New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-21
SANITY MAY BE TESTED
Hint That Commission MI. ,
Pass on Her Mental Sound.
ness and That She May
Never Be Brought
to Trial.
REVEALS FAMILY TROUBLES
Widow and Navy Veteran Clashed on
Domestic Affairs and for a Time
We're Separatcd-Didn t Know
She Was Married When He
Courted Her. He Said

She Was Married When He
Courted Her. He Said.
Plymouth. Mass. March 20-Mrs.
Jennie May Eaton was locked up IN
the Plymouth County Jail here late .c-
day pending hearing on the charge
that she murdered her husband, Rear
Admiral Joseph Giles Eaton, by poison
ing.
The widow was brought here in An
automobile from bingham. A distance
of thrty-fve miles. She was arraigned
there earlier in the day before Judge
Pratt. Through counsel +. q. Geogar,
she pleaded not guilty. waived the
reading of the complaint and was held
without bonds for examination on
March 2S.
Mrs Eaton is indignant that she
should be charged with such an offence
She will make no statement at the
present time" said Mr.. Geogan, the
Eaton family attorney, tonight When
he went TO the Eaton home this even
ing he carried with him to Mrs. keyes
a note from her mother. Neither Dor
othy nor June will visit their mother
in jail the attorney said.
That another arrest in the case "is
possible" was an admission made this
evening by State Detective Scott.
Mrs. Eaton was arrested at her home
at Assinnippi this morning by Deputy
Sheriff J. r. Condor. She was removed
TO the courthouse at bingham. where
the inquest was to be have been re-
sumed, but the fact that she was
charged with murder was not made
known until shortly before noon, when
District Attorney Barker made the ah-
nouncement.
Sanity Commission Suggested.
Meantime the inquest into the sud-
den death of the admiral on March :
may or may not be resumed. IL w"s
intimated tonight that Mrs. Eaton
might not be brought 10 trial, and the
possible appointment of a commission
10 mass upon the prisoners sanity WAS
suggested.
District Attorney Barker went 10
Boston this afternoon and had con-
ference with Chief Justice Aiken of
the Superior Court. 1t was thought
that his errand might be in connection
with the convening Of special grahd
jury 10 consider the case.
When Mrs. Eaton, stout woman of
forty-fve years, entered the jail she
was dressed in the black suit that she
wore at her husbands funeral and
mourning veil partly hid her :ace.
She had been weeping, but generally
maintained the composure that has
characterized her from the first.
Admiral Eaton died in his bed at the
home in Norwel where he lived with
his wife. her mother. Mrs. George Har-
rison. and his stepdaughter. Dorothy
Ainsworth. The death was unexpected
and was due, the other members or me
family said. to an attack of indigestion
which followed a too hearty meal OK
roast pork.
circumstances led TO an investisa-
ton md, according to a statement by
District Attorney Barker to-day, evil
dence of arsenical poisoning was dis
covered by Professor William f. Whit
ney. of Harvard Medical School, who
analyZed the contents of the stomach.
The formal report of Professor Whit
nev has not been made and the arrest
was ordered as a result of verbal
communication to the District Attp:-
ney.
Source Of Poison a Mystery.
For ten days the authorities have
known that the admiral died OF arSenical
poisoning and their efforts have been
directed to finding where and ny whom
the poison was obtained and - laying
bare the home life OF the Eator family.
In the first quest they have not been
successful, the District Attorney said.
Along the second line Of inquiry a
wealth of evidence has been furnished
bN frlcnuS Oh Tie ldiiliy diN utlSuDoiS
rhe picture was not an altogether
pleasant one. The admiral and his
wife. who was twenty years his Junior.
did not always agree. it was said, re-
garding those who should be received
AT their home.
Both had been married before. The
,dnirnrs first wife was Mary Anne
Narnum. whom he married at DraCut
i'm 1871. when he was lieutenant IN
the navy. His body was buried be-
side that of his first wife. From his
graduation at Annapolis until his re-
tirement with the rank of rear ad-
miral. in 1900, the life of the naval
officer was filled with honors and he
acquired a fortune.
II.