The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-02

analysis that oh the known tests should succeed,
or that the failure Of any one test must be satislac.
Sng one ssse out number would
far anect al tho conclusion O. 70 entirely destroy
their value nevertheless, such failure would vtiate
M REvIlL-I insist that the witness must give
Ais ideas OF the weight OF evidence before the
WIrNEss-An the known characteristic tests. IN
search Tor poison should succeed, or the resrh OF
that analysis Ia not conclusive.
Mr.. STEElE--Is 1t dinlcult to reduce anthony to
metallic form, where IL exists, In making an
WITNESSING, sir, 1t Is very easy; 1t may be done
In four or five different ways. Witness was not
asked 70 state what they were.)
chemist be certain as TO the purity oil all the re-
agents he employs IN an analysisY
Misunderstanding, this Is an essential point;
Otherwise the very poison sought for might be In
troduced in mis- reagents by the chemist himself.
Mr., STEELE-What are the impurities most likely
10 have existed the chemicals used by Dr. Aiken
In his analysis OF the stomach OF General Ketchum
WITNESS-AntlmOny ami arsenlc; the arsenic Is
frequently found in zlnc sulphuric acid aud murl.
attic acid; antLnony IL also found IN these same
| chemicals; muriatic acid derives these impurities
| from the sulphuric acid nsed In It's manufacture.
Mr. STEELE--l GU heard Professor Alken's mode
Inc y pu b 81 e Of acs ne ese No
and the sediment In the tumber, by means Of sui
phide OF ammonium. Doyou consider this proper
test9
WITNEss-It seems to me singular method Of
testing an acd strong or weak, would itself IN
tr0duce an lnpuriy INTO the acid-nameiy, sulphur
Mr.. STsELE-Could minute quantities of either
antimOny or arsenic In an acid be detected by such
method, and are they not likely 10 be presently
WITH Ess--They could not, in my opinion, for the
sulphur which would be thrown down would dis
guise them; antimony and arsenic are OF the I'm.
puritles found IN the chemicals used by Dr. Aiken.
ANOTHER SHOT FOR MEssRs AIKEN AND ToNRY.
Mr.. STEELE-ln order TO obtain sulphide OF anti
mony in pure state for Weighing Is It not neces.
which It is to be associatedY ''' '''"
WITNEss-Undoubtedly 1t Is, for the presence Of
P phy e %e's~es WIN one sa
the portion mentioned by DIR: Aiken was heated
with water and an excess OF tartarc acid; TINS
process could not get of the organic matter; it
all still there when he passed through this solution
sarly consisted Of more or less OF organic matter
and free sulphur, and the longer time the gas was
passed through the more OF these impurities would
90 down; in fact, the whole preciptate might con.
sst OF such impurities; II amtlmoay had been pre-.
quantity in such mixture.
MIR. srEElE-Did you see the little spots on porce-
lain exhibited oy Professor lessor Ioary, ana could you
wITNEss-I saw them ana have formed an approx.
mate estimate OF their weight In the following
ner:-An experiment, performed by DR.. Genth and
myself with the nftleth Of grain OF tartar emetic
double the SIZE OF those shown oy MIR. TOnry; each
OF these spots would represent about the one-sx
thousandth OF grain OF tartar emetc, which would
be equal to the one.tweive thousandth OF grain
represented by eacn Of Tonry's spots; his whole
OF a grain; have no doubt that could obtain thir
teen such spots from the one thousandth part OF
gram Of tartar emetic in small Marsh's apparatus.
Mr.. SrEELE-DO you think that q chemist could
apply tests to one Of such spots, Or perhaps, two,
SO as to determine their exact naturep
WITNEss-l DO not think could do so; DR.. Taylor,
who has been frequently quoted here as high author
ny, states In his jurisprudence that the smallest
quantity ne would deem 1t prudent to operate upon
In such case would be tho one-one hundred and
fiftieth to one.two hundredths OF grain, and then
referred to several authorities for the necessity Of
producing the metal Itself IN cases OF poison. He
stated tuat CnrStls, though at 1rSt not deem1nE 1t
subsequently modified 10
cited GOD and Bache," "Greys Forensic Medi-
Mi Mi. sr iHsI you think that DR.. AiKen,s
method OF estimating the amount OF the suphuret
obtained IRON the stomach by comparison with
another estimate founded on weighing one grain Of
the lumber sediment correct one2
WITNEss-Certainly not Such an estimate could
1t the habit welgn, and that only when sure Of
the purity OF the article.
ABSOLUTELY NO PROOF THAT KETcHuA WAS
Mr.. STEELE-Do you think, after having listened&O
connection with this case that the proof OF the pres
ence or antmony has been established IN the body
do there has been any such
proof established.
Mr.. sTKELE-Are you physician, and how long
have you been In active practce2
WiTNEss-I am now and have been practising
Mr.. STnELE-iiave you heard the testimony of
DR. Williams the atenang Physician q General
made the post mortem examination OF hts body,
and II SO. what conclusion have You arrived at IN
relation to the cause OF his deathY
WITNESS-I see nothing IN the statement OF the
attending physician and other eye.witnesses OF the
symptoms before death, nor In the results OF tho
autopsy to exclude the idea that death was pro-
duccd by natural causes, which may nave been
obscure; the post-mortem examination should have
been thorough and exhaustive, leaving part Of
the body unexamned; this an lnvarlabe rule all
neurological cases Tor the discovery OF the cause
OF death; 1t has always been my own practice; If
this examination be incomplete 1t SO far vitaes and
Obscures tue results.
Witness here cited several cases going to show,
nj ryu nan
the great importance OF this thorough post mortem
examination in order to discover me real cause Of
death.
The witness then gave very interesting and IN
teigent description OF the action OF poisOns upon
the human system. their entrance into the crcua.
1on and their subsequent elimination from the body
through the different organs.
Or. Reese is a fine looking gentleman, about fifty
years Old and In his manner ana appearance gives
strong evidence OF Ills high standing his profess
sion. He was stil on the stand. when, at three
O'Clock, the Court adjourned until tomorrow morn.
ing at teh O'clock when his examination Will be
continued anu concluded.
q, ~ % a