Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-12
CORONER s
WRIT HELD
ILLEGAL
Delay in Hearing Will Mean
WOman's Commitment to Jail,
Attorney Says.

Mrs. Mary Belle Crawford had dis
appeared Saturday afternoon when
officers went to arrest her on a war
rant charging her with the murder Of
her husband, Joshua B. Crawford, in
1909.
Constables r. F. Mauldin and w.
W. Rogers went Immediately to Mrs.
Crawford's home at West Peachtree
and Fourteenth streets when the
warrant was sworn out They were
informed that she had left the city for
Carrollton. To verify this statement,
the officers made a thorough search
about the city, failing to find the
woman. 1t is not known whether she
left before or after she learned that
the warrant had been issued.
The warrant was sworn out by =.
z. Crawford, a nephew and beneh-
ciary under the $3.50, 900 will of Joshua
Crawford, before Justice of the Peace
c. H. Girardeau. The acton was taken
following close upon a decision by
Superior Court Justice Pendleton
that a warrant signed by the Coroner
of Carroll County was not enforce
able in Fulton County. II arrested,
Mrs. Crawford was to be brought be-
fore Justice Girardeau for commit
ment trial.
The first warrant charging Mrs.
Crawfod with murder was signed by
Coroner c. w. Baukin, of Carroll
County. who had disinterred the body
of Joshua B. Crawford and found
evidence of poison. Crawford died in
Fulton county March q, 1909.
Hearing May Be Delayed.
The warrant reached Atlanta Fri
day, and Sheriff Mangum notified
Mrs. Crawford to appear before JUS
tice of the Peace d. K. Johnson Sat
urday morning, when a hearing would
be neId as to the authority of the
Sheriff to serve the warrant in Fulton
County.
Colonel ]. S. James, attorney Tor
the heirs. said later that he did not
know whether both sides would De
ready for the commitment trial as
the prosecution has several material
witnesses out of the State.
In the event of delay in the COM
rnitment hearing, he said, Justice
Cirardeau would have no other alter
native than to commit Mrs. Crawford
TO Jail.
Saws Heirs Are Satisfied.
oft is not really the Crawford heirs
who are fighting me" said Mrs. Craw-
ford hut the rather distant rela-
tivas who were not mentioned in any
will 7 settled with the real heirs ac-
cording to the VIII left by Mr., Craw-
ford's first wife. Every one was
satisfied.
Il gave Charlie Crawford more tnan
he was even entitled to by the will
that was made before l even knew
the man 4 later married. He thanked
me for the generosity by later letting
the very distant relatives prevail
upon him to fight me. He decided
then, an interest in his share of the
property and fled suit. Since then
he has fought me- The closer rela-
tives have never been anything but
nv best friends"
Widows Side Of Case.
Attorney Arnold, for Mrs. Crawford
issued the following statement Sat
urday:
-Four years after Crawford's death
some of the collateral kinpeople of ].
B Crawford and his first wife. who
are seeking to recover this estate,
worth perhaps 100000, from the wild
o,y and legatees under Crawford's
will went to Carroll County with
their lawyer, J. S. James, and DR..
H. F. Harris, and on some kind Of
showing which We know nothing of
persuaded the Coroner to exhume the
body and allow the doctor employed
bv these relatives TO make a post
rnortem examination. Neither the Wild
ow nor any of the other legatees who
are defendants had any notice and
were not present.
Claims Lungs ShriVeled.
"The doctor for these people took
various parts of the body of Craw-
ford and made a test for morphine.
He claims to have found trace OF