The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-02-09
FIRST WITNESS FOR TIE PROSECUTION,

DIR s. H. Sturgeon, OF Ada, was the first
witness called; had been In practice five
years; graduated at Ohio Medical College al
CINCINNATI; on or about the Sth of June last,
was callt d by Mr.. Stumm to visit the family
of Il ljah Charles; the hour, when called. vss
about O'Clock: reached the house of Charles
between and 2 O'Clock. There met the fam
les of Elijah and John Charles; found Mrs
Melissa Charles very sick. complaining of
severe pain in the head, and tenderness In
the region of the stomach; children of Elijah
were vomiting freely the family of ThOmaS
Charles wert afflicted with about the same
general symptoms, v z: Dryness about the
I:eck and head, swimming ser sation before
the eyes slight cramps in The limbs, yetch
ing or vomiting mucus, pulse feeble and
rather fast, skin chilly, cold; respiration dit
ficult, ante mOrtem symptoms of srsenical
poison, are vomiting and purgln2. Some or
these patients vOmtted blood, Otheis were
suffering from pain in the head while others
did not; witnesses treatment was three diff
terent kinds of emetic, viz: lpecac, sulphate
fZinc, and antimony; btcarbonate OF iron,
mucillagenOus drinks. slippery elm, carbon
ate of magnesia sulphate OF morphine, with
a little bismuth. slight stimulanls 81 brandy;
other physicians called-among them, DR..
Davenport; upon he table, after witnesses
arrival, he discovered lettuce, green currents.
bread. butter, and what he su posed to be
tea or coffee. His drst effOrt was to ascertain
the cause of the sick mess; took from the table
around II, placed in his pocket; began inves-
tlgation to ascertain the source OF the mala-
dy; took the specimen Of bread TO Ada and
securely locked ii up. The bread, froT ap-
pearance, had been cut warm. Saturday
ms RI ing made analysis of the bread. and
Professor Park aided in making the investi-
CATION: went to the Laboratory (having mean
time obtained some OF the -four and yeast
from which the bread was made); same eve
ming repea ed visit to his patients. Melissa
Charles was vomiting. and all the patients
very thirsty. Following day (srtdayl found
Melissa had more pain across the head. veins
in her eyes congested: One OF the children
Aov1 fhar Aoafu
visited on Saturday with DIR. Davenport;
patients were in about the same condition
sunday P. NJ. little change among the adults
which was the only different feature discov-
erabie in her symptoms. Monday, so clock
forenoon. witness renewed visit-Mrs Ma
iissa Charles dead; some patients better, 9th
ers worse. On Sunday previous, discovered
condition OF Mrs. Melissa Charles and other
patients at the house, Ttticai, among them
were in such a state that witness regarded
their recovery doubtful. Did not see the
body of Melissa charles after death until
the post mortem examination, at which Drs.
Davenport. Cass, Ballard and Zocer were
present. Post mortem examination was
held on Tuesday evening at a church near BY,
commencing about sun Gown; removed from
deceased the stomacI. liver and beat; ex
amined heart first, then stomach which We
opened, also examined. and placed the con-
te is In a bottle, which witness had prevt
nusly carefully cleansed: mucus in stomach
was natura.-On lower end of stomach ,wher,,
small intestines. Join. there were patches or
red-three or four of them an inch In length,
ana of irregular form DR.. Ballard had
charge OF the stomach after the post mOrtem;
health of Mrs. Charles, prior to her Illness,
mad been generally good; believe her death
produced by arsenic poison; no disease about
the heart and, aside from the stomach and
duodenum the organs appeared healthy met
prisoner on same day ofthe y isoDi 9, June
S-came to witness house about So'e OCH.
was also at his Office on the 6th or 7th. was
there with a man engaged in building fence
around premises of witness was about
o'ciockthat prisoner came near his house. aw
him when atumm came 20 call him offered 10
take prisoner in his buggy 10 house Of Elijah
Charles. but defendant followed In his Own
buggy, taking his wife with him. When
Siumm called, Isaac remarked: ~ must go
to see them"-seemed to be much excited
and nervous after witness reach Efrjiah's
house. prisoner and wife followed abou. AZ
teen minutes or half hour lster. and In
quireu OF witness the cause of the sickness
and latter replied tevasively) that they had
taken something not digestibf-. Saturday
morning Jnne l0, in conversation with prts-
oner the latter inquired what had become
ofcerfain medicine? witness replied. "I have
il He then said: / was q fool tn; did not
take IL myself a drunken. crazy mob came
from Button had been there making
threats and might have thrown poison into
he M dicine in order to draw Suspicion up
on me-"