A MODERN BORGIA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3799, 18 September 1883, Page 4

A MODERN BORGIA.

At Galvcston (Texas), on July », a Mrs Christian, of San Antonio, gave herself up to the police as the self-confessed murderess of seven men. Tho case had been for some months in the hands of the detectives, _ who were gradually closing their cordon of facts, but many of the particulars are yet shrouded in mystery, and much of tho history of this "Borgia has not yet been made public. Her crimes originated in the New England States, one of their ramifications being in Boston, where tho investigation leading to tho developments at present unknown was first instituted. The woman has had in all two or three husbands, each of whom, it is learned, died very suddenly. Tho detaits of one of her diabolical deeds are now fully known. Jn the curly morning of November 3, 1881, one J. 33. Burkett, a stage driver, with two passengers, Mr Howell, of Gonzales, and George M. Ilston, of Chicago, arrived at a camp thirty miles north of Laredo. The placo was occupied by a Mexican to attend to horses, and by the woman Mrs Christian. The weather was cold, and Mrs Christian, beforo who

served breakfast, brought a bottle of liquor and handed it, with a glass, to Burkott, who invited the two passengers and the Mexican hostler and also the woman to join him. Both of tho passengers drank, and then he passed the bottle to tho Mexican, who several times declined, but finally took a small drink, Mrs Christian remarking , "Don't insist. Tho Mexican may think you want to poison him." The invitation was again extended to the woman and she refused, sayinu- it was too bitter, which had been remarked by the others. Mr Burkett then drank all" that remained and immediately accused the woman of putting quinine in it. In a moment Mr Ilston complained of his neck and head and instantly fell backward, followed by Burkett, in convulsions, and both breathed their last in a very short time. Mr Howcll procured a quantity of lard oil from the woman and then vomited freely. He afterwards had convulsions, but did not become senseless. The Mexican, immediately after taking his small drink, was mentally affected by the poison and committed suicide by drowning before tho poison had its direct and fatal effect. Mr Howell bea-an to recover in two or three hours. The woman then went to Laredo, said she was Mr Burkett's wife, and laid claim to the hack and animals and other effects of the party, evidently believing that the hack and mules belonged to him. But in this she erred, and thus secured no financial benefit from her fiendish act, It is said, however, that one of the motives for the assassination of Burkett was to prevent the development of certain facts in a civil suit which"has been pending in the District Court, and the poisoning of the other two men became necessary through the circumstances. The belief was entertained at the time that Mrs Christian had wilfully and deliberately done the poisoning, but there was no direct proof, and she managed to escape the law.

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