Western Reserve chronicle and weekly transcript of the times. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1854-1855, 1855-04-04


dy and Ch!oroform, but she could not
swallow; l put about half an ounce of
Chloroform upon handkerchief, and
she inhaled it and seemed little easier,
bu it helped her very little; her feet
were good deal more concave than
usual; about this time | became satisfied
what allied her; she kept calling for Chic
roform, and as was afraid of getting
out of it, l sent for more; she still called
for it; she said 81 shall be dead in few
minutes" and still called for Chloro-
form.
In few minutes the same was repeat
ed during this time she had spasms,
which seemed to throw the whole system
into state of rigidity, and the pupils of
the eyes dilated and were set, and yet she
seemed conscious; when the Chloroform
failed, she said something about an cmet-
ic; perhaps she said she felt like vomit-
ing, or ought to vomit; l cannot tell her
exact words; saw one tooth gone, and
endeavored to make her swallow some
thing there; there seemed to be adificul y
in her throat, that efectually prevented
her from swallowing; these spasms seemed
to grow harder, and continued at inter-
walls; when the person returned with The
medicine, dispatched another messenger
for my brother, who is pracicing medi.
cine with me; we used friction and warm
app ications, but without success she
had anotherspasm, which drew her head
back, brought hereyes open and left her
body in a state of rigidity, and she new
erbreath d a gain; his wasabout 8 o'clock;
we after this. and as quick as it could be
prepared, put her into warm bath, and
tried to restore her, without success. Any
person touching her, or The wind blowing
upon her, would produce spasms; she
could not bear to be touched; 1 could not
detect the condition of her tongue, except
by the edges, which were quite red; 1
saw that by lifting one of her feet, both
were lifted; she might have laid across
my hand extended, could / have sup
ported her in such position, 50 rigid
was her body; it was my judgement, q
it then that she had taken poi
son; and that that poison was strychnine;
l said these were the symptoms, and
could account for her appearance on no
other ground; twas that conviction that
led 10 the other steps taken; we asked
for the bottle of Mr.. Leet, and he got us
bottle; myself and brother stood by the
stove; We took the bottle home; the bot
tie purported 10 contain Hoohand's Ger
man Bitters; it was some medicine l had
prescribed for Mr.. Leet when he was re-
covering; the bottle was about half full
of medicine, perhaps not quite; do no,
know how to get the matter before you
exactly; 1 put the bottle in the hands of
my brother at the time; saw it again
the next day; it was at my house; put
it in tin trunk and locked it up; | put
the trunk up in another chest and locked
it up; l took it to Cleveland on Sabbath
day, about O'Clock.
Elsie's death occurred on Thursday
evening; on Saturday post-mortem ex
animation was held; DR.. Beach of Fow-
ler, DIR. Bebee of Hartford, DIR. Stewart
of Brookfeld, my brother and myself,
were present. the examinati on was held
about l / o'clock; we examined the heart,
lungs, stomach and liver, and found the
heart to contain about three ounces, in
the two ventricles, of liquid blood; dark
fluid blood; found the lungs engorged
with quite dark blood, so that on cutting
them, they proved to be full oft; found
the stomach, which We di not optn; we
ted two strings firmly around each end,
so as to prevent anything from escaping
or going into it, and put it into a trunk
with the bottle; discovered no Indication
of disease, except what l have mentioned:
every thing appeared to be in good health
except the app arances aforementioned;
l believe rychnine was the cause Of her
dea h; Nux Vomica, or some preparation
of it; / could no, account fer the appear
ance of things ON any other ground; the
examination was made at mine and nv
brothers instance; | toJk the stomach
and locked it up with the bottle of bit.
tiers on Saturday; on Sabbath day, alter
the funeral, | took The stomach and bot
tie of bitters, in company with Mr..
Squires, 10 Cleveland; l saw that no one
souched 1t but myself. and put it into the
hands Of Prof. St. John, in Cleveland.
but as he couli MT attend TO it, | then
put it into the han1s of Prof. Cassels;
we took out the stomach, and saw the
effects of what was tried with il; the ef-
iects produced by the application of tests
of strychnine were the same as those
which appeared when they were applied
to the contents of that bottle; a small