John T F Carr
Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 September 1893, page 5
NEWPORT
Mr. John T F Carr and wife, of Central avenue, near Sixth street,
are among the leading and most respectable people in Newport's colored society.
For this reason, unpardonable as it may seem, they have aroused the ire of some
of their more humble brethren and the latter lose no opportunity to snub them.
Mrs. Carr is acknowledged as one of the best seamstresses in the city and does work for the best families and on account o her being continually busy with her needle, she out of necessity has been compelled to hold herself aloof from her sisters who are prone to be idlers and gossipers. They have been snubbed and grossly insulted by colored people with whom they will not associate.
The above is given merely as a preface or rather, a clew to the dastardly attempt made on their lives on Monday morning. The husband, who is employed at the pipe foundry, with his wife and children sat down to their breakfast, prepared by his aunt Mary Sansberry, who is a member of their household.
Immediately after partaking of the meal, Mrs. Carr left the house to go on an errand and had not proceeded more than a square when she became deathly sick, accompanied by vomiting. She was carried to her home, where the husband and children were found in the same condition and suffering horrible pains from cramps in their stomachs.
A physician was summoned who saw that they all had violet symptoms of poisoning. With the aid of antidotes and a stomach pump, he soon relieved the wife and husband but the children are as yet in a precarious condition. The physician next turned his attention in the cause of the accident and after examining the food he investigated the contents of the coffee pot, which showed clear traces of arsenic and as the analysis of the vomit also showed signs of arsenic poisoning.
Mr. Carr and his wife, when seen by an Enquirer reporter, were at a loss where to lay blame unless it was done by some jealous colored people. The affair has created a sensation in colored circles and a quiet investigation is being made by the friends of Carrs to if possible, ferret out the dastards who committed the heinous injustice and have them punished as they deserve.