Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-09-14
REASONS OF NEAR
 TRAGEDY ARE NOT
 DEFINITELY KNOWN
Girl Startles Family With An. nOuncement She Had Taken Poison
ARTHUR BRANCH SAYS
 HE'S NOT TO BLAME
Reports Wedding Disappointment Cause of Action Not Assigned Reason By Young Girls
 Sister

| night at the T. w. Thomas home S16 Cherry street when Miss Areth Bushanan, sister of Mrs. Thomas and said to be but fourteen years of age startled the family with announce ment she had taken poison and re- ported as the continuation of shat tered contemplation of marriage to Arthur Branch, "A, employee of the B. and B. Electric company yester- day became matter of extensive discussion in Pine Bluff. Conflict ing details and circumstances were heard.
 Dr. o. w. Clark, summoned to ad- minister to the girl after she is said to have taken poison said that he gave her an antidote. She had recov- cred, Monday and was able to take an automobile ride.
 Branch, whom it was alleged in a newspaper report, had arranged to marry Miss Bushanan at 8 o'clock Sunday night and who failed to show up at the alleged appointed time made denial of the affair, Monday, stating that he had been with the girl but two times and had not indi- cated to her that he intended marry ing her.
 In a statement last night, Mrs Thomas said that about o'clock Sunday evening, her sister went next door to telephone, and while at the neighbor's home, became ill. "They called me-" she said, "and I went ov- er." The girl, she stated, was badly nauseated, but returned home and laid down upon the bed. Dr. Clark was summoned, Mrs. Thomas said and after some persuasion the girl told them she had swallowed some Paris green a quantity which had been kept to use in killing potato bugs. The physician immediately began treatment, which included the giving of an antidote, and though very i'll Sunday night, the girl was out of danger by morning, and yester- day went for an automobile ride. Mrs. Thomas said she had been told her sister was to have been mar. ried Sunday night, but would not assign this as the reason for her sisters action. She stated her sis ter told her she was going to be mar ried that evening, and also that she had an engagement with Branch Sunday afternoon. He did not keep the engagement, she said, but instead went out of town.
 Yesterday morning, she stated, she sent for Branch, who came to her home, and denied to her that he had ever planned to marry the younger sister. This denial was refuted by the girl, she stated, who insisted in Branch's presence that they were to have been married.
 No Guests Present. There were no guests at the time the girl said the wedding was to have taken place, Mrs. Thomas said; but added that Branch's sister and cousin had come to her home late that af- ternoon in expectation of wed. ding.
 "They said they had heard he and Areth were to be married" she said "rhey came to my house," she stated "but we were not at home, and they came on over next door,"
 The condition of Miss Bushanar was said last night by Dr. Clark, the attending physician, to be very sat. isfactory. "She told me she had swallowed some Paris green" he said, land she was vomiting green. ish fluid. I washed her stomach out twice and administered an antidoate She is all right now"
 Branch stated that he went to the home of Mrs. Thomas Monday morn. ing as soon as he arrived in Pine Bluff, after friends had called at. tention to a published report of the actions of Miss Buchanan. He stated that at first the girl, in the presence of the married sister declared he hae arranged to marry her, but that latel it was practically assumed by all o1 them that his reported charge o1 marriage was not contributing fac tor to the actions of Miss Buchanan She said while he was at the house according to Branch, in substance that "she wanted it understood shl had not done as she did because o1 me-"
 l..