Corvallis gazette., October 26, 1906, Image 1

Leading
Corvallis
Newspaper.
Best
Advertising
Medium.
Vol. XLIII.
Corvallis, Benton County, Oregdn, Friday, October 26. 1906.
NO. SB
m -s fjm
PROF. FULTON A WITNESS.
In Albany Case Man Accused
of Poisoning Wife.
A sensational trial is in pro
press in Albany tnis week in
which a heretofore highly ' re-
soerfed arnenter is accused of
having attempted to poison his
wife. According to published
reports the motive is thought to
have been the securing of life
ins"rance money.
Prof Fulton of OAC is au im
portant witness in the case. The
story is related in the Telegram
Wednesday as follows:
That she plainly saw her hus
band, Elmer E. Wagstaff, put
rat-poison in her cup of tea, and
then induced her daughter to
watch him the next morning as
he repeated the attempt to kill
her, was the story Mrs. Rachel
Wagstaff calmly related on the
witness stand yesterday after
noon before Judge Burnett in the
trial of her husband on a charge
of attempted poisoning. Her
testimony was sensational in the
extreme, but the defense raain
taius that it is only an improba
ble fiction wrought out in the in
sane jealously of a very erratic
woman.
.Mrs. Wagstaff explained her
custom of drinking a cup of cold
tea every morning, brewing it
the evening before. She said
sometime in February the tea
"made her lips pucker',' when
she started to drink it and she
threw it away. Then she relat
ed how on the evening of March
8 last, she found a package of
powdered rat-poison in her hus
baud's pocket when she was
placing a clean handkerchief
there and, remembering the acid
taste of the tea before, grew sus
picious. She then told how she
watched from a hidden view
point the next morning and saw
her husband empty a part of this
package in a cup of tea which
stood on the stove.
"I saw him walk to the center
of the room and stop and seem to
meditate a few minutes," she
said. "Then he took out the
package and poured some in the
cup and stirred it with his finger.
He walked away but again re
turned aud stirred the tea with
his finger."
That diy, the witness stated,
she took the tea to Dr. W. H.
Davis to examine and asked her
daughter, Pearl L,aPorte, to
watch Wagstaff the next morn
ing. Vesta Conn, a friend of
Miss LiPorte's, stayed with her
that night, and the witness said,
both girls saw the defendant re
peat the attempt the next morn
ing, March 10. This cup wa
also taken to Dr. Davis and Wag
staffs arrest caused.
Professor John Fulton, of the
Oregon Agricultural College,
was the first witness and told of
analyzing two bottles of tea last
March, which contained enor
mous quantities of poison. He
said the fumes of arsenic drove
him from the room when he was
making the test, and he found
pulverized glass and other in
gredients of rat poison.
Dr. Davis identified the bot
tle's which Professor Fulton had
examined as those brought to
him by Mrs. Wagstaff.
Mr, and Mrs. Wagstaff were
married twelve years ago. Both
had been married before and each
had children and this is said to
have caused friction. Mrs. Wag
staff testified that they had not
spoken to each other for four
months previous to the alleged
attempt at' poisoning, any more
than was absolutely necessary in
order to live together She was
submitted to a grilling cross-examination
yesterday afternoon
by Attorney Kelly. It was
brought out that she herself had
had rat-poison at their home in
East Albany and had killed dogs
with it
Wagstaff maintains his inno
cence.. ' His attorneys claim his
wifeww buanclj jealous and is
very erratic. Wagstaff is a car
penter and has. always borne a
splendid reputation in Albany.
The trial has attracted great
local interest and the courtroom
was crowded all afternoon yester
day. Not guilty was the verdict in
the case which was concluded
Wednesday. After six hours of
deliberation the jury in the case
returned a verdict of acquittal.
Professor Fulton, the expert
chemist from Corvallis. was re
called. He testified that strych
nine was not bitter or "puckery"
to the taste.
