The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-06

the stomach aud bowels. II IL rare that the
question Of poisoning Dy bemlock comes before
judicial tribunal. one case Of this kind was. how
ever, submitted to me in Is4S. In this instance
child died IN one hour alter swallowing part OF
teacupiuI OF decoction OF hemock alleged TO nave
Deen administered by the mother. me woman
was acquitted for want OF proof There were no
morbid appearances in the stomach nor any trace
OF hemock leaves In the stomach or bowels. me
absence OF leaves IN tne contents Of the stomach
was accounted for by the ract that the prisoner
had made decoction and had allowed the leaves
TO subsde 10 the bottom OF the teacup. the child
taking only the upper stratum or clear liquid"
THE INQUEST IN BROOKLYN.
Promptly at nve O'Clock P. NJ Coroner Slmms
began the inquiry.
THE wIDow's TESTIMONY.
Aida X. Walker, widow OF the deceased, testl-
ned that ne came home little after Jour O'Clock
Agne N's, ana that ne had been taking conlum;
that II had no effect upon nim they told him 20 30
TO Or. SquIDps factory and get q stronger prepara-
tion, and ne was gong TO take IL immedlately; Il
told MIN 60 take some nourishment; ne SAID he
would take the medicine on an empty stomach, as
he thought IL would have beJter effect; he was
to take nifty drops eacn haf hour till the results
dictated me- witness tRen gave Professor
walkers dying statement as published In
arrived home about nali.pasr six. and Vihe
other soon alter; no medicine was given my hus-
band alter quarter past nve r. M. the directions
as TO now mucn medicine was 10 be taken ne said
he received rom the place where Inc medcine
was purchased, not from Or. Agne@ nS husband
received n severe injury III 1874 which adualy
brought on the tWltcningS Ul the eyes ana lace;
my husband mad been unaer DR.. Brown-sequarc's
he had been under Dr.. BroVn-Sequard's treatment
Tor one year; about July last ne saw DR.. Agnew,
after Or. Brown-Sequard had left Tor Europe;
/ HAD NO FEAR
when he was taking the medicine that 10 would
fs ss tms a ~ ne as was ssk 10 very goa esah
was troubled with pnotopnooia Tor year
ana a IalL; ne had dlploplla IN one
with rheumatism Tor \ numner OF years; nave
never known him 10 lainL away; &C The time ne
received MS wounds ne et ialnt; he had no dizzi-
ness otate i understood MIN to say he had very
regular pulse: the symptoms as described them,
were Ia the language Of my husband; OIL the tned.
cine gave my husband was Ia graduated glass;
my hus band uled between nalt-past six and seven
O'CLOCK L. NJ, April ., 1873; Wnen his symptoms
grew ne sat on the side OF the bed, with his
mead leaning against me; then tried TO give him
some cotlee, and ne Tell back IN nv arms dead.
Tue PHYSICIAN WHO ADMINISTERED THE DRUG.
DAVID Webster, NJ. D., Dr. Agnew's partner, read
o brief statement oil Professor Walkers case, aud
iestlned tnat he was an assistant to DR.. Agnew at
his office Ill the Eye and Ear Hospital, and IN the
deceased all tnere was III the Omitted States Dis
pensatOryn about rne properties and uses or
conium; think this remedy Is moi in very general
use; think Is Is not a dangerous medicine wnen
carefully administered; IL IS poison, and among
the strong posons; 1t IS Of variable strength;
do not know how much OF Squlbo's extract would
produce death; gave aim prescription on which
was written '.Px. Fluid Extract Conlum,n one
aepend upon any or Dr.. SqulDb's clerks. but
TO DO sure and see the Doctor himself;
how many drops he had taken at my ONCE and
what ne was taking IL for, and that Dr. SqulbDs had
took IL; told him also TO stop taking 1t
he lelL any muscular relaxation. numoness other
OF the physiological effects OF the drug; l do not
know that can answer tnat the Strength OF Dr.
