LaFew Family
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 25 February, 1898
The members of the family of James LaFew, of Milligan Street, are seriously ill from the effects of arsenical poisoning. They were dangerously ill Wednesday but today the attendant physician, Dr. Hard, pronounces them as better. The family ate rolled oats on Tuesday evening and soon after was taken with violent cramps. Dr. Hard was summoned and worked with them most of the night and Wednesday he made an analysis of some of the food and found that it contained arsenic. The oats when purchased were taken from a barrel at a grocery store and it is likely that the poison was introduced after the purchase as no other cases of poisoning from the same cause have been reported, as there surely would have been had the whole barrel been poisonous. The LaFews know of no enemy who would wish to take their lives or who would have had an opportunity to poison their food.
Source: Crawfordsville Review 26 Feb 1898 p 1
Tuesday night the family of James LaFew, living on Milligan street, feasted on rolled oats for supper and soon after all were taken with several cramps. Dr. Hard was summoned and after working nearly all night finally brought them all around. An analysis of the food showed it contained arsenic. The oats were purchased in the bulk from a grocery and as no other cases were reported from person eating the food taken from the same barrel surrounds the case with mystery.