfecsution to dispose of the meat
49, .wAieh the broth had been