The New York herald., 1878-11-01
MRS. WHITMAN's DEATH.

sPEAR-aREAT INTEREST MANIFESTED.
BosroS, Oct. 81. 1878
Tho interest taken In the examination OF Ma
bel Whitman on . onarge or poisoning her
mother. Mra Laura J.. Whitman, was shown
this morning BY tho crush OF visitors to
the District Court rhs general impression vas
that unless some new evidence was produced as
to-days hsarng going 10 criminate she young lady
the case against her fall through. Miss sy-
monds. who testified yesterday afternoon, was
called ana crossexamined- She said:-Mabsi came
TO see mo Tuesday night at o'clock hsr Tues
day afternoon alter school; walked home through
the ailsyvay; reached her home arst; LETT Mabel
at the crossing on Essex street; think she went
home; when she called at night hadn't gone 20
bed; went to Dr.. Roughton's With her and saw him
Mabel said she'd previously been 70 Dr.. Spears;
Mabel asked Or. Hougn,on TO 60 and soc her mother
who vas sick; the Doctor camslto'the door and We
went TO his ONCE; he said he thought he could pre-
pare some nsiicine; Mabel said she thought Aer
mother was poisoned and was vomiting; but didn't
know the cause Of s her mother had eaten macksrel
isr dinner; Mabel and SAT on tho sofa; think he
gave Us one vial. TO divide into two sasses and gve
In half an hour and another half an hour alter
ward; there might have two vals. but can't 10
positive; got An impression that DR.. Heughtou was
unwe,l and abio 10 90 evenings; after issv-
ing Or. Aoughton's onaee came homo; Mabel
10 come to our house II she needed hot any
thing else; AT twelve O'Clock Mabel ruEg The bell and
came to the door and let her IN; then We came up
stairs and dressed and We went 10 DR.. Spsar's
door and said the Doctor hadn't returned; MABEL
then went IN and wrote additional directions tho
tablet stayed ON the stops; went back to her house
with Mabel; sho waited me 70 stay win her;
went into the dining and kitchen up stars
when tho Doctor came: ne stayed twenty minutes;
Mabel down stairs with MIN tho Doctor did not
think she dangerously sick; ne said, peasantIy
.Il's an ail-nght session p oidu't go into Mrs
Whitmsa's room til the next morning whom
ot. The house Al SIX NJ and ssnt some Ice over 10
Mrh Whitman; sent my brother over; he is n,ne
stopped IL on my my way 70 school and 81" Mra Whit,
man she SAID she wanted some ice; got her some;
s ~ s sns
down stairs and had her hat ana shawl apparently
having just come ~; she mad teapot In her hand;
say anything about Mabel having gone out; lhts
WAS not far from qaartorpast eight A. NJ when was
Mabel Monday or Tuesday or not /; have walked home
win MAJ Mabel @ great - m.sy ny. .w%ss woan.s,
me 10 go and get ner Sunday school
thero; Mabel was in hor room lying tue bed With
Mrs. Raymond; sno a!terward came down STAIRS; got
rnatier was with Mra Whitman; IN tho svsning was
there again Mabel was At the house OF MIRA Steavns;
IOnsa w.,a M DAVID ana Hrs ibn:r s.saras as
TO look about the sink and SEQ II shere was
powder, but dtdn't notice there tnink / should
have seen It u there had been any there; was 10 the
house again Thursday Don after Mabel had got homo
from Boston; handed her note which her sunday
teacher sent hor; ddn't stay longs or
mothers relatives were there; somebody said she
ought to take AN Older PERSONS advice; didnt hear
an aunt use abusive language toward Mabel;
while Mrs. Whitman was away. used ~ stay With
Mabel many times; heI mother was away about six
weeks; think Gsrtie Richardson spent the night
there before did, stayed with Mabel the nrst MONDAY
il sspts mber; Mrs. Whitman wrote Mrs. Ricnard-
don't know whether sue stayed there or not; DR..
