The People of the State of Illinois
vs.
CHRISTOPHER C. RUSSELL
The Grand Jurors, chosen, selected and sworn, in and for the County of Saline in the name and by the authority of the people of the State of Illinois, upon their oaths present; That Christopher C. Russell, late of said County, on the thirtieth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety seven at and within the said County of Saline did unlawfully feloniously willfully and of his malice aforethought a large quantity of deadly poison called arsenic to wit, the quantity of two drahms of the said arsenic did put mix and mingle into and with certain quantity of coffee which one VILETTA DUNCAN in the peace of the people then and there being was then and there was about to drink, the said Christopher C. Russell then and there well knowing that she the said Viletta Duncan intended to drink the said coffee and the said Christopher C. Russell then and there also well knowing the said arsenic as aforesaid by him put mixed and mingled into and with the said coffee to be a deadly poison, and that the said Viletta Duncan afterward on the thirty first day of May in the year aforesaid in the County aforesaid did take drink and swallow down a large quantity to wit one gill of the said coffee with which the said arsenic was so mixed and mingled by the said Christopher C. Russell as aforesaid she the said Viletta Duncan at the time she took drank and swallowed down the said coffee not knowing there was any arsenic or any other poisonous or hurtful ingredient mixed or mingled with the said coffee, by means whereof she the said Viletta Duncan then to wit on the day last aforesaid and there became mortally sick and distempered in her body, and the said Viletta Duncan of the poison aforesaid so by her taken drank and swallowed down as aforesaid and of the said mortal sickness and distemper occasioned thereby on the said thirty first day of May in the year aforesaid in the County aforesaid died, and so the grand jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the said Christopher C. Russell in manner and form aforesaid unlawfully feloniously willfully and of his malice aforethought did on the day and year last aforesaid in the county aforesaid kill and murder the said Viletta Duncan contrary to the form of the statute in such case made and provided against the peace and dignity of the same people of the State of Illinois. -- Sigel Capel, State's Attorney in and for Saline County, IL.
Wm. A. McHaney, foreman of the Grand Jury.
Witnesses: J. R. Baker, J. S. Lewis, L. D. Nolen, Frank Murphy, W. J. Dallas, Stephen Morse, Jennie Morse, Alvis Moore, Daisy Moore, Bert Moore, Harve Moore, Mrs. Alvis Moore, Stephen Miller, Charles Wilkins, D. B. Russell, Mrs. Nias Ramsey, Neppie Russell, Aubrey Russell, Henry Cummings. Moses Weaver, Mrs. Moses Weaver, Irvin Stiff, Tolbert Weaver, W. C. Henson, Bertie Abney, Rbt. Ran, Mrs.. Rbt. Ran, Neal Shaw, G. W. Ozment, Rebecca Ozment, James Cain, Jr., George Mosley, George Cain, Rbt. Parks, james Sullivan, Bert Wiley, Mrs. Bert Wiley, Dr. D. harris, J. B. Miller, Jack Childers, Mrs. Chas Wilkins, Loran Allen, Mrs. Loran Allen, James Kent.
Recorded by order of the court, the 16th day of Sept. 1897, Jno. H. Lee, clerk.

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