The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle. — 1872-01-06 (Stourbridge, West Midlands, England)

LONG TRIAL IN MARYLAND.  The trial of Mrs. Wharton, at Annapolis, begun on the 4th of December, excites much interest in the United States, and is likely to be of great length. Mrs. Wharton, the widow of Major H. Nbarters, of the United States' army, is charged with the murder, by poison, of General Ketchum, a retired officer of the Quartermaster-General's department. The two families, the Whartons and the Ketchums, were on terms of intimacy, and General Ketchum had lent Mrs. OVharton 2,601.) dols., for which she gave him her promissory note, paving, the interest half yearly. According to the case for the prosecution Gen. Ketchum, in June last, went to visit her at her house. in Baltimore, taking (as is believed) the note with him, in order that he might receive the amount lent to her, as be intended to go to Europe, and he might want the money before her return or, as he said to his son, might never see her again, she being in delicate health. He had not been long at her house before he was taken ill, and in four days he died. The symptoms led the physician to suspect that poison bad been taken, and the indictment is described 3-4 charging poisoning by tartar emetic, by yellow. jasmine, or by some poison unknown. The phyeicran lint prescribed creosote, afterwards yellow jasmine, and later (on using a catheter) had occasion to give chloroform. followed by chloral. Mrs. X% harton purchased tartar emetic while G enerat Ketchum was at her louse, and 11,1.1 that drug at night (in the presence of one ef the witnesses for the prosecution) for a plaster which she applied to her chest. She was frequently with General Ketchum during his illness. There was evidence tending to show that she . .  J . ekuini t,rol an overdose ot medicine, and that • it had a diffident appearance from that wade up friim the prescriptiomand produced in court, the one beim; cloudy and the other clear. The pmt mortrat examination developel no natural cause of death; tartar metie was found. A witness, deposing to General Ketelinni's condition while ill, stated that be said he was getting better, but bad been quite iI ; that Mrs. bad poisone.l him in a glass of lemonade. Tin prisoner's counsel objected to this "jocular remath being given in evidence ;it does not appear that it wits /mule in Mrs. Wharton's presence; the statement is described as unexpected, and it was expunged. The deputy marshal of police deposes that after fleneral Ketchum' death he told Mrs. Wharton that Hilt' ought list to think of leaving for Europe until the affair was cleared up ; she. thanked him for all the infame:thin lie had given her In the case, and requested liii ac,ptance of a:2O dots. note, but he declined it, saying he could not take presents. When the General's clidhes were parked up to be sent to his house after his ibath, his set coidi not be fidind ; on inquiry, Mrs. What.; IS sidi it was in her wardrobe, and it was found there. Her pronilasary note for 2.1;C0 sannot be figual. She that she pail it olf some months before, aid then th-troyeil it. ilie also claims that neral Ketchum is in her debt ; that -she handed to Las for I iv, Twenty lionila for 1,00 11-11. each, to Is. Id by him acil converted into other bonils. There were mi wit hess, to either of theie transactions ; and it is t hot Co re int iso trace of either in General Krt. lllls. I i. si kept with minuteness. Thee, nwher li'. ent far attempting to loio,n Arr. Van Ne,s. a back eli•rk who had transacted tins,,.dalfir Mrs. W hart, ft, awl who called at her Lilac n hen the General Was staying tiorre.