The defendent was put on the
stand in his own behalf. He
denied ever having any "rough-on-rats"
in his possession, that
he had ever seen any in the
house, and that he had .placed
poison or anything else in his
wife's cold tea.
Defense called Mrs. Wagstaff
to the stand. Upon cross ex
amination she admitted having
used strychnine to kill the de
fendant's dog, but denied ever
having any ''rough-ot-rats" in
her possession. ' .
It is the supposition that the
woman is not mentally responsi
ble.
MILLIONAIRE VISITS CITY.
To Ship Hardwood Lumber
'Frisco Is Building Hotel.
to
W. M. Bradberry, the San
Francisco millionaire who was
in Corvallis several months ago
for the purpose of buying a quan
tity of hardwood lumber at the
local mills for the finishing of a
very fine hotel in the devastated
city, arrived this week to look
after the matter in person. . It
appears that the Buxton planing
mill was to get out the doors and
windows and other finishing ma
terial for Mr. Bradberry, but
owing to the rush at the mill the
work has been delayed and up to
the time of the purchaser's arri
val this week no steps had been
taken toward filling the order.
Mr. Bradberry experienced the
usual difficulty in securing cars
in which to ship the material.
but by close watching he finally
secured a car Wednesday that
had come in filled with salt for
the Zierolf grocery, and with a
force of men the 'Frisco buyer
proceeded to fill up the car with
lumber. He will now take it to
East Portland to be pat into
shape, Mr. Buxtoa having cut
the material into stock sizes for
shipping. The order would have
been left at the local mill had not
the hotel in 'Frisco been, waiting
for the lumber, and no further
delay could be tolerated.
In 'Frisco carpenters are re
ceiving $5 per day. Mr. Brd
berry's hotel is to replace one
which he lost in the earthquake
and fire. It is ' not as large as
the original structure, containing
only 82 rooms, but it is to be
much finer in finish and appoint
ments. The shipment of hardwood
which goes from Corvaliis to
figure in the construction .. ot
the hotel comprises about 40,000
feet, and one car was to leave
yesterday for the Eist Portland
mill. The balance will be ship
ped as soon as cars can be se
cured for the purpose.
WANTED 500 live geese before
tne n rat of .November. Call or ad
dress Smith & BmMeii, Corvallis,
Oregon. 8ltf
The Knights of Py thia9 who are noted
for their whole-heartednesa as hosts, are
to have a social at their hall next Mon
day evening. -
Economy Fruit Jars at Zierolf.
. 74tf
Messrs. Harr Vance and Will Dreese
of Cottago Grove have been guests this
week ot Rev. and Mrs. G. H. Feese. ' .
For Bale. two lots; with seven
room house and barn: desirable lo
cation v Call on or address Mrs. M.
McEixmej. Corollis, 83 tf
WILL MAKE TOUR
And
Play Many Games OAC
. Basket Ball Team, v
About forty men turn .put
t :
nightly for basket ball-practice at
uav, now, aa mere . is , promise
of a very lively season .for the lo
cal team. At a meeting held a
few days ago Claude Swann,. the
champion basket ball man Qfjthe
state, if not of the entire northwest
was elected captain. With the
old champions Of last year all in
line except Grover Cate, whose
place is ably filled by Benson and
"Shorty" Foster,. Captain Swann
will undoubtedly turn out a swift
and snappy team that will win
laurels for the orange.
There is much promising ma
terial among the -'new men.
Among, those who ; are show
ing promise are Jeffreys, late of
Nome, Alaska.. 'High School
team; Hamilton, of Burns ; Watts
of Corvallis, and many, others!
whose names were not learned.
The local aggregation expects
to play a long schedule of games
this season. .Events are already
booked with the Chicago' Cres
cent Five and the SaltL,ake Y.
M. .C. A., besides which games
are practically settled with Eu
gene, Dallas, Monmouth and
Philomath, and contests with Sa
lem and the Portland Y. M. C.
A. are almost a certainty.
Besides playing the state sched
ule, the boys expect to utilize
their vacation by making a tour
of Washington, Idaho, Montana,
Utah and California, which tour
will include about 20 games.
