The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-01-13
GOSSIP JA|[S
FARM WIDOW
Countryside Rumors Lead to
Murder Indictment-Post-
M0rtem Reveals Poison.

BEI.MONT. N. Y, Jan 13.-Im-
prisoned in the Allegheny county
Jail here is Mrs. Blanche Terry,
hirty-eight, against whom is grand
jury Indictment for first degree muir
der. II is charged that Mrs. Terry
poisoned with strychnine her hus-
band. Fred, forty-two, a prosperous
farmer OF New Hudson, thirty miles
from here, Oh September z.
GOSSIP JAILs WIDOW.
The little town OF Belmont Is buzz
ing with stories that a young farmer
neighbor OF Terrys, who has been
seen often calling at the Terry farm
10 the reason why Mrs. Terry,
mother, is alleged to have killed her
husband. b.. .,.-.
Tho assertions OF the gossips con-
eerninEaa possible love AFFAIR between
Mrs. Terry and her young neighbor.
which might have led TO the poison
ing of Mrs. Terry's husband. seem
strengthened by the fact that last
Saturday, two days after Mrs. Terry
was indicted. the young man In ques-
ton left his farm and his position In
Olean and disappeared.
In an interview she calmly admit
ted that she knew of the things her
neighbors were saying about her, and
made light of the matter. She said
she was not positive how her hus-
band came to his death, but that she
believed he committed suicide.
TELLS or SUICIDE THREATS.
my husband and I went out as
usual on the morning of September l
to milk our eleven cows. L nnished
my share of the milking and went
into the farmhouse, and few MIN
utes later my husband came In ocN'
planning OF feeling i'll. He grew
worse very quickly. and my daughter
Bernice went for DR.. Ballard near by
~Dr. Ballard, knowing Fred was
seriously i'll, summoned DR.. L. Is.
Bond, who recently has moved from
Cuba to Geneva. In spite of the ef-
forts of the two men my husband died
within two hours.
Erred often threatened to commit
suicide when debts were piiing up anu
things weren't going Just right, and
he had been respondent in the DAYS
before he died. Just before he went
out to milk the cows he took dose
of cough medicine. as he was accus-
toned to doing for the last five years,
and he might have put poison In
that"
TERRY HAD NO ENEMIES.
When asked regarding the truth of
rumors that her husband on one occa-
sion had kicked OF the farm the young
neighbor who had frequently called.
Mrs. Terry replied:
II don't know anything about that.
My husband had no enemies that
knew Of"
Mrs. Terry is a comely woman, ap-
pearing much younger than she Is,
q. .t.s. h.
her entire life in the farming districts
of Allegheny county.
Fred Terry at one time was a trav-
cling carpenter and lumber contractor.
Later, after his marriage. he became
owner OF several farms, which he dis
posed of in turn as he bought new
ones. At the time of his death he was
in his third term as trustee OF the
Cuba school ,.t
CASE IS STRANGE ONE.
The Indictment brought against
Mrs. Terry has constituted one Of
the strsngest cases ever brought TO
the attention of Allegheny county
authorities. Nothing was done in the
way of an official investigation at the
time of Fred Terry's death.
Tongues Immediately began wag-
rfng and DR.. Bond, one of the ply
aicians who had attended the stricken
man, was not satisfied as to the
cause of his patients demise.
Finally, because the matter would
not blow over, Terry's stomach was
sent to a chemist in Buffalo for
analysis Unaccountably the stomach
was lost, and 1t was weeks later.
after patient search and inquiry, that
IL was found and delivered to it's des-
tination. The Buffalo chemists anal
vsis showed that Terry had swallow
ed strychnine.
District Attorney Lee Fassett of
weIlsville, presented facts to the
Jury sitting before Supreme Court
Judge Harry L. Taylor which resulted
in a first degree murder indictment
against the dead mans wife.