MAY BE MURDER

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, November 22, 1895.

MAY BE MURDER.

FILMORE THURSTON DIES UNDER SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AT WHITNEY POINT.

His Wife Under Arrest—Infidelity, It is Alleged. Led to Domestic Unhappiness.

(From the Binghamton Republican, Nov. 16.)

   A tragedy at Whitney Point has disturbed the tranquility of that usually peaceful village and the excitement over the affair is intense. Yesterday morning at three o'clock, Filmore Thurston died at his home on the Dunham hill road in the town of Barker with every symptom of arsenical and strychnine poisoning. A few hours later his wife, Eliza, was arrested, charged with murder in the first degree. She was brought to this city yesterday afternoon by Constable George Seymour of Whitney Point, and lodged in jail. It is charged that George Hale, a neighbor of the accused woman is also implicated, but he has not yet been arrested.

   A jury was empanelled at eleven o'clock yesterday and Drs. Tillotson and Seymour commenced a post mortem examination. The organs likely to be affected by the poisons will be sent to a chemist for analysis. The inquest will occur on Monday at eleven o'clock. In case death is found to have resulted from poison, Mrs. Thurston will have her preliminary hearing on Monday afternoon before Justice Maxfield.

   The circumstances leading to the arrest date to October 30, when Mrs. Thurston went to Whitney Point and purchased a quantity of arsenic saying that she wished to rid her house of mice. About this time her husband was taken ill and grew gradually worse.

   Last Saturday Mrs. Thurston again visited Whitney Point, and bought some strychnine, repeating the story about the mice. On Sunday night Dr. Tillotson was summoned to attend her husband. The doctor's suspicions of foul play were aroused at the start and after a consultation with other physicians notified the authorities.

   On Thursday evening a telephone call summoned District Attorney Painter to Whitney Point. Upon his arrival there, he was met by Drs. Tillotson and Seymour. A consultation was held at the conclusion of which Mr. Painter suggested that the physicians go to Thurston's home.

   Upon their arrival, Thurston was found in a state of total collapse. Hyperdermic injections of whisky were given and the patient rallied slightly. Mrs. Thurston in telling of his condition gave an accurate diagnosis of a case of strychnine poisoning. Dr. Seymour then returned to Whitney Point. Mr. Painter when made acquainted with the facts of the case advised that Mrs. Thurston be arrested on a charge of attempting murder.

   A warrant was issued and Constable Seymour started for Thurston's house. On his way there be was met by Dr. Tillotson who informed him that Thurston was dead. The two then returned to Whitney Point, where District Attorney Painter made out papers charging the woman with murder.

   She was arrested at noon and arraigned before Justice David L. Maxfield, who committed her to jail. She tells several contradictory stories regarding the use made of the poison.

   Mr. and Mrs. Thurston are people of about forty years of age, and have always resided in this vicinity. They have no children and very little property. Neither of them have much education. Mrs. Thurston is a frail woman and not strong minded. The Thurstons have not lived happily together and they quarreled frequently. George Hale, who is regarded as the subject of these quarrels, lives on the adjoining farm. He is past forty years and has several children, some of whom are sadly deformed. It is said his wife died very suddenly last summer.

TO SPEND $9,000,000.

New Locks the Only Canal Improvement Yet Decided.

   ALBANY, NOV. 19.—State Engineer Adams has returned from his tour of investigation of the western division of the Erie canal. He said to-day that the only thing definitely determined upon during the trip was that plans should be prosecuted immediately for the twin lifting locks to take the place of the ten locks now in operation at Lockport. This work will come under the $9,000,000 appropriation.

   The question of deepening the last level of the Erie canal three feet to provide nine feet of water, where now then is only six in the city of Buffalo, is not determined, as it is a problem as yet unsolved, as to whether the lake at Buffalo is not lower now than it is ever likely to be again. It is certainly abnormally low at the present time, so far as the memory of the oldest boatmen goes. The last level of the canal gets its water from the lake and if present conditions are to be considered normal then it will be necessary to deepen the level for a distance of three extra feet by excavation for a distance of twenty-eight miles. It is not feasible to raise the banks on that portion of the canal.

