Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 September 1884 — POISON IN THE JUG. [ARTICLE]

POISON IN THE JUG.

From the Monticello Herald.

A Foul Attempt to Poison Isaiah Bisliir by Putting Strychnine in His Bitters. * Another Chemical Analysis and More Light Thrown Upon a Myst-. rieir; Departure. Prof. W. H. Peters, the LaFayette chemist, upon whom White county now depends for its sensational developments, finds in this vicinity a rich field for his professional skill. Aside from the Spencer and Switzer analyses lie has lately been engaged in the investigation of another case of suspected poisoning, the particulars of which, so far as can be gathered, are as follows: Some months ago Mr. Isaiah Bishir, a bachelor farmer, who lives south ot towr, being in poor health prepared for himself a jug of root bitters of which be partook from time to time as occasion seemed to require. One day after iimbibing he suffered ao attack of illness marked by a twitching of his muscles. He at onoe attributed it to his medicine, and after recovering from the attack he let the jug severely alone lor several days. By and by, having concluded that perhaps he was mistaken or that his illness was caused by an overdose, he ventured to take another drink of the bitters. It was followed by the same result as before. He was now convinced that somebody had tampered with the jug, aud putting a number of circumstances together he settled his sus picions upon M- J. Julian, one of his neighbors, with whom lie remembered drinking from the jug a short time before his first attack, and to whom its place of concealment was known. He kept his own counsel and by a little observation was strengthened in his suspicion. Though his attacks of sickness were kept from the neighbors as far as possible. Julian seemed to haye heard of them aud made inquiry of Bishir about his condition He wanted to take the jag and have the bitters analyzed, which Bishir promptly refused, at the same time intimating that he knew that he had been poisoned and that he also knew the guilty party. Soou afterward Julian came to town and in conversation with Dr- Robinson, an officer of the A. O. U- W. lodge, expressed his intention to transfer the certificate ot insurance which he held upon the lile ot Bishir to some other beneficiary, as he feared that lie might be charged on that account with foul play iu case of the death of the insured- The siibseqent flight of Julian for parts unknown , as heretofore noted in the Herald, has given new weight to the abov3 suspicious circumstances, and a sample of the contents of the jug was lately submitted t > chemist Peters for analysis. On M» • day he reported the finding of strych nine in the bitters, and the community Is now on Uni al r. for f u-ther development*-