The New York herald., 1878-10-31
"A CHARGE OF POISONING.
EXAMINATION OF MABEL GERTRUDE WHIT
MAN, OF BOSTON, VINO rs ALLEGED TO HAVE
POISONED HER MoTHER-THE FIRST DAYS
TESTIMONY. M
[Dy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1

Mabel Gertrude whitman was arraigned In the
Bunker Hill District Court, this forenoon, on the awful
charge Of poisoning her own mother. and Dr. Spears
On q charge OF being accessory TO tho fact Mra L.
]. Whitman dicd about two weeks ago at
her residence No IL Essex street. Charles
town. as II was then supposed, from the effects
Of some Paris green, which she inhaled, quantity
Of that poisonous powder having becn used around
the water pipes to drive away water bugs This
,heory was generally accepted, and Medical Exam
iner Draper deemed inquest unnecessary. DR..
Fuller. a local physician. however, made autopsy
and dscov cred, instead OF Parts green In tho ungs,
arsenic in the stomach. Dr.. Spear had an ofles on
Main street, and he had been callod in TO
attond Mrs. Whitman whom she was nrst III.
DR.. Fuller. before making the autopsy, insisted
that DR.. Spear ba present. At this DR.. Spear hcsi-
tated and refused 10 witness the autopsy, Dr. Full
Ter Is alopathist and Dr. Spear tomUopathist.
His friends, however, persuaded him to be present
The result OF The examination that large quant.
tics OF poison found In the stomach sufficient
kill three persons To this both physicians agreed.
Tho Investigation developed tho fact that tho
did irhale Paris green; that there
none OF that substance about the house
used In any way. The poison had been
iakcn into the mach. The stomach sealed up
to await further developments. Medical Examiner
Draper, hearing that an autopsy had been made and
poison found in the stomach, called DR.. Fuller
got his statement OF the case, and Immediately took
the m at er into his han ds and began an analysis
OF the stomach tho nature Of the poison.
sUPPosED MOTIVE. GIttt8
having v a,ea Ave years ago. He was saloon Sesper
in Boston and amassed very snug competence,
which reverted .. 70 Go the widow widow At mis- death.
spear located in Charlestown. He mad few acquain-
tances. but friend Of mis-, doctor, who bad bcen
praccing In the district and was about to leave, in
troduced him hts practice in several instances.
lie had been the family physician for Mrs. Whit
man and Introduced Or. Spear. The latter i'm mcd-
ateiy took fancy Mrs Whitman's daughter Mabel,
youug lady of sixtccn years He called
seen on tho street .ogctncr Nothing was thought Of
this except that ments were made as to the diff
ference IN .ne, ages snors a. 20 Ara
Tour weeks, and the two children kept house alone.
In Mrs. Whitman 3 absence ne was very attentive 10
Mabel f.e 4rss
Two weeks ago last Monday she eff school as
usual With the other girls. Several OF them, among
whom was Mabel stopped on the way a. friends
house ana induigsd in dancing Mabel was heard to
ana build u nrs for supper. words TO that effect.
One OF her friends watched hcr attcr no had
store store opposite, KEEP. By william novey. The
ptacs had u bnd reputstou, and IL 10 claimed
na" q
the family, who have bcen working mp this case, IN
addition 20 the police. asesr.ansd from ~. shldssa
Hovey and asked him II the girl had been there, and,
II so, what sue had purchased. hovey denied that
any girl answering her description bad called
At ihe store that night, ana said he had
sold such person poison. Just before
her mosner's death tho girl was heard to saw
to the doct and friends ofthe family, 81 wonder II
that paris green which we have been using 10 kili
water buas could have poisoned mohorf" This remark
was the first intmation OF the probable cause,
this statement oi tho girl Medical Examiner Draper
based his decision TO tho cause OF the death.
Dr. Spear was arrested after the autopsy had becn
made, and on the arrival OF Ma0sl from Maine shs
o up s MRS
man aud secure the property
.laa ExAxHAToN IS
This morning, al o'clock, botn were arraignsd
Mabel was closely veilsd, AMI responded to the In
qulry, .'Not guilty"
OF examination was 10 show that Mabel Whitman
bought the poison purposey 10 administer y 10 her
whmman had been in che haoit Of using The arsenic
for her complexion. light powder was found IN 4
some differences Of opinion among the doclors
DR.. w. b. Hills. OF Harvard College, . professor OF
chemistry stated that no nad received portion o.
senic; tho bottom. OF the bottle IN Ehich
the stomach placed had deposit Of arssnic, and
the uid In the vessel also contained TINS poison Hc
Estimated that Tho amount OF arsenIc In the whole
stomach would be about two and halt or three
grams. He examined the three powdcrs-those found
the sewing machine tho room, the stand, and
10 the urawers OF sne bureau up stsirs-and found
the ali 70 be puivsrzed starch only. The powder In
tho kettle examined, but not sufficiently 10 report
Under the microscope showed to be octahedra crys
tails; under heat did voiatizo would
The nnnou ncsmcnt that tho other powders werc OF
tho harmless nature they were produced a marked
sensation in the crowded court room, and tho Juoge
was Obliged 10 rap Tor order. faFMN
CONTRADICTORY DRUGGIST
William Hovey. drues's,, on Nam street, Charles
town, testified that Mabel Whitman osme into mis-
store Tor tho 0rst time on October IL, saying sho
wanted somo arsenic 30 XIII . cai; she was given a
small quantity and went away; sho returned on Tues
day, saying The arsenic WASN'T good and
she wanted something else; she was given
piece OF nux vomica, witness telling her
10 put some on some meat and that would Kill The
cat; she asked u couldn't be given 10 tea witness
said no, for II would make u bitter tho cat
wouldn't take IL; the third time she camc In was on
"Wednesday. the 16gb, when she wanted some m or
prime, witness he had none, bat sent ous Tor u
10 the drueg.sts opposite side oi the street,
witness asked n she had prescription, and she said
she did have ono, but lost It, that II was given
ber BY shc young DR.. Stevens
Gu cross miDation witness was SO contradictory
that his eviuence had no weight
Tue hearing WIS adjourned tii ton O'Clock tc-mor
row mofntpR. Inc oase has not developed anything
40 yet that seems, In the judgment Of Mabsi's
fr iends TO make the matter look any worse Tor tho
accused girl.