The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-21
NEW JERSEYS BORGIA.

| BEGINNING or TIE TRIAL OF EMMA BETHEL
FOR POISONING MR.. AND MRS. BISHOP
| THE HoUsEKEEpER WHO WANTED TO MARRY
THE SON OF HER MASTER AND MISTRESS.
CAMDEN. n. J., May 20, 1873
To-day was the third day sot apart for the opening
Of the trial Of Mrs Emma Bethel, charged with the
poisoning or old Mr.. and Mrs. Bishop, some weeks
since, at Berlin N. J. The case was called at ten
O'Clock, and close upon the converting OF the
Court tho defendant entered, looking little
careworn. AS she took her scat her counsel arose
and made charges against the Sheriff for informally
in drawing the list OF jurors by which two postpone
ments navc already boon necessary in the case.
Judge Woodruff declined to make any ruling in tho
case, there apparent COLLISION between tho
Sheriff and any one on the list.
Her counsel again madc another objection to the
enoct that he was unable attend the trial to its
conclusion, as he would be called to another TO-
morrow in another county. Alter some discussion
tho counsel instructed BY the Court to proceed
ana tho sheriff proceeded to call the names OF tho
jurors in tho panol, and jury was formed without
much delay.
THE CASE AGAINST MRS. BETHEL.
The counsel for the Commonwealth opened by CIV
ing a brief history Of tho Some tmc IN January
last Mrs. Hannah Bishop taken suddenly Ill with
everv symptom Of arscnious poisoning. Her
daughter. Hattie Wlletts was sent for to
nurse her, and undor hor caro- Mrs. Bishop
became convalescenI Sho was then lett
In charge OF Emma Bethel This was the 18th,
Mrs. Bishop died tho next day. Reckless Bishop,
the other victim, who was taken sick with similar
symptoms and nurscd by Mrs. Bethel, died tho
18th OF April The bodies Of the deceased wero ex-
humed and sufficient traces OF arsenic detected
to destroy li.e
THE ALLEGED PoIsoSER.
Mrs. Bethel is a woman oil about thirty years. She
mas intelligent, rather pleasant face, especially
when she Smiles which frequently did during the
proceedings to-day Sne IL not pretty, but would
be II her face were not SO thin ana her ears so
prominent. She has small mouth and delicate
features. She has pinkish complexion. dark mar,
In figure sho is slight and tall, and she has Gus
hands. Shc IS said to be widow and II ID alleged
that the motive she had In poisoning the old COUPLE
for whom she was housekeoper, was TO marry their
SON. for whom she had an attachment which OPP
posed by Mr.. and re. Bishop.
THE FAMILY PHYSICIANS EVIDENCE
DIR. Daniel Stout on being sworn, testified that BIO
March, lsI7. from Jefferson College, Philadelphia,
and had been practising in Berlin since that time;
knew the Bishops Reckless and Hannah, who 70.
sided ncar Berlin since July ID, 1S47, when he al
tended tho family; on February rs last was called
attend Hannah Bishop; found her up stairs Ia bed;
she had been vomiting, and had severe burning pain
In her stomach and could not retain anything In her
stomach gave hcr subnitrato OF bsmuth and suphntc
OF morphia. and, finding her unable to retain any
thing, applied mustard plaster and finally ny blis
ters attended the case three days. at the close
first ner condition unatcrcd; The next day (rues
day. there was no Improvement, and consulted Dr.
Woosson, OF Marion, and In tho evening tho symp-
toms were still unchanged. on tho third day (Wodncs-
day) IN tho morning, the returns OF vomiting
were further apart and noticed no affections OF tho
limbs, and continued the samc treatment, thinking
all the time the disease was Inflammation OF tho
stomach; gave dose OF magncsa on Wednes-
day morning, and saw decided improvement, aud
IN tho evening found her stil somewhat improving;
on Thursday morning she was still Improving;
first saw Mrs Harriet Wlets after she had been
sent for on Saturday, the sixth day; MIRA Bethel
Was attending Mrs. Bishop until Mrs. Wieis camo;
gavo directions TO administer the medicines TO
Mrs. Bohoi until Mrs. Wlets came; asked Mrs
Bethel |! she had gwen the medicines; she said ycs
but hat Mrs. Bishop refused To take them. as sue
could not retain them on her stomach; tho diet
ordered at first beef tea and cruel, aud little
lemonade to drink; when Mrs Wiilcts came shc took
charge ana stayed until the next Monday, Marcn
IL; after Mira. Wilicls came ncr symptoms i'm
proved ana sbo became convacscent; on
Tuesday Mrs wille,s left, ard / saw Mrs
Bishop that morning about ten O'clock MIS-
bethel had charge then and after had been there
little while came down stairs; Mrs. Bethel was IN
the evening called and found Mrs. Bisnop sinking,
Mrs Bethel having charge OF her; a, four the next
afternoon went to SEQ Mrs. Bishop and found
her dying, sinking very Inst with involuntary AIS
charges; she dcd at seven O'Clock that evening OF
she had complained OF paralysis OF botn feet shortly
previous TO death have not had any personal ex.
tho symptoms-voiniting, burning OF stomach, tasto
Ia mouth and loss oil use oil hands ana feet; found In
Mrs. Bishop many OF these ymrtoms, such as intense
thirst vomiting, burning at pit oil stomach, loss Of use
OF feet aud, toward the latter part, Of her hands
ANOTHER PHYSICIAN TEsTirrgs.
Samuel H. johnson, NJ. d., OF Berlin, N. j.. tcsti.
fed that no had practiccd MEDICINE at Berlin for
twelve years; knew both Hannah and Reckless
Bishop; recently made post-mortem ox-
aminatou OF the body OF Hannah Bishop;
u was about Two weeks alter the death
OF Reckless Bishop; was present at tho cxnu-
nation OF tho body and held GO postmortcm examna-
ton with DIR. Miner, OF Hudden1eld; VIC took out
portion OF the vlscora, portion ofstho liver, one kid
ncy and the stomach we placed them In glass jar,
scaled IT, and gave TO Proie stephens, OF Girard
College, Philadelphia; I did not attend Hannah
Bishop; had attended Reckless Bishop
Crosse xainined--Mrs. Wotts and Gcorgo Bishop
requested make tho post-mortcm after insisted
upon IL; thorc was no Coronor's inquest; 4 made
known my suspicious TO a magistrate; did 1t with
the knowledge Of tho justice OF the place. the family
employed mo TO make tho post-mortom; had ollls
ciai authority from magistrate but made the post
norton with his knowledge; DR.. Williams, graduate
OF the University oil Penhsyvana, and tho und0FaKor
who buried her accompanied me; The BODY had
been buried six weeks; the gravedigger aud the
dertaker had opened tho grave anu lifted tho conln
trcscs before we arrived; the I'D OF tue coffin