Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-08-20


tac.' pnt the jar into my bureau drawer in
my Office, locking this drawer also the draw
eT ABOVE =; pat the key in my pocket. Open
ca the jar, say ten days after receiving 1t was
four to six weeks making analysis, as l had
leisure. The first portion of the contents
haeerated in dilute muriatic acid, employing
the usual tests for finding arsenic and was UNI
successful. l then employed dilute nitric
acid on another part and discovered nothing.
The balance l macerated (it was two thirds
OF The whole contents) employing dilute sui
| phufIc acid, let it stand two weeks. ana afteF
pouring off the liquid from jar, added more
acid, and after letting it stand few days nj
tered il or 6 times through filtering paper
could not avoid discoloration for reason OF
| animal matter being present; added chloro-
| form to the solution i'm order TO separate the
salts; drew off contents of lower portion of
vessel. 1t was then allowed TO evaporate nat
| urally without heat result was, In bottom OF
| vessel, very fine crystallization L used
sulphuric ether in another portion SO as to
make no mistakes in analysis-either being
lighter than water, animal matter would set
| tie to the bottom This was also eyapora ed
and the same results produced, only in less
! quantity. minute portion of this was
moistened with sulphuric acid and minute
| particle of bi-chromate of potash added the
result was first, blue color, then purple, then
a deep orange yellow, with reddish cast.
then used more of the mixture with protox-
| ide OF lead result similar, but slower IN It's
effects. then purchased bottle of strych-
nine, dissolved portion In dilute sulphuFlc
acid applied same tests and obtained pre-
cisely same results Have no doubt of the
| presence of strychnine in my judgment
/ there was not far from ten grains in the stom-
! ach death must have followed from such
+ dose in q to one hour. Symptoms--the mus
cles of the chest cannot expand, the lungs not
being able TO expand the right side of heart
would be filed with blood spasmodic action
would not be continuous the pulmonary ar
| terry would contain blood /; the lungs also en-
gorged with blood mind not usually affect
| ell one grain is the least that would produce
death three grains viii produce death. No
| body had access to this stomach but myself
| apnlied the usual tests ; my opinion is that
| the substance was strychnine if there is any
| thing in chemistry think strychnine would
| hasten decomposition. / made the analysis
at Belts request.
| CroSs-Er Il used a microscopic Cpon
| opennr the lar but detected nothing in my
| opinion death from the effects of strychnine
would not necessarily produce heart clOt a
| fibrous eliot could not have formed within the
| time. Such dose of strychAine would pro-
| duce death
| Re.d;nd.-The blood would not be likely
TO coagulate speedily after death, in the pull
monary artery.
| Re-Cross-er-The blood would be in a flu
| id state. / do lot know if the strychnlne
was put into the stomach before or after death
MRS. BOLTON SWORN.
| Mrs. Shotton told me that George Belts
| had been taking poison powder and that II
was necessary he should have it. Mrs. Shot
| ten said to me Mr Belts should not have the
property.
J. c. BUTTON SWORN.
Two letters shown, written by Mr.. Button
! for Mrs Shotton, TO S. r. Belts and read in
evidence. They contained nothing but intel
ligence of Belts death and regrets for the
same; expressions of kindly sympathy by
request that he might continue to feel kindly
and keep up correspondence, dc.
was employed, by Mrs Shotton as her at
tornev in relation 10 the property of Geo. S.
Belts sometime in the month of his death /;
within &c days of his death she had some
conversation with ma within a week after his
decease did not look over Belts papers be-
fore she retained me : Don't think looked
over any papers within week or ten days
after decease had conversations with Mrs D
relative to property. She asked me If she
i could have living ont of that property f; was
aware deceased and Mrs Shotton lived togeth-
! err there was ordinary furniture in tie house;
knew of no notes. or certificate of deposit /;
i Saw certificate of deposit saw no note Civ
en- by Pomeroy or Wells knew of the exis-
tence of note after being retained.
H. BELTS RECALLED.
First acquainted with def t June 18th SO !;
arrived here June 18th was stopping az her
house portion of the time till July LIST. /
called on Mrs S. June 18th told her my
name inquired il my brother had lived
there she said, Yes; asked in regard to his
deatll-if he had. his senses previous to his
death--if he left any word for his friends
she said, No She told me he had been very
cheerful that day talked freely and felt bet
ter than usual since his leg was fractured DR.
had dressed his leg not an hour before he
died said Button had all his papers he
never kept any memoranda or account books;
that he owed no debts except Dill for paints ;
said he was painting house OF iarna- and fell
and breke his leg said he did not use the
paints and oils but returned them to Dill ;
said Mr. Elliot occupied the farm said Belts
htd no personal property said his team was
sold that Button had the note she believed
1t had been paid think she said it was
$500 said he had no notes or papers except
what Button kept said he had 1874 with him
; which she took out OF his pocket-he carried
no wallet she said Belts had carried no
watch Tor years,
Witness then gave he substance of anoth-
er conv rsation with Mrs. Shotton, which we
omit as it contains nothing of special impor-
tancc. He related the attempts he made to
ascertain the amount of Belts property
Mrs Shelton told him the property belonged
to the ShottoR heirs in England. Witness
related the circumstance of Mrs. Shotton's
giving strychnine to rats, which had been Kill
ing her chickens. The cross examination
produced no evidence bearing directly upon
the case.
The balance of the testimony, by other wit
nesses was only coroborative of that already
given, and of no particular interest to the
reader
The prosecuting counsel here rested the
case. The counsel for defense had nothing
TO offer. but asked for the discharge of the
prisoner, al the same time declining to argue
the motion.
The decision OF the court was that the pris-
oner be discharged. 1t was received with
great applause by the spectators, which show
ed plainly the current of public sympathy.
TINS has ended one of the most remarkable
trials ever recorded in the annals of Pierce