The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-11
A JERSEY POISONING CASE.

A Prominent Resident OF Grcensburg
Dies Suddcnly-l0dide OF Potassium or
Cyanide Of Potassium. Which I'm odi-
cal Testimony In the Case.
Great excitement now prevails In the village Of
Greensburg, four miles from Trenton, on the Della
ware River, In consequence Of the mysterious and
sudden death Of prominent resident, James A.
Grant. on Monday last Mr. Grant complained OF
an aiment resulting from carbuncle on one OF
his limbs and had DR.. Scudder, his family physi.
clan, summoned to wait upon him. The
doctor, after examining his patient, wrote
prescription, on small slip Of paper
which read as fOllOws:-"Rad sarsaparila
SIS tt; hydriod potassium drachms." He left
this paper in the care Of Mr.. Grants wife, who, at
four O'Clock on that afternoon, despatched her
daughter Emma, who Is about IA years old. to DR..
Livezey's drug store, In Yardleyvlle, Pa, on the
opposite side OF the river, to get the medicine
directed. Next morning. about half-past six
O'Clock. Mrs. Grant had 1t prepared, and admins
tered the potion to her sick husband. In an hour
later, after suffering the most intense agony,
James A. Grant breathed his last in the presence
OF his afflicted family. owing to the suddenness OF
the sad event suspicious were at once aroused as
to the which brought about the loss Of iov-
ing husband and afectionate father under
such unaecOuntable circumstances and hence
Coroner Britton, Of Trenton, was notified
to institute an investigation. An intelligent Jury
was at once empanelled and the inquest was held
on Friday at Greensburg. post-mortem exami-
nation was held by five surgeons.
Abram Livezey, the druggist who put up the pre-
scriptlon, was examined. He stated that he was
sure 1t as iodide OF potassium and not cyanide OF
potassium that he put up in this case.
DR.. Charles L. Minister, OF Philadelphia, who as
a. tine a a 81 the ae
post-mortem In my presence assisted by others;
we examined all the internal visceras with the
ion nj infn nhcfa Of
stomach; we found them all normal; we then re-
moved the stomach and found 1t to contain an
STUN; we had before us sealed bottle OF med.
iclne meaning the bottle in which Mrs. Grant
mixed the mcdicinel, which we deemed 1t duty
OF The stomach to that of the bottle; we found
them to be the same both In taste and smell; we
then proceeded to examine the brain and found it
perfectly normal and healthy; We found no mark
OF disease sufficient to produce death for this all
ment; believe death was produced by some
poisonous substance In the stomach. from one
eighth to tenth OF grain OF cyanide of potassium
would be a medium dose think tnat rom one
grain to five would be sufficient to produce death;
there was no mark OF disease externally. no Gu
the body was so healthy as in this case the car
buncle on the body OF deceased would not cause
DR.. Scudder next TESTIFIED that he wrote the
prescription in question: and concurred with DR..
Minister as to the cause oil DEATH
The inquest was then adjourned to ten O'Clock
yesterday morning, when Is was resumed at Tren-
ton before Coroner Briyton and jury of 10 re-
spectacle citizens. From the testimony given by
the medical gentlemen 1t would seem that death
was caused by poisoning. whether 1t was acct.
dental or intentional yet remains o mystery, and
consequently an adjournment OF the inquest took
place TO tomorrow morning at ten O'Clock, to en-
able the Coroner to ferret out new evidence.
The druggist, DR.. Livezey, and his assistant, who
Is carpenter by profession, will again be ex-
amined, when 1t Is expected fresh developments
win be disclosed. The prescription, written by
Mr., GRANTS family physician, DR.. Scudder, was
plain and legtble. and the words "hydri0d potas-
stun" could not be easily misunderstood or taken
for those indicating the deadly drug "cyanide OF
Potassium
Three doctors and a brother OF the deceased were
examined, after which an adjournment took place.
This melancholy has caused widespread
gloom, regret and CONSERVATION among the large
circle Of friends and acquaintances OF the family
OF the deceased.
Deceased was the son OF q wealthy citizen John
C. Grant, who Is the owner OF the ireestone quar-
ries at Greensburg. The stomach was sent to
Philadelphia for aDalysis,