The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-26
THE STEPHENS CASE.

Result of the Chemical AnalysIs--DiscOvery
OF Arsenic I'm tho BOdy--Intcresting Report
or Professor Dorcmus-T<stinaouy or DIR.
James n. Nood--Verdict OF the Jury Charg-
ing the Prisoner with the Murder Of his
wife-Esamination OF stephens, who Ac-
cuses the Coroner OF Foul Play, &c.
Pursuant to adjournment, the inquest the Stephens
cage resumed yesterday Bellevue Hospital before
Coroner Connery over hour spent in getting the
jury together and arranging other premaaries such
reading over the testimony TO the prisoner, &c The
room was crowded with spectators, of which medical
gentlemen formed the greater part. Much interest was
evnced in the result OF this extraordinary and mysterious
case and when the doctors who had the chemical analysis
Of the body Of deceased put upon the stand tho
citement intense. The prisoner preserved his usual
equanmity during the progress of the cxamnaton and
did not all affected at the testimony of the che
rnsts or the verdict of the jury.
DR.. James r. Wood, being duly affirmed, examined
as the post mortem examination. His evidence read
follows
reside at No Irving place; am physlci and
geon made post mortem examination of the body of
Mrs Sophia Stephens and the result of that post mor:em
examination is as foows-0n Friday, the oath of Sep
tember, 1865 exhumed the body of female, which
caused to be taken from coffin the plate Of which
the following inscription
{ SOPHIA sIEPnKss-DED SEPTEMBER 23 1867.
46 YEARS.
>~>~e~~~S
This coffin had previously been removed from square
pine box upon removing the body from the coffin, which
was done without dsmcmherment removed tho shroud
from the body and the napkins from about the mates and
vava, which were placed in jar provided by De- Doremus
upon view of the interior portion Of the body no marks
of violence discovered the skin Of dirty vel
low Color in remarkable state of preservation, not hay
ing shrunk in the least the face was decomposed
and discolored, also tho sides Of tho neck, which
decomposition and discoloration was caused by tho
gas Escaping from the fluids in the somach passing out
the mouth and nostris Of deceased; the scalp
much decomposed; upon turning the body and view
ing poseroriy the same appearance in the parts pre-
sented themfevcs bon the poseror and anterior parts
exhibited decomposition and discoloriton from the fluids
elected from the stomach; making incison in the
abdomen and on entering the cavity of the pertonium
considerable portion OF gas escaped the parts that were
then brought into view were the hver the stomach and
the ntestines they in an apparently healthy condi
ucn and presented remarkable state Of prescrvition
the omentum filed with fat, and throughout the alb
dominal tissue Il abundant the intesnes, with the
ston,aeb, after the cardiac orihce tied
moved without any trouble; lgatare then applied
10 the lower part OF the duodcnum portion OF the gall
the liver and the bladder were removed and
placed in jar provided by Dr. Doremus; the
intestnes were also placed in a jar; the internal
appearance Of the colon and the rectum presented
a red appearance; there hud in the
fact the the abdomen were nearly as well
preserved as the specimens have carefully preserved IN
my museum; this portion II the examination was con-
Quoted without entering the thorax, upon entering the
horax found the lungs collapsed; the heart well
preserved and the cavity OF the pleura perfectly dry
these portions Of the body also placed in jar pro-
vided by Dr. Dorcmus: then proceeded 70 examine the
head but decomposition was % great that an examination
Of the ntcgumcnts was useless examined the head
with view OF asccrtanng whether or not there were any
bruises upon the face had been test fled 20 by some Of
the witnesses hut have saii before, decomposition
was advanced that il useless TO examine IT, On
opening the skull the brain was found in an advanced
state of decomposition; portions Of Il were taken away
by Dr. Doremus for analy walton n the mouth OF de-
ceased found considerable quantity OF cotton. This
was also preserved for chemical analysis. The body,
at least from the time WAS placed IN my
possession was approached by any person unless by
NV authority ana IN iSs presence oe myself
mus precantoD used la the course OF the ex.
animation in order that full justice might be done TO al
parties Interested after these parts had been examined
by br Doremus 1t thought advisable 20 have the
whole body subjected 10 chemical analysis accordingly,
the skeleton, aud the subjected TO chemical
analysis the result OF this analysis will be given You by
Dr. U0remuri under whose direction ~ was conducted
mr. Dorcmus then placed upon the stand, when he
testified a fellows
THE CHEMISTS REPORT.
