The New York herald., 1866-04-10
The Foriy-s.venth street Poisoning

Case.
CORONER's INQUEsT-TEsTIMONY OF WITNESSES
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
The inquest In the case of Caroline Schotz and John
and william Rhode the children who 1t will be remem
bered, were poisoned smothered by their mother on
the evening Of the 18th of February last in shanty
Forty seventh street, held last evening" at the
Twenty second precinct police station by Coroner
Gamble.
The first witness called Peter Eckhart, brewer,
residing at M 23S West For,ys veDth street, tho
yard as that in which the occurrence took place He
testified that he was acquainted with Mr.. Rhode
long as they lived In his neighborhood, some
seven or eight months. they lived as man
renee Saturday, February IN, aud NJ Rohde about
hafpas, O'Clock. when Mr.. Rohdc into his
house; that hts three children were dead and his wife
was sick :. - a,a a. Mr. Rhode re9uesed spd when he
-sni Into the house he gay the the cairen dead on
the children wre deaf because he felt them ami they
were cold Mr. Rplide said hc did not know what do,
bu thousht tina. he had better go 70 the station
gether to the station house; the children were washd
and dressed; .hcre were no signs Of froth or
clear; their eyes cosed the policeman down
right away; twelve O'Clock Mrs. ScLotz in her
preparing her dinner; she was friendly, and the
children ali there aud In good health, and he did
no. them again until they we're dead; he di not
know how Rohdc and The woman lived. rs Rihde
not friendly with witness; never heard Mrs Schotz
threaten ~ take her own lif,
piccr Byrne OF the Second precinct testified to hav
ing from the station house, In company with
Rhode aud the vous witness, to the sianty In Which
the took pace. The ch dren were laying
the bod and the kne ling with her elbow
tho bed she had been looking ut the chidrcn the
children dead; but the woman they asccrtained
was not dead by holding looking class her mouth;
dnring tlic night the woman slept little, and had
sonai spasns; he knew nothing about the family be-
for the anllr.
Mis-. Naylor sister to Ms schoz testified to having
her the morning n the 17th OF February,
about halfpast nine o'clock; she had known Mr. Rohde
le tQrs oltx,x
tog t,ier m,n and wife, and seemed 10 live happily
enough but on that morning she seemed troubled and
having threatened that if shs d not have money
before urat he would take his two childr and
her; witness ;rnd 10 her apd offered her
money, but she would not take IT,; she Id witness she
tired of h,ng that way as he lcft her no money
woman came IN and said she wond have left him
before; witness shortly after went away, and knew
nothing Of 1t un;l she saw the account OF IL In the
TERA' nest N rnng; witness SAID she bad asked her
drcn shc sad she gave them arsenic In water that
they did to suffer bu, appeared TO so on TO
sSsp ea .I M ,0 'ps snS fn s chdrsn
would D. cast out the street. and she wanted 10 take
u the children first and then they would all 90
Dr. Lewis smith 1a7 wes, Forty ninth street. testified
that he was called 10 this and the children
abaut quarter before eight O'Clock, the evening OF
tie i7th Of February, and found them described by
the previous winc scs showing NJ sgns OF anv strug
Cling WON'T ng; the mother appeared to be dead but
her pulse natural; by the application OF the usual
methods she was enabled 10 breathe more perceptbly
vusons OF the limbs and she appeared to be unconscious
and during an hour and half WHICH witness siad with
her she did cot speak he return again about tw i've
O'Clock, and She appeared TO be hysten all made
examination willie In the house but found nothing
thai would lead him TO believe there any medicinal
AGENTS In the house; the woman treated they
generally treat caes Of hyssria the appearance Of the
bodies Of the children not such would lead 10 the
supposition that they had been suiIocaicd Witness
further testified 10 having been present at tho post
mortem examination, and there were found no evil
dences Of disease in the brain digestive organs but the
n
usual and thcre a deficiency OF air. the blood also
darker than It's natural color; witness thoueht
highly improbable that the children should all die within
ams amer taking arsenic and t they had taken
arsenic they would be likely W have purged vomtcd
n .he opinion o. w.ness e. ,1e children came 10 their
| Dr. j. I. Little, 2es West Forty second street,
roboraed statement Of Dr. Smith, aud stated that
mss apy pSsoSsd By he spos
! and that he called at the house and examined the
mouth ana ros. wsr. ee from any foreign mas
child being sunocaied BY pillow or bed would natu
yay endcavor to scream, and the lungs would become
tolaped In the Of these children; strangled
there would be external eyd of the fact n
they had been poisoned BY arsenic there would be
evidences discovered and they would Undoubtedly have
vomited and purged, 20 that Il could be detected
strychnine and Prussic acid would kill them instantly
but the latter could be detected BY tho smell Witness
further stated that the lungs inflated by the doc
tors In attendance
Dr. Joseph g. Shaw deputy coroner, testified TO having
assisted at the post orte examination on The bodies OF
the deceased ch ldren and acquesced In the opinions
expressed by Drs. smith and Little.
Thomas Lamb Of 2ss West Forty seventh street. testi.
fed 10 having been acquainted with the woman known
know MI Rbade very intimately he knew the little girl;
about four O'Clock and bought seven cents worth of
csndy and did not her again until he her dead
on ihsi day, tho iass time between twelve and one
o'clock when she appeared to be very pleasant he did
shortly afer tbs clsse Of mo testimony Of