From the Elizabethville Echo of 19 December 1895 comes this strange story of the wife of Capt. John Steele of Elizabethville who eloped with another man; she was then found dead in Northumberland County.
Was She Poisoned?
Captain John Steele was apprised last Saturday, of the death of his wife, who had previously eloped with a man by the name of Greiner.
The daily papers stated that the two had been living together at Shamokin, and it was supposed that Greiner had crushed her scull, and then pretending she had fallen down a flight of stairs held a funeral, and then decamped. These facts were supposed to have been gleaned from Mrs. Steele;s little daughter, whom the wily pair had taken with the, Mr. Steele went to Shamokin on Monday to investigate the affair, but was somewhat baffled when he was told that the whole affair had taken part at Mt. Carmel. Going to Mt. Carmel he soon found his daughter, and on Tuesday evening he returned to Elizabethville. The little girl’s story is substantially as follows: That her mother had taken a cold, and was prescribed for by a doctor; that Greiner left with the prescription, and returning gave the woman several powders, which as soon as she had taken threw her into convulsions which lasted until death. The symptoms as described by the little girl, it is said, would indicate strychnine poisoning. The girl says as soon as Greiner had delivered the powders he retired, and refused to some to the woman’s assistance even when told of her condition, by the girl. The woman died within an hour, and next day Greiner arranged for her burial, after which he left for parts unknown.
Mrs. Steele and Greiner were frequently seen together, here, last summer, under somewhat suspicious circumstances, and frequently legal proceedings were threatened. Two children survive the woman. We have not learned what action the authorities of Northumberland County have taken. Mr. Steele’s circumstances are somewhat limited and consequently he cannot push the matter.
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News article from Newspapers.com.
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