Evening star., 1920-11-28
PEACH KINGS Wife.
HELD AS HIS SLAYER.
Wealthy Georgian, Who Died
Last June, Poisoned.
Two Others Arrested.

FORT VALLEY. Ga, November "a
Thy the Associated PressJ--Warrants
charging murder; in connection with
the death last June under mysterious
circumstAnces Of Fred d. Shepard.
known n the Georgia peach king"
were served tonight on Mra r. e. Ell
mAr, former wife Of the peach grower:
Mrs. Ione Henry. sister Of Mrs. Eltner.
40 48eat H4Rapn, son of MI. Els
III ~ arssSlsss previots M that'
Tie arrest of an ehree was Bfdsred
aSta& &tNesetseioians testified 1t ae1gss
e2So q f6VtStSAtl6n here today {iit
pUsE ni6ft4na illumination OF 76hsrl
ards bSay haa revealed the prsssncs
Of rSison In the tiscero. -, ~
Mrs. Nini4r. who took charge OF
shebard's propefty after his death. on
the grounds that Ne died intestatS.
was krfe1t4d ~ she was leaving the
courtroom. where the coroner's inves-
tikation was heid. The first charge
placed against her was illegal appro-.
priation Of snebard's property. Sew
efaI hours later she was served With
. warrant charging her with murder
in connection with shepard's death.
Mrs. Henry and Hopson were arrest
cd at their homes in Perry, near here.
Left Estate u Half Mlnien.
An estate variously estimated at
from 100000 to $500. 900. left by shep-
ard as his share In his fathers multi.
millions, 10 involved in the case.
DR.. John Funk. Atlanta pathologist,
who was one OF the witnesses at to-
days hearing. testified that traces Of
poison were found In Shepard.s body.
His testimony was supplemented by
that Of Dr.. Edgar Everhart. nm Allan
tn chemist, who told the jury that
while he had found no poison At the
time Of his first examination. an
analysis Of tho contents Of other or
gans presented to him after second
examination Of the body showed q
large amount Of bichloride Of mer-
curry.
Tho inquiry has been directed by.
State Solicitor General Garrett.
Shepard's death occurred at Macon
hospital after an illness Of three days.
Hospital physicians. unable to di-
axnose the case. conducted q post
mortem examination and reported 80
finding Of queer spots on the vital or
Rans. Investigation was Immediately
started by the authorities.
Shepard's wife Of less than a year.
now Mrn Elmer, Immediately took
charge of tho extensive orchard hold
inxs ana other property OF the peach
grower. stating that he had left no
will The Investigation into his death,
which had practically been aban-
donsd, was revived several weeks
later by the announcement by Mrs.
Alice Crandall. a sister Of Shepard.
that she" had received an anonymous
letter through tho mail inclosing
what was purported to be a will exc
cuted BY the peach king" This will
beaueethed to the widow $4,000 cash
ana . monthly allowance Of 500. All
knowledge Of the existence Of such .
viii was denied by tho widow.
-Four months after Shepard's death
his widow was married to DR.. r. E.
Elmer.
Shepard's career also was strange
one. Heir to the millions Of his
father, he ran away from home when
. boy and was found years later on
q ranch in Oregon. He had married.
ana after obtaining . divorce, re.
turned to Georgia to assist his father
in the management OF the Shepard
property.. Upon the death Of the el-;.
der Shepard, he received a large por-
tion OF the estate. which consists: Of
property.