The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-01
MRS. COBB AND W. W. BISHOP
1RGUING IN TIfN ron MOTHER POST
PONEMENT or THE TRIAL.
Getting n jury OF Clean shaver, Unninch-
inH' IncorrupEibie Appearing Connecticut
Inrmers - TestIfllng as 10 Cohb's Dcnth.

NORWICH Conn, Dec 31.-.At Q o'clock this
morning, two hours before tho opening of the
superior Court IN this city. the Hobbies aud hall
ways ut the City Hall, ia which tho session IL
held. were throngcd with men and women.
winnglng aud struggling with each other for
the moot favored position whence to charge
into the court- room when its doors should be
thrown opcn. The morning wns still aud frosty.
and the iry air wreathcd the boards and
mousiaches vt the men ~ thny wrcstlcd ON the
iron step, ON the outside uf the building nnd
changed the pink md white complexion u tho
women into glowing purple Soon swiftly
driven covered carriage rolled down the stccp
hill leading TO tho iail, and. ratiing across tho
square in front of tho Court House. WINS halted
at the entrance to the police station. Imagining
that the vehicle contained tho form OF Mrs.
Cobb, the crowd turned and rushing in body
down the steps. gathered about the carriage in
desperate strife to catch glimpse of the
prisoner. The alarm WIS inzo ono. Police
officers fought back the throng and made n lane
for the passage " n couple OF lunatics from tho
celia ol tho lo'kup to the carriage. which was
then driven away Again the crowd returned
tr it, old position and was augmented con
s,aniy 10y fresh arrivals.
Ata little past II O'Clock a throng Of wit
ne-ses. both male and female were gathered
80 thickly in the court room inside the rail that
1t WAS difficult for the court officers 10 mako a
passage across tho floor. Tho regular panel ot
jurors took their seats at H.. while tho extra
jurors. summoned Tor n reserve force occupied
two rows II seats stretching entirely across the
room. Then the outside doors were opened
aud the hungry crowd surged in, wrestling
with the Sheriff. " II. Bates. and half dozen
deputies who vainly strovc 20 beat them buck
N aap,llaua, Of Il, 4
order. In moment every seat was filled and
scores Of mon and women choked tho aisles
and overlooked into the reserved space before
the bar. Judge Culver took his seat Mt H..
having reached the CITY by tho II O'Clock train
from Middletown. and the court was opened.
state Attorney Waller after quiet had becn
partly secured. arose and signiled the readi-
ness OF the State to proceed at { 30 20 the trial
otknte VI. Cobb. accused with Westiey " Bishop
Of the murder Of her husband. Their was
momentHry hush rs the prosecuting Nicer sat
down. and then Gardner Green. associate coun-
sci Tor the defence, asked for the adjournment
~ the case until the March term Of the court.
lie argued IN support Of his motion that the de-
fence have lahOrcd diligently and constantly
since last November to secure the testimony of
eNu"ris In chemistry and toXicoluey. hut in
vain. They had sought out Prof William Chan
der of Columbia College. New York city Prof.
Henry Morton %! stevens Institute. Hobtkrn
Prof. Geo. Barber Of the University II Penn
sylvania. Prof. WormleY. and Df. Gent. but
none oi these gentlemen were able TO leave their
duties 10 testify in the case Several ~ these
gentlemen have stated their belief. however
from perusai ~ the Testimony Of Or. Doremus.
that the evidence found in the aualysis 81 CObb's
vitals WAS not sufficient To- PROV" that he had
died OF arsenicRl poisoning. The defence urged
also is a reason that the trial should 70 over
tho iact that several important witnesses ars
now absent and cannot be- procured at once.
state Attorney Waller ably resisted the mo-
ton, claiming that II wns simply suhtcriugo
10 unnecessarily delay the trial and the ends of
Justice until several OF the witnesses Tor the
state, who are now apparently on the verge ol
the grave shall have died. lie ielt assured that
the defence could obtain all tho expert testi-
pony they desired IN this or any other state II
they made proper EFFORT 10 obtain It. But tnnt
was not what they desired. They simply wished
70 defeat The prosecution OF the prisoners ~
continued poetponement. As To- their assertion
that several oi their witnesses could not attend
this month, he could say that one OF them could
be brought 20 the city at any moment that ne
las desired. aud the other ono had acknowl-
edged that he had nothing to communicate that
was relevant " the case. Furthermore. tho
StHie would guarantee t. provide the defence
with all tho expert toXicologists that they wish,
and ~ tho expense of the state. He thanked
We defence Tor opposing what tho line II de-
ienc" - going to De. and added that he had fore
seen that an attempt would lee made 10 break
Town the testimony and reputation 81 Or.
