The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-14
ORMSBY POISONING CASE
A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF
THE CASE BEFORE THE RECORDER.

RHELlM1NARY EXAMINATION OF
THE CASE BEFORE THE RECORDER.
The Accused Is Admitted to Bail I'm the
sum Of $4,000.
It having been understood that the Ormsby
poisoning case would be called in the First Mu-
nicipal Police Court at 1ok o'clock yesterday
morning. the idle and the curious gathered for
the purpose Of scanning the unfortunate
woman as she came into the court to be exam
ined
At 1o:45 Mr-. Ormsby. the accused. accom- pa
MED by her husband and attorney Mr.. Chas.
Luzenberg. took her seat at the bar of the court.
Judge Smith then came out of his private Of
flee. az cended the bench and Immediately started
with the case.
The State then requestedthat the witnesses be
removed from the court and that separate
nesses and those. for the defense, 80 that they
would not b able to exchange views on the
merits OF the case.
Mrs Ormsby. when she caught q glimpse of
the large concourse that had gathered to eye
her in her misfortune. looked at them in a stern
manner which expressed her opinion in
pressed it,
The unfortunate woman seemed to have
nerved herself for the terrible ordeal she had to
go through with, and appeared perfectly calm
and collected. She listened with the greatest
interest. and without the slightest agitation, to
the witnesses as they unfolded the terrible tale
actor.
Mrs. Orms by appeared to have changed her
her case; her fixed idea was to get rid of her
troubles by death; but now she came to the
front prepared to make out her case and gain
her liberty Upon entering the court she wore
black bonnet ornamented with plush roses a
dark silk dress and green vail She kept the
vail over her face during the entire examina-
ion NJ ff hn liovHr anA
it even when she was requested to rise 10 be
Mr. Ormsby. the unfortunate woman's hus
band, and tie man that has been the cause of
this whole affair. sat by his wife's side during
the VIII le trial. while her oldest son gamboled
about the courtroom and the judges private
of1o,.
The witnesses in the case were chiefly ladies'
and as they symuathized with the accused, their
testimony appeared to have been softened
The fret witness placed upon the stand was
Coroner Roche. who testified that on Saturday,
the sixth instant. he was called uhon to hold an
inquest, n the body Of sarah Alexson Brown. at
No. 16 Robertson stree hat an inquest and
autopsy by DIR. J. q. Beard, city physician was
held. and that a portion OF the liver and stom
ach were tax en- out by witness and sent to Dr.
Johnson, by witness, to be anaiyzed.
DIR. J. C. BEARD.
city phys ician. testified that he was called upon
Saturday mnrnin week ago. He was called
upon to view body at No. 16 Robertson street.
In accordance with instructions from the cor
oner held an autopsy. I examined the heart
and lungs and found them In normal CON
dition. The abdominal organs were apparently
piece of the liver. which handed to the cor
oner, who. with myself, took them to the Chart
ty Hostit and gave the same to Mr.. johnson.
So far a. the examination went was unable to
give certificate MS to the cause of death.
When first called In | was shown bag of
cakes in the possession OF DR.. Schubert A
not identify the bag but the cakes were similar.
This bag and its contents were taken to the
Charity Hospital by DIR. Schubert.
DIR. j. C JOHNSON
" as next sworn-I am the chemist Of the Chart
ty Hospital. elected by the Board Of Admins
traitors; have held the position for over seven
years. l examined a small portion of the stom-
aeh, ehigated at both ends, and q small piece of
the liver. On Friday l received a bag of cakes
from Mr.. Schubert, a medical student, but did
not examine them until received the stomach.
Did examine the cake fret and found large
amount OF ARSENIC present.
Then examined the fluid contents Of the
were fou d to contain frsenic as did
also the substance OF the stomach, which aa pre-
sented quite a c2ngestfve appearance and
ton. The liver also cont ined arsenic.
In order to arrive at an estimate Of the auan..
Of precipita'e sulphuret of arsenicl obtained
from tive half cakes a graip, equal to 1870
81 ase and onnd fBeFs all
no doubt as to the prest nee Of arsenic in liver.
stomach and cakt s.
JOSIE LAWYER,
l have known Mrs. Ormsby for The last six or
seven mouths. She has thsfatened to tske my
me most grossly at my residence, As! Caronde-
lei. On the morning OF the twentieth she had
me- arr ested, Tor insu Ing and abusing her, for
month moved to 16 Robertson street. and she
came la the neighborhood. inquir-
ing who moved there. She, was there
WA tVJt ii oA
her: they told me next door that she was there
On Thursday evening. between the hours OF
Z 80 and o'clock, WAS on the gallery, when the
the door; he was q little negro boy. bright and
very neatly dressed. went down stairs. Miss
Sarah Alexson. who wa. at my house on visit,
down there I found that Sarah had taken a
package and a nots, which he brought from
him She handed nse the note: it was unsealed.
help herself while read the note; she ate some
of the cakes. read the note aud then said
to her: Let " go upstairs dI and dress and
dressed: cunning down, vas at the front
door when Sarah WAS arranging her attire and
came to NJ lust as was 81 IN tn the act OF turning
ever. said that 1t was bad luck to turn back, and
we went on: we walked down Canal street to-
G Gravier street. she said to me. Josie, / wish
whiting" / then a. ked her how many of Them
SQt DHu eaten, dbu suo IcpuoU tuT0S. tolQ
her then hat she ought not to have eaten so
many. Then she made the same remark, add
ing that she felt worse. We went on and on
arriving at my friends house on Caron-
deet street Sarah tell on the seps.
I rang the bell and we went in. The
landlady gave her some lime water. camphor
and whisky to make. her v?mit. After she did
so she said that she felt little better. and that
we could go home. I asked the laDdlady ii
little colored boy had called there With bag OF
cakes and a note, and she said No." then
said. Those cakes, # they are poisoned. come
IaS% ND No ih her e where NJ one else but
those two knew where ere iyed We went home
made the remark that she had presen iment
that ehe was POISONED End that he was R9is-
I asked her What woman?" and she replied.
Mrs ormsby."" I asked her What made her
because no one else knew. as she had a
erudge against me-" We went to bed. and on
Friday when SAW she WAS no better sent for
u doctor He came and explained the case, to
him, and after he had seen Sarah he said that
it was not opium but arsenic. He prescribed
Mn antidote. 1 gave the medicine to Sarah