FULL TEXT: Pittsburg, Dec. – 14. John C. Painter, of this city, went to Greensburg yesterday afternoon and made an information before Justice Loar, charging his stepmother, Mrs. Kate Painter, with the poisoning of his father, George W. Painter, who was his stepmother’s third husband. A warrant was issued and Mrs. Painter was arrested. Mr. Painter died on Nov. 12. The son claims to have conclusive evidence against his stepmother. The circumstances of his father’s death were such that an inquest was held and chemical examination was ordered, establishing the fact that he had been poisoned with strychnine.
It is known that the woman purchased a quantity of the drug two days previous to the death of her husband.
The accused woman is forty-five years of age and comely. Her first husband was killed on the railroad. Her second died of quick consumption. He had life insurance policies to the amount of $8,000. The third husband, Mr. Painter, carried $4,000 life insurance. The assessments were always paid by Mrs. Painter.
[“His Father Was Poisoned. – A Pittsburg Man Has His Stepmother Arrested for Murder.” The Evening Bulletin (Maysville, Ky.), Dec. 14, 1892, p. 1]
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FULL TEXT: Greensburg, Pa., Dec. 21. – The hearing in the Painter poisoning case was concluded yesterday, when Justice Loor decided to hold Mrs. Kate Painter, who is charged with the poisoning of her husband, for trial at the February term of court.
The most important testimony against the prisoner was that given by Mr. Berlin, a clerk in Baker’s drugstore, who testified that on Nov. 11, or the day before Mr. Painter died, Mrs. Painter bought fifteen grains of strychnine for the purpose, she said, of poisoning a dog that had been run over by the electric cars.
Mr. Handy, the Pittsburg chemist who analyzed the stomach, testified that he found about one grain of arsenic in the walls of the stomach, the rest having passed off in the blood, which caused death.
Mr. Carter, another commonwealth witness, said that when he entered the room where Mr. Painter lay dead he saw Mrs. Painter kneeling beside the corpse, and hoard her say: “O, God, forgive me for what I have done, What will his children think of me for this.”
Mr. McWilliams. secretary of the Home Circle, of which Mr. Painter was a member, and in which he had $2,000 insurance, testified that Mrs. Painter always paid his dues and assessment and that before he died she paid dues and assessments that were not due for several days, and demanded a receipt in full.
[“Mrs. Painter Held. - Testimony That Kate Administered Poison to Her Husband.” The Stark Democrat (Canton, Oh.), Dec. 22, 1892, p. 1]
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For links to other cases of woman who murdered 2 or more husbands (or paramours), see Black Widow Serial Killers.
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