Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-07-12
TIE DEATH OF HENRIETTA PADDOs,
Trial OF DIR. Sepfimus T. Shuman.

DlStrict Attorney Harrington prosecuting, and
Messrs. Riddle and Tustin for the defeuce. The
indictment charges that Shuman, ''not having
the fear Of God before his ewes, but being moved
and seduced by the instigation of the devil, and
CT bis malice afOrethought wickedly contriving
and intending one Henrietta Padden with poi-
son vilfully and of his malice aforethought to
Kill and murder, on the Goth Of March, y
felCniOuSly, wilfully. and of his malice afore-
thought large quantity of a certain poison to
the jurors unknown did administer to the said
Henrietta Paddon, he 1.-THE said Septimus It.
shumanl then and there knowing the said
deadly poison 20 be such, and that the said Hen
Tietta Paddon did take and swallow down a large
quantity of said poison 50 to the jurors aforesaid
unknown: by means whereof she (the said Hem
fietta Paddon) then and there became sick and
greatly distempered in her body, and of the
poison aforesaid so by her taken and swallowed
down a. aforesaid, and OF the sickness OccasiOned
thereby = on the Dist day Of March did
die,i
The accused. who is apparently about IS wears
of age, was brought into court before the OPEN
ing, and took his seat in the dock. He was
dressed in white linen coat, dark pants and was
very neat about his person, he having been lately
shaved, leaving his mustache and chin whiskers
intact. Before the opening of the court he read
the indictment very carefully, going over it two
or three times, and ON his counsel appearing
NessIs. a. q. Riddle and y. T.. Tustin-took a
seat between them and frequently cOnversed
There was some little delay occasioned bv the
nOn-appe arance of Dr.J. +. Hartigan, the pbysi-
clan who made the post norton examination,
whose absence was accounted for by sickness.
DIR. Burrows appearing with a certificate that he
was too i'll TO appear. After q consultation i'm
which the defense urged that the trial proceed,
Mr. Harrington said he would be willing that
the case should 60 on without that witness.
The prisoner was arraigned standing ut the
Clerks desk, and in answer to the question by
I Clerk responded 80 Not guilty"
The District Attorney stated that he would not
verdict of murder, but would be content
i the jury found a verdict of manslaughter.
The jury was selected as follows: Thos. S.
kiPNlpr. A
feck, Chase Roys, s. T. Wall, j. W. Booth, c.
J. Jones, John Stephenson, j. III. Hilton, WIN.
Lewis, and John I. May.
The witnesses were excluded, and II O'Clock
Dir. Harrington opened the case, stating that
under the Indictment they would ask a verdict
OF manslaughter. The crime here charged was
caused by an attempt at abortion. 1t would not
be denied that such an attempt was an unlawful
act. The facts in the case were that the de-
&C ased, young girl, had strayed from the path
of virtue, and desiring relief from consequences
she went to the house corner of 10th and g.
streets, where she died. They also expected 10
show that the accused stated after her death
that he had never seen the woman, and they
would produce evidence to show that she was
there several times before. He regretted the
law was not more plain than il was, and that
such case as they expected to prove was not
murder.
Mr.. Riddle, for the defence, said they should
not allow the prejUdices they have against Of
fences OF this character to influence them against
the prisoner. The government now disclosed
that they expected 10 prove an attemrt ar abor-
ton, when from the Indictment il would appear
that it was a direct charge of murder by poison
the accused is to answer. They, however
necessary for the government to prove that it
was poison.
Mr.. Tustin suggested rs the mother of the de-
ont of her turn.
Mr.. Harrington said he would try and save her
the necessity of coming on the stand.
DR.: Thcs. AntisseH was first sworn, and testified
hat hp n do an f.-Sal al,
which he found infiamed, as also a small portio,l
OF the intestines; found no poison: but the acute
Inflammation found is 80 seldom natural that
he was of the opinion that il was caused by an
irritating substance, which are usually classed
among the poisons; corrosive sublmate arsenic
preparations of silver and copper are among the
instant pOisons; sugar of lead is not one of them
DR.. y. J. Todd deputy cOrOner) sworn.-Wit-
ness was present at the autopsy; found the
stomach, spleen, and other organs congested. as
also the brain, which was slightly congested;
witness formed no opinion at the time. but sup
losed that death was caused from the conees-
ton Of tie organs.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Riddle-Witness was
acting as coroner at the time.
DR.. Bro0kheimer testified to assisting in the
autopsy, and finding the organs as described by
Cross-examined:-Pennyr ergot, or other
substances may have been taken by herself. Had
no idea what it was.
DR.. RodJigUe sworn.-Witness was present M
the autopsy; death resulted from acute inflam-
nation, and that was caused by some irritant.
Witness was cross-examined, but nothing new
was developed
Sarah Letris, alias Madame Turner, sworn
Witness had known DR.. Shuman two or three
years, and she was living in the house in which
Shuman was fitting up drug store. Saw Hen
rietta Paddon on the day of her death. She
came in and said she felt bad, and sent her up
stairs, and went down and sent Shuman M
stairs. Some time afterwards he came down and
asked her 10 get some whisky, which she did
Subsequently she got more for him. Afterwards
IL.
was dead. and he said il was Congestion OF the
lungs. Witness rubbed her, but could not see
that she was breathing. Shuman went Off and
returned and told her to put Grape on the door.
60. Witness intended to keep boarders. Did
not know of an advertisement having been in
serted in paper in her name.
Mr.. Riddle objected, and the Court sustained
the objection.
Witness resumed, saying that Shuman pro
posed to rent the house at the corner of c and
rent, and he agreed to pay the first month s rent
alone.
Mr.. Riddle objected, and the Court ruled this
This witness, Madame Turner, is a stout
woman Of about 40 or 10 years of age, above the
general height, and weighs somewhere near 200
pounds. She was attired in dress of white, with
blue figure; around the neck was plain square
end collar, with Roman scarf bow in front Her
head -as surmounted by gypsey straw hat
trimmed with wide blue ribbon, and from her
He1ry o. Noyes, sworn:-Witness is a reporter
of the STAR. Witness was present at the house
shortly after the death of the deceased. Was told
OF woman dying at the house by Sergeant Yer
Lon, and went down; was invited up stairs; saw
DIR. Shuman sitting beside the bed ON which was
the corpse, asked the doctor what was the mat
ter, and he replied that she died of congestion
W. W. Goddard, swOrn:-Witness knew de-
ceased three or four years.
Was you ever with her at the house of Dr.
Shunan?
Witness declined answering, but finally said
that he had been. He did not have any CONVEX
sation with DIR. Shuman nor did deceased.
What did you 90 there for?
Ans. ''TO have an abortion performed
Mr.. Riddle objected, and the Court sustained
the objection.
Witness did not hear of any conversation at
the time; first saw Mrs. Lewis, afterwards saw
DIR. Shuman; don't think an abortion was Spoken
of; some one was telling a yarn; Henrietta Pad
don was absent part of the time up stairs with
DIR. Shuman; she went there for the purpose per-
formed; saw Henrietta Paddon ON the Satur-
day afterwards.
"Did you give her money to pay for the ope-
ration?"
Witness declined 10 answer the question.
"Cpon what grounds do you decline to an
swer?'
Witness do not think it would be right to
answer"
Mr.. Harrington asked that the witness be
compelled 20 answer. .rf
The Court ruled that the answer was sufficient
for the present. r-..r
Witness went with her to the house Int once.