Children:
Unknown
Sibling(s):
John G. Laros
Sallie Ann Laros
Clinton J. Laros
Uriah Laros
Magaret Laros
Annie Laros
Franklin Eugene Laros
Charles Albert Laros
Erwin Kennedy Laros
Marietta Laros
Martin Laros
Clara Laros
Alvin Laros
Alice Laros
Susan Laros
Earl Laros |
Notes: Baptism:20 Sep 1855, Salem Union Church, Forks Township, Northampton County, Pa
June 5, 1876
The Poisoning of the Laros Family.
Confession of Allen O. Laros To Having Poisoned His Father and Mother And Mr. Schug and attempted to Poison The Whole Family
The poisoning of the whole family of Martin Laros of Mineral Spring, on the banks of the Delaware, in Upper Mt. Bethel, on Wednesday, last, the particulars of which have been given in the columns of the Daily Times, was probably the most atrocious and heartlessly premeditated murder ever committed in this State.
For two days past Allen C. Laros was suspected to be the person guilty of the horrid crime of murdering his aged father and mother and another member of his father's family.
The readers of this journal will remember the circumstances of the atrocious deed. On Wednesday last the family of Martin Laros, residing on the Delaware about five mile from Easton, consisting of Mr. Martin Laros and wife, six children, Allen, Alvin, Ervin, Alice, Clara and Flora, and a boarder named Moses Schug, were taken violently sick immediately after having partaken of coffee at supper on that day. Mrs. Laros died at 7 o'clock the next morning, Mr. Laros at 1 o'clock on the same day, and Moses Schug at 3 o'clock P.M. on Friday. A sediment of white powder was found in the coffee pot, after a careful analysis was found to be arsenic, and the quantity sufficient to kill at least a hundred people.
The entire affair was abraded in mystery for several days, and until it was discovered that a sum of money had been stolen from Mr. Laros, as well as Mr. schug, the boarder, no suspicion was attached to any person; but when the robbery was discovered, then those who know the character of Allen C. Laros at one believed him to be the person who had poisoned the coffee and committed the robbery.
Deputy Coroner H. S. Carey empaneled a jury on the same day Mrs. Laros died, and they closed their labors Saturday evening, with the verdict as below given.
The Verdict
"That Martin Laros came to his death from the effects of Arsenical poison administer in coffee on Wednesday evening, May 31, 1876, and that they believe that the same was administered by Allen C. Laros."
A separate verdict was brought in for each of the dead victims, the name only being changed, otherwise the same as the above.
Before the verdict was taken, and after Allen C. Laros had concluded his testimony, orders were given to watch him, and George Schooley, the constable, was deputized for that purpose.
The principal witness to fasten the quilt upon the young man was Dr. C. A. Voorhees of Easton. We extract the report of his testimony from the Easton Express extra of yesterday. Dr. Voorhees declined to answer whether or not any one came to his store in Easton to get anything on the ground that he did not wish it implicate himself as to selling poison. The District Attorney here gave the promise of immunity from prosecution, an the doctor answered all questions.
Dr. Vorhees' Testimony
C. A. Voorhees, M. D. sworn On Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday a person called at my store and asked for rat poison. I mentioned the different proprietary articles to him, and he was not disposed to take any but inquired for powder which he thought was often used for that purpose; I suggested that was used, and would give him 10 cents worth, if he desired it: while I was weighing it out, he said he wished I would sell him 25 cents worth; before I got wrapped up, she said I should make it 30 cents worth; I think this about four and a half ounces; I asked him if he knew it was poison; she said he did; I put two papers around it, and wrote on it with a pen, :Arsenic-Poison - For rats.: he then asked me to prescribe for him for an eruption on his face; I did so, I put him up a four ounce mixing with directions on: the he gave me $5 bill. we could not make the change; then he negotiated for the purchased of a few little things including one bottle of "Brown's Camphorated Dentrifice, Doctor said to the best of his knowledge it was the one brought of him. There is no question about it being the identical bottle. I was struck with this little incident after he left the store I discovered that he had a dollar too little change; I called him back and gave him his change; I have since seen this person at his resident; I suppose Allen Laros is the person; to the best of my knowledge and belief. Allen Laros is the man, I state this from my observation o the man at the time of the purchase, and when he was called back to get the change, and from a critical observation just made; this person called sometime in the afternoon. I should suppose it was in the neighborhood of 4 o'clock; it might have been later; I was in the store alone; never saw him before to my knowledge; recognize him by moustache hair and complexion; he was in the store long enough to make the purchase; probably about fifteen minutes; he seemed nervous; when I called him aback he was about 29 years above the store going south; I told him he had too little change; no one else was in the store at the time when I called him back; I think I had been in the store since 2 o'clock; I thought strange of the occurrence, as the young man wanted an unusually large amount; when I put up the mixture for the eruption I noticed a few pimples on his face the same person who bought the tooth power also bought the arsenic; I am positive on my oath, on one kind of arsenic.
