The New York herald., 1871-12-30

taste, and out Of the terrible doubts as TO the
true cause of the patients agony the thought
flashed across his mind that the dying man
Qor he soon sank) had been poisoned. The
doctor applied to perform post-mortem ex-
animation, and, assisted by Drs. Chew and
Mills, made the autopsy. The contents of the
stomach were tested for strychnia and arsenic,
but neither Of these was found. The stomach
and its contents were then handed over to Pro-
fessor W. X. Aiken, of the University of
Maryland. md, after variety of fine tests,
he declared that he had discovered twenty
grains Of tartar emetic-a double salt, cons ist-
ing of tartaric acid in combination with potas-
sia and protoxide of antimony.
During the time that elapsed between the
death Of General Ketchum and the alleged
discovery of the poison, according to the
evidence of General Ketchum's son, Mrs,
Wharton, when applied to for settlement of
the two thousand six hundred dollars debited to
her in the deceased's books, declared that she
had paid the amount and had destroyed the
note. She at the same time put in claim on
the Generals estate for four thousand
dollars, in fve-twenty bonds, which she
averred she had entrusted to him. She had
taken no receipt for them, she said, not anti
cipating any such occurrence as had fol-
lowed. Her demeanor throughout was cool
and collected, and such as we rarely
can Identify as consistent with that of q
woman fresh from murder. These circum-
stances at once tended to give force
to the idea then gathering strength,
that she was the murderess, since il
pointed to what is thought to be q
cause for killing-the monetary advantage-in
the obtaining possession and destruction of
the note. She was arrested and committed
for the murder.
The trialwas from time to time postponed
on account of the sickness of the accused, but
at length came up for hearing at Annapolis
on the 4th of the present month. The case
for the prosecution consumed nineteen days,
in which the evidence, particularly that of
the medical and chemical experts, has been of
the most absorbing nature. 1t was proved
that the prisoner had bought tartar emetic, to
be used, she alleged at the time. as plaster
for her breast. Indeed, one of the witnesses
for the prosecution, Mrs. Chubb, procured
some for her and saw her make this use of it.
Linked with the case, although not to be
considered by the jury, was an alleged attempt
to poison her business agent, Mr.. Van Ness,
by the same poison.
The chemical testimony of Professor Aiken
on the contents of the stomach, while strong
and clear in statement as to the finding of
antimony, left some points open to doubt.
He did not it appears, preserve the actual
result of his experiments, and it
was resolved that Professor w. P. Toney,
another chemical expert, should make
second analysis. His examination only con-
firmed the evidence of Aiken, but he did not
hold out on his cross examination so well, and
became confused over some arithmetical ques-
tions put him. 1t was cogently advanced, too,
that he had made his experiments altogether
objective to the finding Of antimony or
arsenic.
With the twenty-frst day of the trial, pub
lished to-day, is given the evidence OF Pro
fessor Mccullough, of Lexington, Va, which
advances the bold theory that the colors and
which the other professors
declared to belong to antimony could
be produced from the choral and
yellow jessamine administered by the doctor.
1t would be, Of course, premature as well
as unjustifiable to advance any opinion on the
fate of the woman who, with no other emotion
than that of acute interest, looks steadily in
the faces OF the Witnesses from day to
day as the trial drags awfully along.
However decided, it will remain on the minds
of the people as one Of the most intricate and
absorbing trials on record, whether we think
of the case alone or the high social standing
of the personages involved.