Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1920-11-29

MACON, Nov. 29.--No further ar
rests had been made today in connec-
tion with the unsolved death of Fred
D. Shepard, wealthy Fort Valley
peach grower. Mrs. Fred E. Elmer,
wife of Jacksonville physician, and
former wife of Shepard; Mrs. lone
Henry, her sister, and Ernest Hopson,
Mrs, Elmers' son by former mar
riage, are under arrest. Further de-
velopments today were expected,
however, beyound fixing the date for
preliminary hearing. DIR. Elmer was
due here today from Jacksonville.
Officials of the solicitor generals
office, while saying they were in
vesting charges that Frederick Gran
dali was poisoned by drinking whisky
found in an automobile in which
Shepard was brought to Macon where
he died last June, decline to discuss
this or any other phase Of the case
for the present. Crandall Is Shep-
ards nephew.
Mrs. Elmer In Hospital.
In hospital cell at the county Jail
yesterday, Mrs. Elmer spent her first
day behind the bars. She was brought
here from Fort Valley at o'clock
YESTERDAY morning, following her ar
rest on a charge of murder at the
close~efMthe coroner's inquest which
found that Fred D. Shepard, her for
mer husband, came to his death by
''poison, which was bichloride of mer-
/ curry"
Mrs. Elmer was in a state of nerv-
Gus collapse all day. She told the
little stenographer, Mrs. G. Heard,
whom she employed Saturday for the
inquest, and who has come to be her
closest friend, that she didn't close
her eyes throughout the night. She
refused food during the morning, but
slipped her coffee and later she ate a
hearty dinner.
One of the big developments of To-
cal interest during the day was the
employment Of Judge John p Ross, of
this city, former solicitor general, as
counsel for Mrs lone Henry, sister
of Mrs Elmer, who is under arrest at
Perry.
The alleged poisoning of Frederick
Crandall, nephew of Fred Shepard,
by drink of liquor given him by En-
nest Hopson, stepson Of Shepard, on
the night which they brought the dy-
ing man to Macon, was a new devel-
opment in the case on Sunday, ac-
cording to statements by Crandall
and DR.. NJ S. Brown, of Fort Val
ley.
Gave Shepard Drink.
"On Monday night, May 81, DR.
Brown, Ernest Hopton and myself
rushed my dying uncle in a high
powered car from Perry to Macon"
declared young Crandall "After the
sick man had been entered in the hos
pital, l told Ernest that | wanted a
drink He got a half-flled quart
from my uncle's car and gave me a
drink. Shortly afterwards l felt pc
culiar Elects of the liquor. The next
day went to bed with dysentery and
acute abdominal pains which lasted
through five days. l am convinced
l was poisoned by the liquor"
DIR. NJ. S. Brown. who attended
Crane during his fve-day illness,
said: "At the time did not think Of
poison a. the Cause 1f Feds sick
ness, but now | feel certain that such
was the case"
Ernest Hopson when questioned on
this point Sunday in Perry merely
reiterated his stand that he has moth
ing to say yet.
The arrest of Mrs. Elmer is only
one of series in connection with the
alleged poison plot which ended the
life of the Fort Valley peach king.
Developments popped so fast dur
ing Saturday night that there was
change in the status of the case every
half-hour Mrs. Elmer's sister, Mrs.
lone Henry, of Perry, and Mrs. Ell
mer's son by former marriage, Err
nest Hopson, also of Perry, were TAX
en- into custody, each charged with
murder. Other arrests are moment
dqsly expected in other sections of the
state.
Accuses Own Family.
A formal statement said to have
been authorized by Mrs. Elmer and
given out here early yesterday morn
ing by her attorney, Charles M. Dur
rance, of Jacksonville, Fla, charged
that her own family twas selling
their mother and sister for pieces of
silver" She charged further that
thousands of dollars have been spent
"to buy the natural love and affection
of my family"
Gwen the dead are not safe," she
added, as she referred to the exhum-
Il + L Il Z.