Speers came tncre one evening whils was
think IL was either little after eight or juss nine;
went over there 70 stay gil night; bis head was 10
S.a bssn nIay,nS on The psnc. heard ssr n,.,,r~
whom l rang the bell; Mabel came to tho door;
went 10 sa Uo,.S. no me
. snort timo alter got there saying good evening;
Mabel went TO the door with hum; saw no.ning differ.
from an ordinary oepsrture; never saw tho Doc
tor there any other night; saw Dr.. Spears at MIRA
whirmanh white she was at home: Tho convsrsa-
ton about Dr. Whle occurred while Mrs. Whit.
school At the Essex street crossing;' think Mabel
thought that u Or. Spears went down South
he might catch the fever and aie; she said she
burst out crying, and Dr. Spears to6k her nsh. into
going TO wrile hor mother y letter, and by the
time the letter received hs would bs married.
but not otherwise; don't know that the Is,.or was
ever written never had dispute with Mabel M
when Dr. spears called on tuesday nign.; sho told
DR.. Houghton that hcr mother thought sho had been
poisoasd; Mrs. Whitman told me nothing shout her
BY Mr snerDarne-Can't say wnsther Or. Spears
visited Mrs. Whtman's ofecnsr wnen she was away
than when there.
MRS. wnIrxAs's BROTHER rKsrryrxs
Mr.. John D. storer, Of Auburn, Ne, an attorney At
law and brother OF tho lsto Mrs Whitman vas
next called. he testified as follows :-Firss Mabel
alter my SISTERS death on the ut Auburn; DIR.
spears and MIRA g. ". Wheeler were with her; went
with them TO my fathors house In Gar.
thage; saw nothing worthy Of remark In the
conduct Of Mabel and Dr. spears; after burial came
10 Boston and ths District Attorney and police
ocers wtness then said that no observed that
vsrscd freely a. tines asked Dr. Spears to state the
circumstances OF death, and hc stated them very
m hs a. .as Ss srs wen 20 s sr ,
occurred IN tho cars after leaving Lewistop talked
with him nvs minutes; Mabel ddn't Join In ths
versatt0n; she told mo that arsenic caused her
mo,her's deash. ana complained OF the couducs or
her tathsr's sisters tue day Of the funeral; l
you all somo t,ms;" Al tho funeral she spoke Of
the demonstrations OF these sisters particularly;
car; came TO Boston tuesday alter the funeral:
the funeral occurred on Saturday.
BY Mr.. Sherburne-My attention was particularly
directed 10 the Doctor aud Mabel In car; looked
with interest TO obsorvo them, ana nothing
narily would whom on Journey; tnsy Appeared very
pleasant toward each other.
qus,ntsd with The whitman family was AZ Inc house
"Wednesday evening alter the dsa.h was ~ tho house
sSary al DAY Inursc.y " 'nS request Of Mr
avc p. NJ; was present AZ conversations be-
tween Or. Draper and Mabel; Dr. spears was
In tho h0use, aud was Mr. Fox: re-
mained uil DR.. Miner came; after Mr.. Fox had
lett Mabel asked II she had SAID right and Dr. Spears
said "Yes;' alter Dr. Draper had loft she ASKED Dr.
Spears, "Dd tell II right?n and nodded; asked
Mabel whore the arsenic came from aud ssid her
mother bought u In Boston, adding, s.Thcre hope
they won't mako fuss about thaI;'' the converse
son then dropped Tor felt as n Mabel didn't want
anything moro said ABOUT the matter.
rURrnER TESTIMONY.
William d. Mahouoy, police oifcer, testified that
he mot Dr. Spears on tho night or October 10, at
eight O'Clock; Oficer Vaughan told him thoro was q
sudden doath on his route; he asked spears
the cause, and WAS told thai Ear ho could
find out II was by iuhaiing paris green, which
was swept up after being spread about Ihe wator.
pipcs; witness Afterwards called ~ tho whitman
House, about o'clock, and door was opened by
Dr. Spears, who saij that no nad nothing new, but
that he could be found o1ice M tho corner of
Franklin aud Nam streets: witness then wspt away
and reported the case ~ tho station accidental
poisoning
Gertru1e A. Richardson was tbon called and stated