About eight players, a - manager
and Professor Trine will make
the trip, which will undoubtedly
result in the -taking of many a
scalp lock by the OAC team, as
last year they won over all com
ers. The second team . is also doing
good work this year and expects
to play more games this than
it had last season.
Have Bought Newspaper.
Walter Lyon and Edgar Stahl
have bought the Albany' Herald
from C. A, Westgate, or, to be
more exact, these gentleman have
formed a corporation which will
ke over the paper. It is' the
intention ot the new owners to
give the Associated .Press service
and add other new features which
will put the Herald on a par with
any paper in the state.
Mr. Lyons, who recently sold
the I-adepeudeuce Enterprise, was
formerly private secretary , to
Governor T. T. Geer, and is a
mm of large acauaintaace and
popularity t&rou-hout the valley.
Mr. Scahl is an expert linotype
operator, for sometime on the
Statesman, and earlier at the
state printing office, Astoria,
Baker Citv, Portland and other
places. Statesman!
Tongues of Fire" Coming.
Many Corvallis and Benton
county people are awaiting with
deep interest the outcome of the
religious frenzy that has lately
been aroused in Salem by one
Rev. M. L. Ryan, because of the
experiences that befell Benton
county through a similar upris
ing. In regard to . the Salem
case the Oregonian" says: "
Several of the religions fanatics
who have created such a .stir in
Los Angeles, where 300 converts
were made by those wbo spoke
"with tongues of fire,1' are ex
pected to arrive in Salem ia a
day or two to carry on ; the work
here. Their arrival was expect
ed a week ago, but for. some rea
son or other they have been de
layed. The Los Angeles work
ers, it has been announced, , will
aid in the evangelistic services
being conducted by V Rev. ; M. L.
Ryan at the Holiness Mission, on
Twelfth street in that city.
Ryan is a believer in the 'ton-
gaes oi fire' v doctrine, and al
leges that he himself vis frequent
ly inspired with power to speak
in" 'manv tongues." :'-
Ryan claims that through some
of his . ministrations demons- are
cast out of afflicted .; persons. ; A
few evenings ago a woman who
said she suffered so badly from
rheumatism .'that she could
not lift her arm applied to Ryan
for help. In the presence of his
congregation he -closed a prayer
with a command for the. demon to
depart, and at once the woman
. -
regained power to use ner arm
with perfect freedom. Rvan
perfect
does not, however,
pose as a
Though he is extremely zeal
ous aud at times very, demonstra
tive in his manner, Ryan has ai
ways discouraged and suppressed
the sort of religious frenzy which
has resultea an unbalancing the
minds of followers of other reli
gious leaders. He alleges that
his teachings are antagonistic to
those of the Holy Rollers, the
Djwieites and other sects that
have fallen into disrepute.
Ryan was born and raised near
Perrydale jn Polk county, and
has been preaching in Salem for
the past ten years. Salem peo
ple are waiting with some cur
iosity the arrival of the Los Ang
eles evangelists. -
"THE HOLY CITY
To Be Given at the Opera House
Next Thursday Night.
The management of the
Grand Theatre promised their
patrons .something out '". ot the or
dinary when "The Holy City"
should be presented here, and it
is safe to 'say that' none of last
night's audience were i.h the least
dissatisfied. '
From the first rising of the
curtain, scenes were enacted, that
held the soul in a state of rever
ent interest. So real seemed the
whole performance that one could
scarcely bring himself : to believe
that he was nof in the heart of
the city of David at the time
when there lived and died the
One ot whom it has been said
"He was never seen to smile,
while thousands-saw his weep. "
There is nothing but reverence
throughout the entire perform
ance. No attempt is made to
impersonate him around whom
the play centers. As in "Ben
Hur" in those parts where his
presence would be necessary, a
halo of light appears, and in the
tragic scene of . the crucifixion
and the glorious presentation ot
the resurrection, vast pictures
are brought into requisition", and
the effect, is wonderful. Of the
players, too much in praise can
not be said, each gave evidence
of being an artist far above the
average player. The entire cast
deserves much credit.'.' "The
Desert News," Salt Like City,
Sept. 18.
