Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-01
Trial of DIR. Paul Sh0eppe for Pol
II I'D soning Lady Patient.
From the Baltimore SUM-

From the Baltimore cun.l
CARLISLE, Pa. May rs, 1869.
In the special term of Oyer and Ter.
miner of Cumberland county, Hon. JAS
II. Graham, President Judge, Hon. Hugh
Stewart and Hon. Thomas P. Blair,
Associate Judges. The trial Of DR.. Pau
Shoeppe, indicted for the murder OF Mis-:
Maria Stiunecke by administering to
! her, on the 9th of January, 1862 large
quantity of poisonous substances (lhe
name and ingredients of which are to the
Jurors unknown), by reason of which the
said Miss M. M. Stinnecke died on th'
next day." etc., was commenced on Mon
day. G. e. Maglaughlin, Esq, District
Attorney, and VIM. ]. Shearer and John
Cornman, E:qs., Attorney for the Com
monwealth, Hon. Samuel Hepburn, Sam
uel Hepburn, jr., VIM. 81. Millar and IL
Newsham. Esqs., of Carlisle, and Henry
Webster, ESQ, Of Baltimore city, counsel
for the defense The first and second
counts of the indictment charge murder,
and the third count manslaughter.. The
prisoner on being arraigned pleaded not
guilty, and put himself upon his country
and the District Attorney likewise. i,
On the same day DIR. Paul Shoeppe
filed in the Orphans Court what pur.
ported to be will OF Miss Stinnecke, dated
December 3, 1868, devising and bequeath-
ing to him all her real and personal prop
erty, and creating him sole executor, etc.
The last will was in the handwriting OF
DR.. Shoeppe, and was witnessed by him
self and his father, who is the pastor OF
the German Lutheran Church of Carlisle.
These circumstances, and the sudden
death of Miss Stinnecke, excited suspi-
cion, and the executors had q post
mortem examination of the body of the
deceased made by Prof. Akin aud Drs
Conrad and Ridgely, of Baltimore, who
gave evidence that the remains exhibited
no apparent cause of death from disease.
DR.. Akin testified that he discovered by
chemical analysis the existence of prus
sic acid in the stomach of deceased. =
The accused is seated at the trial table
with his counsel. The courthouse was
filled with spectators, the case having
created great interest in this city and
throughout the country.
1t has heretofore been stated in the
Sun that Miss Maria M. Stinnecke, Of
Baltimore city, aged II years, visited
Carlisle on the 10Th of January last, and
died on the 2Sth, without any apparent
cause of death, and was buried in Balti
more city on the 30th of the same month.
The deceased, while in Carlisle, was at.
tended Professionally by DR.. Paul
Shoeppe, physician of Carlisle, recently
arrived from Germany, aged about 2s
years, with whom the deceased had been
previously acquainted, and between
whom there had heretofore been some
correspondence. On the lst Of February
q will of Miss Sunnecke, dated Novem-
Der II, 1868, found in her trunk, was fled
in the Orphans Court of Baltimore city.
The estate Of the deceased was valued at
about $4,000, and by her will she be-
oueathed about one-half of il to religious
and educational institutions and mis-
sionary purposes, and the remainder to
her relatives. William A. Stewart, Esq,
the present Speaker Of the Maryland
House of Delegates, and John r. Kelso,
jr.. were appointed her execHtors.
Upon this testimony the Grand Jury
Of this county found the indictment, for
the trial of which sn extra panel of sew
enty FIVE jurors were summoned, and the
following panel selected; Jacob RhoAds,
Thomas J. Early, James Anderson, John
Barrick, Martin Hunkle, William Keller,
W. II. Weaklsy, Il. F. Drawbaugh, Jacob
ID. Mohlsr, James Graham, William
Balsley aud David Wherry. Seven Of
the jury affirmed and the remaining Eve
we're sworn, Forty jurors we're called,
Of whom ten were peremptorily chal.
lenged by the defenseoand one BY the
Commonwealth. Seventeen we're chal-
lenged for cause or set aside BY the Com
monwealth TIE jurors were all sworn
upon their Uoir dire, and interrogatsd If
they had formed or expressed any opin-
ion Of the guilt or innocence Of the pris-
oner, and also If they had conscientious
scruples against capital punishment be.
fore they we're accepted. Most of the
Jurors are farmers .. .. ai