Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-18


Dr. MARTIN V. b. BoGAS took the stand. From ten to
fifteen minutes past ten o'clock in the evening, the
10Th September last year, he called attend pa
tient, Emmeline Johnson. Found her laborng under
peculiar form of commissions, trembling her whole
body, with lvid complexion, and ecchymos over her
whole body; her system collapsed with rgdity and
not relaxation and she had blush appearance about
the nails Found the skin warm, pulse at first ninety
and then ybratory not to be able be counted L
Her tongue was not coated though there peculiar
glutinous secretion about the mouth. Tie patient was
perfectly rational her counenance peculiarly ami
mated, eyes very brilliant without dilaation of the pupil
As he grasped her pulse she saa bleed me- for
Gods sake, or shall die" Witness replied that he
could not for she in dying condition. Her brother
standing beside him. In the intervals between nc
pasms she exhibited great desire to converse and pro-
~ assSas s5a AasIRsz 4
ssyen 1inct r9asmg plcre she died In treating The
case Dr egan resortd to antispasmodics brandy mus
tard piascrs &C. There were fifty sixty persons in
the room at the time; many, indeed, render it
difficult to get at the patient Witness had
such before The pusaons vbrated 50 that they
could not be counted She lived from twenty-five thirty
minutes after the arrival Of deponent say about fifteen
minutes Of eleven o'clock.
Mr. FENDALL here read from the books certain opinions
touching the validity of dying declarations testimony
and contended that the deceased to Dr. Bo
gan were good evidence.
/ Mr.. BRADLEY replied
The CoURT ruled the declarations out, the ground
that it was not sufficiently apparent that the deceased
impressed with the mmnency of death upon her
the time although perhaps every body else around may
have been, and that her cry bleed me- for Gods sake
or shall die, not to be taken in the strongest sense
Of the words for PERSONS often used such terms when
really in very little danger. The dying declara
tions of the deceased Dr. Began therefore dsa
lowed in evidence
On the delivery of this decision the Court adjourned
CRIMINAL Court, TUESDAY, JUNE II, 1853
DR.. NJ. V. u. Began continued his testimony to-day.
He knew Of but agent that could produce the peculiar
sensitveness Of skin and impatence of touch displayed
by the patient Mrs Johnson and that strychnne He
had several instances Of etanus they all exhibited
disturbance of the brain in this the brain not
affected. Did not think the symptoms from the
condition Of the uterus The death Immediately by
aspkyria The post mortem examination was made on
the Friday morning following in the presence Of Drs Bor
rows and Howard, and Mr. Mcintyre, apothecary
The results of this examination stated by the wit
who said that he could not from the examination
ITSELF come conclusion as TO the cause Of patients
death, but he thought that medicine but strychnine
could produce the peculiar effects he observed in the
ceased.
foor he picked up and found it to have contained
powder Of Applying il to his tongue he soon
found il to communicate sharp biting sensation which
extended down the throat This paper was folded in
powder shape, but if done by apotheca
ry This paper he picked up after Mrs. johnson had re-
quesed him. for Gods sake to bleed her There was no
mark the paper; it was dirty and wrinkled.
/ Cross examined by Mr.. CARLISLE. Was educated at
the National Medical College in this city, institution
attached TO the Columbian College. Formed the opinion
that the peculiar symptoms of the the
quence of administration of stryehnine. Suychnne
very bitter but deponent thought qndssd dard still
Could not say that it was srychnia he tasted
The taste strange Never Witnessed poisoning by
strychnne before hoped to again The differences
between tetanus results Of was that the
fessr h-nngh disturbed cerebral action, the htter
did not. Strycnnine first affects the spinal apparatus
this its distinguishing feature Made several analyses
Of the fluid contents Of the patients stomach but could
detect no sychnine there yet the symptoms pointed to
that poison alone and he believed the of her
death. Had heard that lancnating pain, pain
from stabbng bad been caused by strychnne If the
deceased did get her death by strychnine the
anomalous one which could not be accounted for
by the profession did he know of any disease which
could produce such death
Dr. JosEPn BoRRows testified that he was present at
the autopsy the Friday morning, but took part in
it, not being quite we'll at the time His opinion Of the
founded DR.. Bogans representations to him.
Mr. BESSER, assistant to Mr. Evans, apothecary on
Seventh street. deposed TO selling sychnine to Sasscer
on the afternoon preceding Mrs johnson death Sasscer
stated that he wanted it kill dog and asked if six
grains not the proper quantity, to which Benner
piled that tsco sufficient This quantity Sasscer got
and also six quinine pills.
Mr. JouS Ii. GoDDARp deposed to Sasscers calling on
him prior to his arrest stating that the people had
nected his with the death Of Mrs Johnson and that
he ready TO meet investigation at any time. He
Sasscer) admitted that he had "foolshy been in the
womans company the evening of the 18th, and had
purchased two grains Of strychnine TO kill dog
tain letter being shown TO Capt Goddard he asked
he had it before. He said he had This letter
promised deceased that she should 90 to California.
lirs. ELIZA GERMAN testified that about week after
/
her trunk On being shown IN court package by the
District Attorney, she believed it the she had
taken from the trunk and delivered TO her husband for
the District Attorney.
Mr.. GERMAN the husband of last witness identified
the package in the delivered by him to Mr.
Fendall.
On Wednesday, morning, Mrs ELIZA GERMAN testified to
having the paper the floor alluded to in DR..
Bogans evidence, also to having found powder in the
closet the morning after her daughters death.
q. Ln.... n4nI. -
the post or examination, but nothing to lead with
certainty to the Of the death lie answered seve
raj questions touching the effects Of srychnine on the
system.
JOHN H. WALLACE testified to having Sasscer
make the purchase Of two grains Of strychnine in Mr.
Eyans's store, as he said to kill dos.
Miss FRANCES GERMAN said that early on the evening
Of her death her sister Emmene in good spirits,
singing and playing the ACCORDION. About O'Clock
carriage stopped at the door, and Emmelne went away
in IT, The carriage returning in about fifteen minutes,
Sasscer got out Of IT, Emmeine then walked with him
towards Pennsylvania At o'clock she return
ed and in quarter Of hour after closed her room
door Just after this the mentioned by her
ther heard in her sisters room, and she and her
mother threw up the window and screamed murder
s. v. GERMAS brother to the deceased was next ex-
amned and stated similarly to preceding witness to
the good spirits Of Emmelne the evening Of the 18th
September This witness described the scene at Emme-
lines bed before her DEATH with nothing new except that
he had spoken to his sister for or three years
and that she not good terms generally with the
family.
| J. F. SHARRErTs, Of the Post Office Department knew
Sasscer and his handwriting we'll he had had daily op.
portuntes Of seeing IL. On being shown the package
Of letters taken from deceaseds trunk by her mother he