CIty aud county az Acic lork as:R Ogden Doremus,
hong uly syorn c0scs and gayg that he Is Professor
az chomsry In the New York Medical College and IN tho
New York College Of Pharmacy that by order Of Coroner
loupery he has made series OF ioxoogca tons
Of the remains oi Ms sophia stephens, with the following
results
On Friday September "a, 1885, dcponcn was present.
with his assistant pr. Adam Zcnkcr at the post norton
conducted by Dr. James Wood nj the dead house. Belle
sue Hospital
As full report of this examination has been presented
10 the coruncrs jury by pr. Wood repetition rs per
haps, unnecessary 10 conn oon With the chemical test
mopy The stomach was tied nj the cardiac and pyloric
extreruiiies and with the duodenum a portion Of Tho
liver, with the gall bladder and Kidneys, placed ~ n"w
And carefully clcansed jar The other abdominal ysccrs,
portions u the rght lung aud VI the brain, were also
scd Ia clsan glass vessels and removed TO dcPonents
private laboratory
serva,ca found 20 contain small quantity Of sub
stance refcmbhng oorec grounds, which, on analysis,
yielded no indication Of opium of any metallic poison.
The small intestnes, which were also unusually well
preserved nearly empty hut lined with thin layer
Of ycowsh rasiy material which, after previous pre-
Iaraiop was examined with an apparatus Tor generating
hydrogen gps aud dccomposng By heat compounds WITH
which night be associated "a mobilization bat known
az Marshs tcsV. Although thls was empNDf beyond
the time usually recommended afforded only n INT
stain 81 ~ orange tint, with metallic lustre. resembling
e The sulphuro,s of arsenic (Scc tube marked -
The large intcstines found slightly roddcned in
rars ~ the colon and of the rccum and contained small
luan,iiy 81 a brown rasy substance which on cxaml
by the hydrorrn apparatus yielded orange colorc
scvrra portors ~ The vcr uf tho kincys and of tho
lungs, prepared BY different chemical processes for
The aresad apyarsius from which stains Of yellow and
brownSh yellow hEcS were procured.
A. the dePoneni had before met with similar re-
suits by THIS process aud was unable to learn that such
had been obtained ny others and suycng that the IRE
scnce Of yuphurcttcd hydrogen frum tho putrefyng
tcrals under examination. by rs decomposition AZ rcd
heat. ID connection with the dccOmposng srseucatei
hydrogen produced the yellow suphurct Of arsenc tho
experiment tried at dcponcnis laboratory, at TIC
Medicsi COLLEGE, ~ passing these gases at the
ssme time through glass tuho boatcd ~ red
ness stains produced identical IN appearance ~
these obtained frtm the vlsccra before referred 10
One q the yellow stains obtained from the liver was
then tested by passing gentle Of pure aud dry
oxygen gas through the tube containing H. ON applying
beat the stain voaiilizcd, and was gradually urged
through Coil Of glass tubing foot aud hall IN length
heated 10 Tcdness. AZ Anticipated, the sulphur Was con.
vefted into salrhurons acid gas and the arsenic into
acid Tho latter deposited faint white
stain the cool glass beyond tho coil was Dissolved
few drof~ Of warm distilled water and found 70 re
sIend TO the chemical tests for arsenic.
Tho tube marked Ill contains yellow stan from the
liver, similar TO the one examined A. Just related.
Another portion OF tho liver submitted 30 a mod
hCa,on u the other chemical processes yielding yellow
stains tine of these tested IN the described
aud Afforded faint traces Of arsenic Tho second
tanned IN the tube marked ~
Eight ounces oi the muscular tissue dissolved
IN hydr0chlorc acid, with the addition Of small
amount Of chorate ~ potash, thea treated by
chlorine gas aud BY sulIlurous acid gas, which,
when tested hy the hydrogen apparatus, produced
the yellow stain with rdescent play Of coors IN the
tube marked v Owing to the peculiar nature Of these
stains aud 70 their fantness which permitted only par