TO EQUIP THE ERIE CANAL.

Contract for Putting In the New Trolley Let for $2,250,000.

   ALBANY, NOV. 20.—Information has been received here of the contract for entire equipment of the Erie canal with electrical propulsion. It is understood that the Erie Canal Traction company has entered into a contract with the Erie Construction company to install a system for canal boat propulsion from Buffalo to Albany at an expense of $2,250,000 and that work will proceed as the work upon the canal enlargement proceeds.

   It is believed that the capitalists and bankers who control the Cataract General company also control the Erie Canal Traction company. The former company also controls organizations in Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Albany, each of which has a capitalization of $1,000,000. It is stated that these various organizations will expend in equipment in the neighborhood of $6,500,000. The electric power to be introduced will be generated at the Falls of Niagara. The superintendent of public works and the State Engineer and the Surveyor will be asked to ratify the equipment contract referred to.

Grover Cleveland.

Thomas Bracket Reed.

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)

   WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 18, 1895.—President Cleveland has more than once been charged sometimes by members of his own party—with being deficient in diplomatic skill. His declination to accept the invitation extended by the government of Great Britain to form an alliance with that country for the purpose of protecting British and American interests in Turkey shows that he had diplomatic skill enough to defeat a well planned scheme of British diplomacy. When that invitation was extended it seemed a natural sort of thing to do, but the present situation in Turkey shows what a dangerous thing it really was. As things now stand there is every probability that Great Britain will be involved in a war with one or more countries as a result of the present complications in Turkey, and had President Cleveland not seen through the scheme this country would have been involved with her. As it is, the U. S. by acting alone has secured better protection for Americans in Turkey than has been accorded to any other foreigners in that country, and when the fighting begins Uncle Sam will be merely an onlooker, only interested in selling all the combatants everything they can pay for.

   How completely Mr. Reed will dominate the republican majority in the House is shown in the scramble for the other offices of that body. Although a number of candidates have been in the field for some time they have been able to get very few members to commit themselves; they are all waiting to find out Reed's choice before announcing their own. By the way, speaking of Reed and his method, there is something for those republicans who have been yelling "Wall street domination!" at the democratic administration and Congress to ponder over in the republican announcement that Mr. Reed has been consulting Wall street bankers to learn what their wishes were concerning financial legislation.

   Captain H. W. Howgate, whose wholesale embezzlement of government money was a national sensation some fifteen years ago, having exhausted all legal quibbles, or his money, will this week be taken to the Albany penitentiary to serve the eight-year sentence imposed upon him by a jury that saw things somewhat differently from the jury which at an earlier date declared him not guilty as charged in the first indictments, and confirmed by a decision of the Court of Appeals against a new trial for him. Notwithstanding Howgate's known guilt, and his known whereabouts during all the thirteen years after he was allowed to escape, justice was slow in overtaking him, and the sentence imposed upon him [was] light when compared with those given ordinary thieves. Had not Secretary Morton ordered his arrest he would still be at liberty, although every body in Washington appeared to know that he was living in New York.

   The wisdom of the government in printing its own postage stamps is shown by the annual report of Mr. Claude M. Johnson, Chief of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where the work is done. Although the postage stamps have been better printed than ever before, the government paid less by between $50,000 and $75,000 than it ever before paid for the same amount of work.

   Wholesale abuse of the franking privilege caused it to be wholly abolished for a long time. Although existing in a modified form for the last few years there is no doubt of its having been abused. It is known that the Republican campaign committee used it to send out documents that were not frankable during the Congressional campaign of last year and the last Presidential campaign. But a case recently come to the knowledge of Secretary Morton which shows that individuals have also been abusing it to their own profit. The case will probably be referred to the Attorney General in order to decide whether any legal wrong has been done. It came to the knowledge of Secretary Morton that a second hand book dealer was selling government publications and giving Congressional franks to those who wished to mail them. An employe of the Department of Agriculture was sent to purchase one of these publications and obtain one of the franks. He easily did so. The frank bears the rubber stamp facsimile of the signature of ex-Representative Tom L. Johnson of Ohio, and the book dealer claims that he came legitimately by them and acknowledges to have used a considerable number of them sending books through the mail for his customers. It has been ascertained that it is a common practice for the clerks of Senators and Representatives to sell government publications to dealers and to furnish Congressional franks for mailing them.

