Old Case of Murder by Arsenic (Part Six)

Deruyter New Era, Oct. 21, 1880

 

THE SHROUDER TRIAL

 

      After several days trial at Morrisville of Mrs. Francis Shrouder for poisoning to death Mrs. Barnard, in September 1879, the jury returned "not guilty.”

     Mrs. Barnard was about the Saturday before, it was claimed, and as well as usual. Suspicion was soon aroused and within a day or two Frances Shrouder, the old woman's daughter, was arrested, and her husband, George Shrouder, who had the reputation of being a worthless character. They were charged with poisoning her with arsenic, which the woman was known to have bought at a drug store in the village. William M. Smith, a chemist, swore before the coroner's jury that the liver and kidneys of the deceased contained arsenic, and a verdict that death had been caused by that drug was brought in October 6th, with the words. "And we find that the circumstances and evidence point to Francis Shrouder and George Shrouder, her husband, as the persons implicated in the giving of the poison." The two were accordingly indicted by the

grand jury at Morrisville a few days after.

     In an interview in the Morrisville jail, both prisoners stoutly denied knowing anything of the cause of the death of Mrs. Barnard. After their indictment for this crime, suspicion

being greatly aroused, they were charged of having poisoned the father, Charles Barnard, who died the summer before after a lingering illness, and also a Mrs. Pope, an old woman who boarded at the house and who died suddenly some little time before. Her body was hurried off rather unceremoniously by Shrouder [Charles Barnard] to Truxton in Cortland county, and buried there. After the indictment of the Shrouders for the poisoning of  Mrs. Barnard, it was exhumed and an inquest held. A chemist who made an examination testified to the presence of poison in the body.



Editor's note:
     In an atmosphere of sensational journalism and pre-trial prejudice, how did twelve jurors arrive at a "not guilty" verdict? The limited information contained in our selected press articles doesn't tell the whole story.
     Who obtained title to Laney Barnard's house worth $250? Who got the team and wagon? If George and Francis were both released from custody after her trial, where did they go? Did George's mother, Mrs. Cornelia Hines, take them in? Did the young married couple belong to a church and seek help among the congregation? After the verdict, did most of the neighbors still believe that the young couple were guilty of murder? Did George and Frances continue to live at Morrisville?
     Readers with additional information on this case can sign in with Google and leave a comment on this blog.
     In a separate and later case, Roxana Druce of Herkimer County, convicted of the brutal murder of her husband, was executed by hanging on February 28, 1887. Her hanging was a long tortuous event.
     On June 5, 1888, the state legislature voted to establish electrocution as the method of execution. When William Kemmler was executed in the electric chair in 1890, his body was set on fire.