New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-10-26
TUE STEPHENS MURDER CASE.

~. coroper Connerys wife aud Others the 'u'!
,.-.g taken their places, the Coroner stated tna'
-. intention frst 10 examine Dr. Nooi, ou. a.
-. usc.emau was not present just theh MS cieiA
- read over the testimony that nan ooe" IAN"
-, The several hearings in the case Inc re"ang
%Ae testimony occupied over an hour, aut'Hs "'lcn
- q. court.room filed up rapidly "lIn spectators
and about 100 persons were present. Al, 49,.
anu 90 ID W. being duly affirmed, says-l
~ o ,rvi,e.Olace, in tins cly' am DOM
~ aud sursecn have nads post-hOr'eih
examination Of the boy ., eFam;ned the body
cro1y, ue -t;b 1 caused t. be taken from coffin,
ol Iein Of which was the following inscription:
on the p'"'s ,epbeps--died Sept. 23, lSo|-aged 10
Ibis ccfbn had previously been removed rom
year. nine box; upon removing the bOdy from the
sia len was done without dismemberrneut-I re-
cd The STROUD from the body and the diapers from
w .,es and vulva which were placed in jar pro-
ibid by DIR. Dorenusi upon view OF the anterior
,,ct Of the body marks OF violence were dlscov-
~. the skin Ofc deep dirty yellow color, 10 q re-
able state of preservation; 1t vas firm and plump,
usbsvipg shrunk / could discover, in the least;
a. face was decomposed, and the slde OF inc neck,
t% saS WAS accounted for by the fluid having been
,ed by gas from the stomach, and coming 10 contact
I the iLtegmnents Of this region caused the decOm-
as;on referred TO; the scalp was also much decom-
ned from the same cause. upon turning me
fSv over and viewing it posteriorly, the
me-
ives both the pOsterOr and anterior parts eX-
bted decomposition and discOoration from the huids
;erted from the stomach; upon making an ncihlon OF
X abdomen a considerable quantity OF gas escaped
~ then brought into view were the liver, stom-
seb and ntestnes, which presented Weil-preserVed
snpearance with natural color; the omentum was
sded with fat, and there was Also considerable iat on
tbe intcstines and other parts that were examined
re- removed the intestncs stomach and heart without
tonbe; hgature then applied 10 the lower part
az the duodenum, which was separated from the lOwer
Part Of the intestines; portion oil the lower hteSnG
tyer and stomach, we then placed IN Jar PrOVl1eu
he DR. Doremus; the larger intcstines and portion
n The smaller then placed in another Jar PROVIDED
nv Dr. DOrenus; the interior surface OF the lntesthes
and colon presented red appearances there was no
Aud 10 the cavity Of the peritoneuIn except rev
ounces of oil that had percUated through the whoe
ss almost as well preserved the subject OF ordinary
E..ection; upon opening the thorax, we found the
lungs and heart well preserved the lungs ana
heat we then placed In jar PfoVIueu Wy u. ~
prossssor of Chemistry; we then proceeded 10
s,smine the head but decomposition was So
great as to render it useless; upon opening
The skull the brain was found IN an advanced stage .!
DECOMPOSITION, and taken by the Professor OF
Cbemistry for examination. In the mouth we found
considerable quantity of cotton which was also pre-.
served for chemical analysis The body was not, az
least from the time it placed in my possession, ap
proached by any person unless oy my Va -
nrecauiOn as far material in the examination, wa
carefully observed, that full justice might be done u
ali partIes concerned. After the parts that have re
feried to had been examined by DIR. Doremus, II wa
Thought advisable that the whole body should be sub
lected TO chemical examination. Accordingly, all Ia
3esh on the body examined with portion OF IN
skeleton thus accounting for the length OF time occu
MED before the examination was completed Inc re
sut Of the examination viii now be given by Dr. Dore
mus. o.,o.D
rsnus being duly sworn, deposes and says-ihat II
Is Professor Of Chemistry in the New-iork Medica
n. N.rI of DhUrm icy
that by order Of Coroner COnnery he has made sere
AZ theological examinations of the remains OF Mrs
Sophia Stephens, with the following results:
On Friday, Sept. "a, 1853, deponent was present
with his assistant DIR. Adam Zenker at the post
tenn conducted by DIR. James X. Wood, at the Dead
House, Bellevue Hospital
As full report of this examination has been pre-
sented TO the Coroner's Jury by DIR. Wood, repel
top IL perbaps unnecessary III connection with IN
chemical testimony. The stomach was tied at tn
cardiac and pylorlc extremtes, and with the duode
num- portion of the liver. with the gall, bladder AM
kin0neys placed in new and carefully cleansed JaI
The other abdominal viscera, portions of the ngh
lung and Of the bralD also placed in clean glas
vessels and removed 10 deponents private laboratory
The stomach, which was in q remarkable state o
reservation was found To contain small quantity
substance resembling coffee grounds, which on ana
lyss yielded no indication Of opium or OF any metalll
poison. .-,,-
preserved were nearly empty, but lined with TN
vous preparation, was examined with an apparatu
kr generating hydrogen gas and decomposing by hea
Compounds with which it might be associated Ia mod
ifcaton of that known as Marsh's test.) AlthOug
this was employed beyond the time usually recon
mended, il afforded only faint stain of an orange Tin
with metallic uster, resembling of the suphuret
of arsenic. See tube marked i.
The large intestines found slightly REDEEMED il
parts of the colon aud Of the rectuD and contsned
small quantity Of brown pasty substance which, OF
examination by the hydrogen apparatus, yielded a.
orange-coored stain Ike the preceding. See sam
pie III.
Several portions of the liver of the kidneys and O
lungs, were prepared by different chemical processe
for the aforesaid apparatus, from which stains Of vel
low and brownisb yellow hues were procured.
As the deponent mad never before met with sima
results by tins process, and was unable TO learn tina
such had been obtained by Others and suspectDg tia
the presence Of sulphnreted hydrogen from the putr
flying materials under examir alton, by its deeompOs
ton at a red heat, in connection with the decomposin
arseniuretted hydrogen, produced the yellow suphure
of arsenic; the experiment tried at deponent
laboratory, at the Medical College, of passing thes
gases at the same time through glasstube, heate
70 redDess Stains were produced, identical in appear
ance to those obtained from the before reiere
10.
One Of the yellow stains obtained from the liver
then tested, by passing gentle stream of pure an,
dry oxygen gas through the tube containing ii. o.
applying heat the STAIN voatized, and was gradually
urged thorough coil Of glass tubing foot and hal
IN length, heated 10 redness. As anticipated, the sui
phur converted into sulphurous acid gas and tn,
a1enc into arsenious acid The latter Was deposited
faint white stain the cool glass beyond the coil
twas dissolved in few drops of warm distilled water
and found to respond to the chemical tests for arsenic
The tube marked Ill. contains yellow stain from
The liver, similar to the one examined as just related
Another portion OF the liver was submitted TO
modification OF the other chemical processes yielding
yellow stains One OF these was tested in the manne
described, and afforded faint traces of arsenic. Tht
seeond is contained in the tube marked ~.
Eight ounces Of the muscular tissue was dissolved
IN hydrochloric acid, with the addition of small
snount Of chlorate Of potash then treated by chor