Durcmus. and had provided against any such
unhappy result He had arranged H. secure
The evidence II Prof. Mithouse Of the Vermont
Medical Institute and that u other toxicalo-
gists III support u DR.. Duromuss theories and
methods.
The Hon. John T. Wait leading counsel Tor
.hA~s NHNs 'NulhhlNfh Aiif NlANuitlNs 81 VT.
Waller that they we're sock ng a. deieat tho
ends OF justice. and insisted that II would be
impossible 10 procure such eminent experts AS
the nature OF the cH~o demanded. and that
without this testimony il could not he hoped
that his client would receive a fair trial.
Several more speeches foil wed. taking M
the entire forenoon. and II WAS nearly O'clock
culver rendered his decision. He said that he
could not perceive that there was sufficient
reason for another adjournment and So de-
ciied. with the proviso that IL should Dee sulle"
y the approval or disNpproval Of his associate.
Chi"i Justice Ihrk. who was absent from the
bench in the forenoon. but would be- present IN
tn, afternoon. \ recess Was taken until >
Judge Park WAS on the bench with Judge Cul-
Yer at tho beginning OF the afternoon session.
and ii was with his approval that the latter
Judge ordered the trial 20 GO on. During the
recess not u man or woman left his or her seat,
PrrierrlnG u sacrifice thSir dlnnrr I" Their
ceded the opening Of the Court had hardly been
sIiilcd before there was another rustic ot excite.
inent. and the entire audience arose and tacet
tn door leading into a side room through
which advanced the porty figure nl Jaler beck
WIN; Hrhind MIN came the tall form 81 Kat
3, long and thick veil thni fell frrnl her black
straw hat below her waist. Next tp her came
the commanding igure OF her gHuut and puilid-
mourning. Behind her followed Kate brother
a young man with Il rudd, in,r who sports a.
light brown moustache and an extremely tall
Spnola collar The pariy sat down next 10 the
counsel i9r the defence. and close 10
my crowd. Mrs. Cobb looks unusually
well. Her taco IL fun and her Dyes spanked
brightly n she listened closely TO the testimony
of witnesses. Often she turned To- her mother
during the afternoon, ana, whispering "a iow
words ia her ear. u smile M az her face. Al
the close of the session she escaped the eager
eyed throng that blocked up the mnin entrance
by stealing Out through a. private corridor.
The Clerk Webster Park. began the calling Of
tho IurYmen. and over an hour War consumed
before tho panel was completed. II was the
general comment by good Judges that u more
Intelligent. honest and sturdy set Of men than
the lurymon selected never sat in New
London County Court They are mostly farm
"rS ui tho higher type are we'll dressed. clean
shnNon. and have thai general facial cat and
expression that j. popularity associated with the
upright. unhinching, and ineorTuptlnlc Puritan
character. Tho Iurymen heard the indictment
accusing Mrs. Cobb and W. W. Bishop OF muir
der in the first degree by poisoning Dir. Cobb ia
june last. aud then resumed thelr seats.
DR. s. G. Perkins was the first witness called.
He testified:
attended Mr. Comb in his last sicknc and saw him
Tor the last time June ? tour daNs before his death.
saw s dead body ou June o. ha wing arrived At IA,
dence fcw minutes alter his death The body
markably rid Tor whence tue HE hHl just departed.
was preset az ile post ortem on luue - With lirs
were nu healthy condition except the lcit kdn'y,
which WAS siighuy dcgcnrrated- The stomach and i-
lAkeu Out and placed IN glass Jar. without
heug examined Iics lars scaled amt sent to New
York city Tor uualy SIS by ~ Duremns In the
examined there was nothing inlruts the cause OF