The Western Democrat

A Wedding Party Poisoned.—On Wednesday last, as we learn from the Petersburg Express, a wedding party, consisting of about one hundred persons, were poisoned at the residence of Mr. Kane, in Scott county. Mr. H. S. Kane, an eminent lawyer of that county, was married on Tuesday night, to Miss Sarah, daughter of Col. Anderson, and on the night after a party was given at his house. At a late hour in the evening, about 30 of the guests were taken ill about the same time, and that fact inducing the belief that they had all been poisoned, a dreadful scene of consternation ensued, dancing was stopped and physicians sent for, but before they arrived the sickness had become general and the patients were enduring the most horrid agony from arsenic. The servants of the house were all taken ill at the same time, and there was no one on the ground to render aid until the arrival of neighbors who were sent for. The correspondent of the Express said that the cases of about 30 of the party were hopeless, and they were not expected to live, and among them was the young and beautiful bride. Upon an analyzation of the custard it was found to be strongly impregnated with arsenic. The greatest excitement prevailed in the county in relation to it.

The Abingdon Democrat, alluding to the complimentary party given the night after the wedding, says:

On this latter occasion, a diabolical attempt to poison the whole party was made, by the infusion of a deadly drug into some custard, which was partaken of by the entire company, about 40 persons. A Mr. Bishop has since died from the effects of the poison, and, we learn, that seven or eight more were not expected to survive—among them three of the sons of Mrs. Neal, residing at Stock Creek, near Clinch river. A negro has been arrested, (whether man or woman we could not ascertain,) and we learn that there is strong reason to believe that he or she was instigated to the act by a white woman.