HERE AND THERE.

   Be sure and see the opera "Mikado" to be presented here soon.

   The new vestibule car No. 16 is running on the McGrawville road.

   We publish this week the prospectus of Harper's Magazine for 1896.

   Brogden, the druggist, advertises trusses this week. Read his advertisement.

   H. B. Hubbard, the grocer, has a Thanksgiving advertisement in another place.

   The Manhattan club will have a dance in Empire hall this evening. McDermott's orchestra.

   The Ladies' Aid Society of the Universalist church cleared fifteen dollars from their ten cent supper Wednesday evening.

   A new euchre club with twenty members was organized at Miss Bridgie Couch's home, 17 Evergreen-st., on last Friday evening.

   The annual reception and pound party of the Home for aged women will be held Tuesday afternoon and evening, Nov. 26. All are invited.

   The Cortland athletic association has secured the "Boston Rivals" for Dec. 3.

   The board of supervisors accepted an invitation from Supt. R. E. Dunston to ride on the electric cars to McGrawville last Friday where they had dinner.

   The Young Ladies' Sodality of St. Mary's church, will give a supper and entertainment at Empire hall, Tuesday evening, November 26. Supper from 6 to 8.

   The building that was occupied by the Cortland Cart and Carriage Co. on Port Watson-st., and which was destroyed by fire some time ago, is being rebuilt and will be used by Frank Haberle of Syracuse for bottling works.

   It's a cold and dismal day when Giles Rood, who resides on Brewery Hill, one of the popular suburbs of Homer village, doesn't find a job for some one or more of the inferior courts of the county. Last Friday one John Hoyer complained to Justice Bull that he sold Rood a watch for $5 and took a $10 bill in payment, giving Rood back $5. The $10 turned out to be an imitation of a confederate bill and is one of several thousand being distributed by the Cortland Beef Co. with their advertisement printed in red ink on the back. Rood was arrested and the trial of the case was set down for Monday morning next at 10 o'clock. Rood's wife gave bail for his appearance on that date.  

From Everywhere.

   Syracuse merchants are making efforts to have that city made a port of entry, with good prospects of success.

   It is estimated that at the present rate of increase the United States will have a population of 190,000,000 in 1940.

   Forty-seven thousand tons of tea valued at over $17,000,000, have been received at Tacoma, Wash., from China and Japan this season.

   The manufacturers of pneumatic tires for bicycles have purchased $5,000,000 worth of crude rubber during the past eighteen months.

   In Onondaga county, of the total valuation of $85,592,000, women—6,916 of them—pay taxes on $13,187,260.

   The Marlborough-Vanderbilt wedding occurred in New York last Wednesday, and the $5,000,000 dowered bride will soon go to England to spend her income.

   The United States manufactures more iron, steel, copper and lead than any other country on the globe, Great Britain being a little ahead on zinc and tin.

   The bicycle factories in Syracuse now employ many hundred hands. The Bradley plant, used for the manufacture of farm machinery, costing over $250,000, is to be utilized for the manufacture of bicycles.

   In six months there have been 1,600 applications for city water. In five years this city will be receiving $100,000 revenue yearly for water, or the people will be getting free water. The water system cost the city of Syracuse $3,500,000. The plant would sell in the market today for $6,000,000. New York capitalists have said that they would give that amount of money in cash for the plant.—Syracuse Journal.

