Dispatch, December 27, 1888

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Moral -- MurderTourists and sportsmen -- Other recreation - Fraternal orders

Onancock, Va., December 25, 1888.

Virginia Taylor, a young white woman, was to-day committed to Accomack county jail on the charge of poisoning her husband. More than a week ago William Taylor, a thrifty young farmer residing near Modestown, in the northern part of Accomack county, died under circumstances that aroused the suspicion that he had been poisoned. Three days before he died he was suddenly attacked with convulsions that rendered his limbs rigid, bent his body in the shape of a bow so that only his head and heels would touch the bed, and caused foam to issue from between his clenched teeth. During these attacks he was perfectly conscious, and after them would describe the sensations to his physician. There were three attacks, one each day and during them several strong men were required to hold Taylor on the bed. After the second attack the patient seemed to be getting better, and all the neighbors who had been staying with him went home except William Parks, who remained to render assistance in case the convulsions should return. About 10 o'clock at night Taylor, who was sitting before the fire, asked his wife for some water and after drinking he complained of feeling badly and then walked to his bed and lay down. Parks got in bed with Taylor while Mrs. Taylor went upstairs to spend the night. Soon after this Taylor called to his wife to come down, saying he was feeling uneasy. She came down, went into the kitchen and soon returned with a glass containing considerable quantity of some white substance which she said was sugar to sweeten the medicine which the doctor had prescribed. Soon after taking the medicine Taylor was seized with violent convulsions. Parks, who was sleeping with him, tried in vain to hold him on the bed.

WOULD NOT ASSIST.

He called to James Dix, a young man who was sleeping up-stairs, and who lived with Taylor and helped him on the farm, but Dix refused to come down, saying he did not care to see Taylor in such agony. Several of the neighbors hearing the noise came over and one of them started for the doctor, and Mrs. Taylor with her little son went out to arouse the other neighbors. A few minutes later Taylor died.

When his wife returned and learned of his death she evinced no sorrow, and throughout his illness manifested but little concern for him. His body was interred, but the suspicion that he had been poisoned grew so strong that nearly a week afterwards his remains were disinterred and an inquest was held.

STRYCHNINE.

At the post-mortem symptoms of strychnine poisoning were observed in the autopsy, and the stomach and liver are in the possession of the law officers and will be tested by chemical analysis. It was proved before the coroner's jury that Taylor and his wife did not live pleasantly together, and it is generally believed that she was fonder of James Dix than of her husband. It was also proved that she bought strychnine at a neighboring drugstore, in October, which she says she bought to kill rats with, though she is unable to say what became of all the poison. There were other facts developed before the jury confirming the suspicion that Taylor had died of poisoning, and after sitting through four days the jury to-day rendered a verdict that Taylor had come to his death by poison, supposed to have been administered by his wife. Mrs. Taylor is only thirty-one, rather good looking, and stoutly protests her innocence. She is of humble origin and can neither read nor write.

VERY COOL.

She takes her arrest very coolly, and has engaged Messrs. Neely and Russell as her attorneys, the senior member of the firm being one of the leading criminal lawyers in the county. Deceased was highly esteemed by his neighbors and had recently joined the Knights of Honor, in which organization he had a life policy of $2,000 for the benefit of his wife and little son. Public sentiment is very strong against the woman and the case promises to be one of the most startling in the criminal annals of the State. Further developments will probably involve a man in the case.