Dr. Voorhees' testimony closed the case, and the verdict was rendered as above.
The Arrest
Constable Schooley and Deputy Bitters, Accompanied by Samuel Sandt, Jr., a neighbor, then went up to the room in which Allen C. Laros was lying, to serve the warrant issued by W. H. Hildebrand, Esq.
Deputy Bitters approached the bed and said, "Allen C. Laros, you are my prisoner." Laros had a handkerchief to his eyes, and looked up, when Bitters immediately began reading the warrant. Bitters had not proceeded very far before Laros said, "What does this mean?' the officer proceeded with the reading of the warrant until it was finished. Samuel Sandt said, "Oh, Allen, what do you know of this affair?" Laros made no answer. One of his sisters was in the room and crying bitterly. The officer began to search the house, and after some little time had elapsed, during which the greatest excitement prevailed, both outside and inside the house, Clinton Laros, a brother to Allen, came into the room and said, "Oh! Allen Allen do you know anything about this?' The prisoner replied, "If I knew anything I would tell,"
The confession
Ten minutes later, while the officers were still searching the house, and while his two brothers and sister were weeping in the room, Allen rose in bed and said, "I did it!" The officers were then called back from their search and the room cleared of all parties, except the constables and Mrs. S. Sandt, Jr., on of the Jurymen. Mr. Sandt then said to the prisoner, "Now tell the Truth."
After a short pause Allen repeated, "I did it." "Where did you put the money?" "The money is out between the privy and sheep stable, This was done on Wednesday evening, the same night that I put the poison in the coffee pot. I knew he (his father) had money, but did not know how much. I took the money before I put the poison in the coffee pot. I took Schug's money, too, but don't know how much. I took none of his papers. did this so that they might all be dead, so I could do with the money whatever I pleased - that nothing more would be said about it. I confess also that the money taken from the place a long time ago took too. I don't know how much it was, but think it was $50 or $60. I took swallows of the coffee too. was just as sick as I pretended to be.
"I only drank it so as to throw them off of suspicioning me. I took a false oath this afternoon. I know it is very wrong what I have don. I want you to pray for me and ask all of God's people to pray for me. I have no wife and children. My name is Allen C. Laros, I took the silver out of my father's drawer and put it in Moses Schug's pocketbook in his chest in the garret.
"Schug's pocketbook was a new one, and father's is an old one. This is my confession, true and faithful, made in the presence of Samuel Sandt, Jr., William Bitters, and George Schooley. Allen C. Laros"
Incidents
During the taking of his testimony Allen C. Laros exhibited the utmost coolness, giving prompt answers to all questions, never contradicting himself, and telling his story in a straightforward manner. When asked concerning the death of his father and mother, and the different events of the week, he exhibited no emotion whatever.
The pocketbooks were examined in the presence of witnesses, in the room where the family had eaten their fatal meal, and saw the pocket books and their contents as they were found by "Squire Hildebrand of Easton, who said he found the books buried in the ground, between the privy and sheep pen, about 18 inched below the surface. A board had been laid over the place to conceal the sins of fresh earth. Mr. Laros pocket book contacted greenback amount to $90 Seven $10 notes and one $20 note, also a memoriam of boards and flooring, and $1.89 in silver half dollars, quarter dollars and 60 cent and five-cent pieces.
In Mr. Schug's pocket books was found three $50 Bills, Five $20 Bills all greenbacks and a receipt for $10. As soon as possible the prisoner was prepared for his ride to the hail. and was brought down the stairs by the constable and take to the room where the three victims of his crime are now laying side by side in their last long sleep. Even this sight failed to make such impression on him, and convinced all that he was a man void of all sensibilities, or else that the very devil incarnate had taken full possession of him. He attempted to kiss the faces of his parents thought the opening oin the ice-boxes, and not being able to reach them, he passed his hands over the faced and in a short time he turned from the room and preceded to the carriage.
While riding down the road toward Easton the prisoner spoke to Constable Schooley about the poisoning, saying, " I don't know what I did it for. My parents were always good to me. Only two weeks ago I went to Philadelphia, when they gave me $25 to spend."
When passing the Schoenertown school house, Constable Schooley said: "This is where you taught school, ain't it?" "Yes, said the prisoner, "But I won't teach anymore."
A party of children on the road said; "Oh, There goes our school teacher." "See," said the prisoner, "They all know me."