   A Stamford girl, so the story goes, while picking blackberries met a bear among the briars. She turned to run and tore her dress on a briar so as to expose her patent wire bustle. The bear, mistaking the bustle for a circus cage, struck for taller timber, leaving the girl to go without a hugging until a drygoods clerk closed his store at 9 o'clock the next evening.

MARATHON.

   George W. Aldrich of Norwich was in town Tuesday.

   Levi Barnes of Boston was in town Monday and Tuesday.

   Mrs. Alice Reilley of Jamesville visited Marathon friends last week

   John Livingston of Coldwater, Mich., is the guest of Marathon relatives.

   Miss Anna Hayes of Cortland spent the Sabbath with Miss Satie Kelly.

   Miss Blanche Carley of Syracuse is the guest of Miss Gertrude Bowdish.

   J. N. Taylor of Binghamton spent Thursday with his parents in this place.

   Mrs. A. J. Lyman has returned from Corning where she has been visiting her daughter Mrs. F. K. McFall.

   Hon J. H. Tripp was in Syracuse Saturday in attendance at the meeting of the 4th district division of the State Bankers' Association.

   Very little change is visible in the condition of Mrs. Calvin Hopkins who is suffering from a stroke of paralysis. Little hope of her recovery is entertained.

   Invitations are out for the marriage of Miss Anna L. Baum, the talented vocalist, and F. C. Beckwith of Brooklyn. The ceremony will occur at the home of the bride's mother Mrs. McKellar of Killawog, Thursday, November 28.

   The Ladies' Aid Society of the M. E. Church gave a birthday social in the church parlors on Wednesday evening. On the same date the W. R. C. gave a milk social at their rooms and on Friday evening the Eastern Star present a farce "Female Masonry."

   A finely equipped reading room will be one of the attractions of the Peck Memorial Library where will be found the leading New York and other daily papers and also many of the best periodicals including the Century, Scribner's, Review of Reviews. Chautauquan and several others already donated.

   The party given at Library Hall last Friday evening by the Iroquois Club was very much enjoyed by those in attendance. Delightful music was rendered by the Baker—Severson orchestra of Binghamton, and the members of the club had spared no pains in their arrangements for the comfort and pleasure of their guests. About forty couples were present.

SCOTT.

   Henry Worth, the missing man, has not yet been found.

   Albert Frink has gathered 15 bushels of walnuts this fall.

   Mrs. Archie Gould and children made a week's visit in Cortland recently.

   Mrs. Emeline Babcock has gone to Auburn to visit her nephew, Jay Weeks.

   C. B. Fairchild has returned from Syracuse and is stopping at the Central House.

   Mrs. C. S. Jones of Homer made a few days visit with her brother C F. Cobb last week.

   Mrs. E. W. Childs and daughter Cecil made a visit to Henry Howes in Cuyler last Friday.

   Mrs. Emma Barber is having the roof of her barn raised. Her grandson Everet Barber is doing the job.

   We learn there was a raffle for ducks at the Central House last Saturday night which lasted till a late hour.

   Mr. Miller of McLean was in town last week buying apples and paying as high as $1.25 per barrel for some.

   B. H. Potter reports the raising of a cabbage which weighs 24 lbs. and it was not the largest one of course, but is there anyone that can beat it?

   Elizabeth Clarke and daughter Veva visited at S J. Hazard's one day last week. The daughter goes to Pennsylvania and her mother to Syracuse soon.

   We learn with regret that Mrs. Philander Knight of Homer met with a very serious accident recently while visiting a brother in Cuyler. As we understand it the back seat of the wagon in which she was riding came off throwing her to the ground and making her insensible for some time and helpless.

  Last Friday a young man by the name of Burnet came to Scott from Spafford with a load of hay, driving a team belonging to Mr. Fisher. About 9 in the evening he started for home, but he did not seem to be inclined to keep in the middle of the kings highway, but went over shade trees, through berry fields, and into hedge fences until he had wrecked the wagon about one mile from place of starting. He seemed bent on driving upon a circle, fence or no fence. Some time after midnight he got started from the place of break down not to return again that night.