THURSTON Steuben County New York
NEWSPAPER TIDBITS

1887

SUSPECTED POISONING. A STEUBEN COUNTY SENSATION WHICH REQUIRES DEVELOPMENT.      ELMIRA, N.Y., March 26. – The little hamlet of Thurston, Steuben County, has been stirred as never before by a sensational poisoning case that has just been brought to the attention of the public. Walter Brand, aged 43 years, is dead, and an examination of the heart, liver, kidneys, and other portions of the body has been ordered. Dr. Mitchell and the father of the wife of the deceased demanded an inquest, and a jury was impaneled. Dr. Mitchell’s testimony goes to show that Walter Brand, his wife, Carrie Coulter, and a boy named Anson Lewis had the same symptoms of poisoning as the deceased, but not so bad. When Mrs. Walter Brand was taken sick she had Dr. Annable, of Cameron, summoned, against the will of her husband’s mother. An examination of the premise revealed the fact that a package of rough on rats, and a package of white lead were found, with indications that they had been recently tampered with, and that there was little doubt that the poisoning was done with either or both of the poisons mentioned. In the course of his examination before the Coroner Dr. Mitchell said he asked Brand if he thought his mother was doing the poisoning, and he replied that he did not nor did he think it was the boy, Anson Lewis.      Mrs. Brand, Walter’s mother, made a statement principally in reference to the unpleasant rumors connecting her name with the poisoning. She said: “I was sick about two weeks before Walter was. I never had any trouble with him nor any other person. I had no dislike for his wife. A shoe dropped on the package of white lead and tore a hole in it, and then a string which hung over from another box trailed through the powder and it scattered it around the box. I knew nothing of the poisoning properties of white lead until I heard it from the doctors. I never made the statements alleged detrimental to Walter. Carrie Coulter did most of the cooking, but I did occasionally. I never eat buckwheat cakes, because they give me dyspepsia. All the rest of the family eat them. I did not mix the buckwheat cakes. I never gave Walter his medicine, except occasionally, when I gave him morphine powders.”      The circumstantial evidence points to a sensation of very large dimensions. The case is exciting a great deal of interest, as Walter Brand was a prominent citizen. It has not progressed far enough yet, however, to give publicity to the rumors and charges afloat, but it is believed a very startling state of affairs will be developed before the Coroner is through with his investigation. The New York Times (New York, NY) March 27, 1887.

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