Squlbos preparation Is know by the profession
generally; It was not known 10 me; tnis IS
preparation that Is known as applicable to cases
OF tins kind: MIR. Walker sta:ed that he had I'M
derstood tnat the taxing oIconium was
A VERY PLEASANT METHOD OF DYING:
cannot say that Knew Inc deceased was very
depressed IN spirits; deceased SAID that Socrates
was pat TO death oy nemlock; / think ne nsd no
great pain nc had pnotophobia; some might cal
that pain mis- double VISION was also very annoy
ing; 5alnx x,s snas ne cSnSSeTed pnotosnooia and
tremely anxious TO pc cured OF his Affections; ne
was O gentleman Of unusual In Intelligence; that
was the reason was Wiling 10 trust him with tine
remedy; frst proposed o the deceased tue use
or conlum; am NOT IN the haolt OF prescribing
child less than two years old with pnephero
spasms and pnotophobia with Inflammation, but
not with Denehti 4 ieel sure the medicine al.
mlnistered to deceased had no eject upon aim:
my treatment was concurred In by Or Agnew;
believe conium doeg not affect the Intelligence
tii one is IN tue last stage; death l. occasioned
by paralysis vi the spinal marrow, sometimes
proaacng - ss ~ 20 ae wouio not az
the medicine uness prescribed In small doses and
taken rarely without tue immediate supervision
OF q physician; on account OF
Tux SUPERIOR INTELLIGENcR OF TIE DEcEAgED
made an exception N MS case; to produce slight
q paysictan administering it; | Knew de. eassd
mad taken opiates nyperoermicaLy; also stricnnine
IN the sane way; 1 gave the enid seven or ten
drops OF conium without any apparent eject.
DIR. c. r. AGNEw
testified TO an operation that ne had performed on
Professor Walkers eye OF trying TO divide the
muscles that surrounded the slit between the
eye-hds, which iaied; Or. webster proposed
appointment AR. Walker came to nav once on
SATURDAY, April 3, 1878, about ten A. NJ. conum
huf Nfr
effect; | would consider case so distressing as
his jusiifying the use OF even extraordinary rene
dies unoer scientific directions; considering de-
ceased's intelligence aud the training ne has had
under Tue best sclentnc men, would not nave hes
ltated have gwen him the medicine 70 take MN
seli with the caution Istered; think that the
deceased had no appreciation Of the danger or the
drug; nave known the deceased always as man
OF cneerlul disposition.
me inquest was, at this point, adjourned 10
Monday next A postmortem examination OF
the body win DO made in the meantime in order
that the case may be thoroughly investigated.
PROFESSOR WALKERS CARRIER.
Professor I. W. Walkers career was q singularly
eyentiul one, and the story OF his life reads more
IKE a romance than reality. For a number OF
years ne was tne correspondent OF tho Nsi0 York
Express al the national capital. during that time
ne formed the acquaintance and was socially In.
innate with many or tue most prominent men OF
the country, and being endowed with rare intel.
lsctual qualities, and genial disposition, the
friendships tnus formed lasted alter ne had sew.
cred this journalistic connection. Senator Andrew
Johnson Is mentioned a. having been on terms OF
intimacy with the unfortunate gentleman. "A
stated above, his Lie was repIete with romantic
incident. la the historical poisoning at the Ma
tional Hotel IN WASHINGTON curing tho time OF
President Bucnanan's administration he figured
as one or the sufferers. During 1891 he was sent
by General Nan field In command or regiment to
eject the capture OF notorious rebel spy ramed
Emack. His mission was successful aud the OBJ
ject OF mis- search was secured ana placed IN the
custody OF two soldiers. Emaek managed 70 es-
cape from bis guards, wnetner by trlcKery or
bribery was never known. On his war from tue
place wnsre ne had been confined he encountered
Mr. Walker, attacked MIN with an immense
hnuu,n EnIIe a. hlad him thrnnqn ina abdomen