At Justice Hildebrand's, where the crowd was so great, the prisoner remarked to Constable Schooley, "Why this looks like a 'circus'"
At the jail the prisoner was again searched by Constable Schooley, assisted by Warden Whitesell. Nothing of any consequence was found on this person. He was conducted to a cell, and when the door was closed he bid the constable a good, and said, "For God's Sake, pray for me."
Allen C. Laros, who is only 31 years of age, was registered as a law student in February last, by H. W. Scott Esq., of Easton. In personal appearance he is rather prepossessing, and would be called a handsome young man. He is about the average height, rather slight, has black hair, and black moustache and a small, black goatee.
The Bucks County Gazette (Bristol, Pennsylvania), Thursday, March 16, 1882
Readers will remember, perhaps, the Laros poisoing case which occurred at Easton, Pa., in 1876. Allen C. Laros put four ounces of arsenic into a coffee pot and this killed his parents and an old man who lived in the house. He confessed the murder and the motive for it. He desired to inherit his father’s property. When he was put upon trial his lawyer pleaded epileptic insanity. He was found guilty, however, and sentenced to be hanged. Upon appeal a commission was appointed to inquire into his sanity, and upon report of it he was sent to the Harrisburg Lunatic Asylum. From this he escaped. Being captured, he escaped again. He went to Arkansas, when he confessed his crime and desired to be returned to Pennsylvania. He was brought back, put again in the asylum and escaped for a third time, from which it may be inferred that the Harrisburg Asylum must be an easy institution to escape from. Now, when after all these years information has been received of Laros’s marriage “in the South,” the hospital authorizes, who do not consider him insane, proposed to bring him back, if possible to the institution, in order that he may be delivered to the civil authorities and duly executed for his crime. The case seems to have been loosely managed. The least which the public can ask when a murderer is sent to an insane asylum is that he be kept in reasonable security, whereas Laros has run away three times from the Pennsylvania retreat, and upon the last occasion of his flight has not even been pursued. If the defense of insanity it will soon be of no effect upon the minds of jurors, as it long ago ceased to have much effect upon the minds of the public. It would be rather an energetic exercise of executive authority to hang Laros now, but here seems to have been no particular reason why he should not have been hanged six years ago.
Easton Daily Free Press, Easton, Thursday, March 9, 1882
Allen Laros
Reminiscences of His Dreadful Crime.
The Harrisburg correspondent of the New York Herald writes to that paper about the noted criminal, Allen C. Laros, under the date of March 8th. He says: “Pennsylvania has the reputation of dealing sternly with capital crime, but there has been a singular remissness in the proper disposition of Allen C. Laros, Of Northampton county, who although he fatally poisoned three persons(Father, mother and an old man) has been at large over a year and no efforts are being made to bring him to justice.”
It has been generally reported in Easton that Laros had escaped to Teaxas and there married Hattie Blaine, about whom there was a great stir in Easton some years ago, she having been arraigned here on a charge of murder, but was acquitted. The circumstances of Allen C. Laros’ crime will be readily called to mine. On May 31, 1876, Laros deposited about four ounces of arsenic procured from Voorhies’ drug stor in the coffee pot and all about the supper table drank the contents. His parents and Moses Schug were fatally poisoned and some of his brothers and sisters became very sick, but recovered. Laros feigned illness was discovered in bed by coroner Henry C. Carey and Dr. Voohies. He confessed to the murder and said that he had hoped to kill them all off that he might be the only heir to his father’s property and might pursue the study of the law. He had already been registered as a law student in the office of Henry W. Scott, Esq., of Easton. Laros was removed to the Easton jail, and there was subject to epileptic fits, which some people, even to this day, think were feigned, but the physician, Dr. Amos Seip, tired some very severe test up on him, which proved very conclusively to his mind that the prisoner was not feigning epilepsy. His case came up for trail, Henry W. Scott and W.S. Kirkpatrick, Esqs, appear for him and E.J. Fox, Esq., and district attorney John C. Merrill, Esq., for the commonwealth. The pleas put in Laros’ counsel was epileptic insanity. The trial lasted fifteen days and the jury after being out three hours, rendered a verdict of murder in the first degree. Jan 13, 1877 was the day appointed for his hanging. An appeal was carried to the supreme court, but the decision of the Northampton County court was sustained and the hanging was fixed for September 10, 1877., A commission was appointed by the court to inquire into Laros’ mental condition, and they decided that he ought not to hang, on account of mental imbecility. He was removed to the state lunatic hospital near Harrisburg, from which place he escaped. But was shortly captured and returned to the hospital. He escaped again and in Arkansas made known his crime and desire to be returned to Pennsylvania to atone for it with his life Detective Jacob Johnson brought him back from the west to Harrisburg and he was again confined in the hospital. Over a year ago he escaped for the third time and is still at large. No efforts, it seems, have been made to recapture him.
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