The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-12-28
CHOCOLATE
PRESENT
NEARLY
FATAL
Mrs. Carrie Booth, Named
in Divorce Case, Reports
Attempt on Life


their appearance, Christmas
chocolates, containing. according
TO City Chemist Jacobsen. scnc
sort Of poisonous salts, were
brought for examination Tues
day by Mrs. Carrie Booth. who
lives at the Vega apartments,
1918 Terry ave.
Had Mrs Booth eaten any Of the
candy, she would have been badly.
perhaps fatally. burned. Jacobsen
said. Mrs. Booth stated that she
had no suspicion as to the sender Of
the package, which she received thru
the mails Monday at Wings cafe
terra. where she is employed as a
waitress. she said.
The chocolates were originally put
up in I4-ounce box by a local candy
manufacturer.
POISONING JOB
WAS CRUDE ONE
The injection of the poison mn
the candy was a crude job That the
CONNECTIONS had been tampered with
was easily detachable. Each piece
was mashed and crushed and discnl-
ored by the coating OF mcrcuFial
salts. The poison had been stuffed
into the chocolates
II was with ono OF these that
Jacobsen made his test. He Iiquifjed
small part OF the yellowish sub
stance and placed II in n glass with
piece of copper. This was heated.
After the liquid had come to a boil.
Jacobsen poured II off. The piece
Of copper was coated with mercury.
and reflected like mirror.
Mrs. Booth hurried from the
building after delivering she. pc1r
soned chocolates 10 Jacobsen. as she
said she had to be at work at II
o'clock.
DIVORCE SUIT FOLLOWS
ALIENATION FIGHT
Mrs. Booth Is being sued for d.
vorce by Donald III. Booth. Their
marital troubles were first made
public several weeks ago when Mrs.
Booth brought suit for $4,000
against Mrs. vaieria Dwyer. miiliner
in the Hotel Frye building. charging
alienation OF her husbands affec-
tons. Soon after that Booth entered
MS diVorcf sufk 4. sl..s. !. 49, g ~
He said he had been . Hnd and
induigent husband and had tried 10
make a home. but that his wife had
refused TO keep house, nagged him.
caused his arrest on an assault com
plant which was later dismissed and
generally harassed him
She answered tnat she waa fUrcG1e
to work fora li<sae Fak 8oSt1 <odl<1
| me- sApf y0ksy ffcm f1ef. md tnAts
he was capable Of RaS5ng 1er 500
a month alim$ny. ~
She also demanded thS< ne be
forced TO pay her divorce expenseA
vaieria nwyer was r,sReS ~ NrE4
Booth in this answer. w
SAYS OTHER WOMAN
SHOWERED GIFTS ON HIM
Mrs. Booth stated that from the
time she married Booth In Victoria.
II. c.. on October Is. 1915, they lived
lovingly. peacefully and harmonious
ly until January 1, 1890, when. she
charged. Mrs. Dwyer besaA 10 force
her attentions on Booth. ~
She alleged Mrs. Dwyer bestowed
numerous costly presents and gifts
on her husband, gave him valuable
suits, clothes, silk pajamas. silk hose.
silk nighties. costly hats. expensive
shoes. silk shirts. elegant ties, and
even a Packard automobile"
Mrs. Dwyer Is a mature widow
of 80 years. used to the ways of the
world, while my husband is 80. un-
sophisticated. and unused to the
world" Mrs. Booth charged. she
vamped and allured my husband by
flattery and induced him TO take her
for auto rides and to expensive cafes.
where she contributed to the bills"
TOLD WIFE HE HAD
LOST ALL LOVE FOR HER
Booth then. told her he had lost
all love for her. Mrs. Booth said.
In another court document filed
after Mrs Booths answer TO Booths
that she was not his legal wife.
He alleged that she had married
him within six months after she
had been divorced from a man
named Laird, in Clallam county.
Washington.
Booth also said that they had
been married in Victoria in an ef-
| fort to dodge the six-months' pro
hibition OF marriage after divorce.
George Olson and Pierce Loner-
gan are Mrs. Booths attorneys,
while Philip Tworoger represents
| Booth.
After a hurried examination Tues
day, Jacobson said he was not able
to determine the exact nature OF the
salts. but said he was satisfied they
were poisonous.
Police are withholding action In
the case pending the outcome OF ia
lcobsens complete examination