To Establish Home.
There has been considerable
discussion pro and con through
the press relative to the advis
ability of establishing a home for
the feeble minded of Oregon.
When a child or adult is pos
sessed of a weak mentality there
should be a place to take them
where they could receive the pro
per attention and care, and the
state is making a start in The
right direction for providing su
ra home, as will be seen from
Oregonian item as follows:
The State Board of Public
Building Commissioners, . Tue -day
opened bids for the 'saleo
land for a home for the feeble
minded. The call for bids an-j
nounced that the state desired to;
purchase a tract of about ioooj
acres within ten miles of Salem,
and invited landowners to offer
their land cither separatively or
jointly in tracts which would ag
gregate the required amount.
The bid opened have not been
arranged according' to locality,
and as the character of the land
and . improvements cannot be
readily ascertained, it is Impossi
. "ADMIRE"
but half expresses it. We have some
things recently opened up you'll go in
ecstacies over, For an out and out bu.
peril r line of
Newest Style Jewelry
you can find it here. We invite you to
call and see some choice thicgs just re
ceived. Frices are not hieh. Small
margins ol profit content no.
Albert J. Metzger
WATCHMAKER
Occidental Building, - - - Corvallis
I All Wool and Granite Art Squares
AT
0- J. BLACSCLEDQE'S Furniture .toro
Corvallis - - - Oregon
OWING TO OUR LAtjtGE FALL RUN
On Sporting Goods we haye replenished our stock
,with a large and complete line of guns and rifles.
Also a large supply of shells and cartridges . . . '.
Juat RecoivGiS a Fine
Razors and Razor Strops, Pocket
Knives and Hunting Knives .
; Come in and see our new line of Footballs,
The Delineator - - $1.00
McClure's Magazine $1.00
World's Work - - $3.00
G. A. Gerhard Book storg
SEEING IS BELIEVING
Then come in and see my line of Sporting Goods and be con
vinced that it is the best and most complete line ever brought
to your city, consisting of Guns and Ammunition, Fishing Tackle,
Base-ball Goods, Bicycles and Sundries, Pocket Knives, Razors,
Sewing Machine Supplies, etc Gasoline and Dry Cells for sale.
Agent for the Olds Gasoline Engines and Automobiles?,
Guns and Bicycles For Rent. First-class Repair Shop.
M. M. LONG,
Ind. Phono 126 Residence 324
CORVALLIS,
Look m Our Window
For the correct thing in the jewelry line. We have a fine
of Jewelry and silverware that is astonishing in its grace and
beauty and magnificent in its size and completeness.
Engraving nicely done in the latest ribbon script styles.
Repairing that is guaranteed and prices that are in keeping
with the class of work done- ,
E. W- S. PRATT, Jeweler and Optician
le yet to say what kind of a pur
itse the state can make. In
eueral, it may be said that the
piices run all the way from $40
ta $120 per acre, and that values
are placed higher than the board
expected to find. An ; average
price is about $65 an acre, which
would make the land for a home
for the feeble-minded cost- the
state about $65,000,
SPEECER'S
Hair Invigbraf or
And Dandruff Eredfcatcr
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V-
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Trail ten rtoislertd. ,
Price, - Fifty Cents
., Manufacluied by
The Vegetable Compound Company
Corvallis, Oregon 9t
7
Salmon Hooks and Bass Hooks.
All Kinds of Lines
GUN HODES
- OREGON.
WOOD CHOPPERS WANTED.
Three thousand cords of wood to be
cut, let oat in number of cords to
suit choppers. Parties wanting a
job come at once. Don't write.
Phone P. A. Kline, Kline's line.
84tf
All kinds of grass eeed for Bale
at Zierolf Timothy, . clover and
orchard grass seed. 74tf
S322
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