Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-19


Special Dispatch to The Star.
ATLANTA, GA, July 19-Mrs. Mary
Belle Crawford, central figure i'm the
sensational court fight over the two-hun-
dred fifty-thousand-dollar estate Of
her late husband. Joshua B. Crawford,
who died four years ago. about one
month after his marriage to Mrs. Craw-
ford, who was his second wife. is now
directly charged with the murder of the
aged millionaire. following the exhuma-
ton of the body and its examination by
H. F. Harris of the state board of health.
who found traces Of morphine In the
stomach.
The examination of the body of Craw-
ford took place at Carrollton. where he
was buried. A warrant for the arrest OF
Mrs Crawford was Immediately issued by
c. w. Raskin. coroner of Carroll county.
This warrant was declared invalid. but
another was Immediately issued in Fulton
county. Mrs. Crawford was given pre-
liminary hearing. and bound over to the
superior court for trial on the charge.
She readily made bond and was released.
after being under arrest probably twenty
minutes.
Married Soon After Meeting.
Mr.. and Mrs. Crawford were married I'm
Jacksonville, Fla, in February, 19Us, aft
erhaving known each other for about a
month 1t was Crawford's second mar
riage. his first wife having died about
a year before Crawford had gone to
Florida for his health at the time he
met the defendant, who secured an en-
gagement as his nurse. Mrs. Crawford
had also been previously married. They
marriage, where the aged capitalist died
March q, 1909 presumably of pneu-
monia, leaving the bulk of his estate to
Mrs. Crawford.
DR.. Harris testified that he found traces
OF morphine and opium in the dead mans
stomach, and that, in his opinion, he did
not die from an attack of pneumonia, as
had been reported. He asserted the dead
mans organs were sufficiently preserved
for him to make the examination, and
that there was no trace of pneumonia or
any other disease fthe lungs. DIR. Har-
riS testified that morphine poisoning very
likely produced death. DIR: J. w. Hurt,
Crawford's attending physician. will b.
put on the stand at the trial to refute this
testimony. 1t is said that DIR. Hurt Will
testify that he gave Crawford opium and
morphine in an effort to stop congestion
of the lungs from which he suffered in
the last moments of his life.
Seek to Break Will.
Charles z. Crawford. who swore out the
warrant against the widow, is the princi-
pal ltigant in a civil suit now being
tried. in which himself and thirty other
heirs at law are seeking to have the will
Of the dead man, probated by Mrs. Craw-
ford, and in which she was named sole
heir of the large estate, set aside. Mrs
Crawford declares that the criminal
charge against her is brought simply for
the purpose OF influencing the civil iitiga-
ton over the estate.
Joshua B. Crawford was well known
character in Atlanta for many years He
was recognized as shrewd in business
deals and close to the past penny in all ,
financial transactions. He owned much
money and property and added to his for
tune by demanding every penny called
for I'm the notes. mortgages and other ne
gotiabie instruments which, he handled .
as well as the principal. II payment was
not forthcoming he realized on the Sc
curity he invariably acquired There
were thirty nieces and nephews and other
relatives who expected to share in his es-
tate when he died.
Wife Called Adventures.
Crawford was born in October. 1S33.
His first wife. Mrs. Nancy f. Craw-
ford, was eight years his Junior. She
died early in 1908, at the age of sixty
six Twelve months later he married
again, his second wife being probably
twenty years younger than the first.
Within a month after his marriage he
died, at the age Of seventy-five. His sec
ond wife and his relatives have been
fighting in the courts ever since to re-
cover a part Of the estate.
Just one year ago, June Il, 1872 three
wears after Crawfords death, Dr. Harris,
with the coroner of Carroll county, ex-
humed the body and began the chemical
ANALYSIS to which he has just testified.
Counsel for the contending heirs now in
timate that a more exhaustive eXamina-
tion of the poison mystery will probably
be made and that indictments viii be
sought before the grand jury.
Crawford and his first wife made their
willis at the same time in 1907, about q
wear before she died. and two years be-
fore his death. BY her will he inherited
her estate His will provided that In the
event he survived his wife the estate
should GO TO the four minor children or
George Crawford. an adopted son. and 10
c. S. Crawford. a nephew, and TO Lula
Miller. a niece. Following his second
marriage a new will was not made. and