The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-26
DEFFARGE'S DEADLY DRUG.
PHYSICIANS BAFFLED IN THEIR AT
TEMPS 10 NAME 1T
The Result OF the Autopsy the Bodies OF
the Father and son-What the Coroner
. Says OF the Annir-Mrs Denarge's story.

the fnther ana hOn-Whnt the Coroner
. Says OF the AnnIr-Mrs De0nrge's story.
A post-mortcm examination Of the bodies
OF Albert Deffarge. who committed suicide at
257 West Twenty-sixth street on Thursday
morning. and OF his little son. whom he muir
dcred at tho same time by administering poi
son. WAS made yesterday afternoon by Deputy
Coroner DR.. Goldschmidt in the Morgue. Tho
unusual circumstances Of their deaths and tho
fact that no ono had been able to detect any
symptoms whereby the nature OF the poison
could be determined. brought n large number
OF medical students to witness the autopsy Tho
bodies OF father and son lay side by side on n
marble slab, and the attendants stripped them
Of thor clothing. The garments OF the boy
were clean and whole. and they were removed
with some little care. The mans clothing was
untidy and was hurriedly torn from his body.
The autopsy Of the boys body disclosed no
signs nor traces Of poison either in its APP
pearancc or in the odor emitted. except certain
spots that indicated morphine poisoning and n
slightly congested condition Of the lungs. which
Indicated nothing in particular. In the case Of
inc father the stomach. lungs, ana other organs
were moro congested than were those Of
the boy. DIR. Goldschmidt thought that the
drug used must have been n narcotic perhaps
morphine. although its fatal result in these
cnscs was sudden beyond precedent sincr. ac-
corling to tho statement OF both Mrs Deffnrge
and Katherine Murphy. the servant II was not
over fifteen minutes from the time that Dcifarge
was left alone in the kitchen with tho two chill
dren until they-the father and boy-wcre
found ON the floor dead. and tho little girl
dying. A chemical analysis Of the contents Of
the stOmachs can alone show the nature Of the
poison. aud. rs this would be very expensive.
Coroner Ellnger has not decided to have such
Thorc is no doubt in my mind" said he.
" that DciIarge killed his boy, tried to Kill his
little girl and Killed himself with poison, Those
letters ~ his are evidence enough. and the in
De "A formal |
determine whether II Is sufficiently important
Tor the city 70 - TO the expense 81 chemical
analysis To- discover Just what Kind OF poison
There wore those who. before tho autopsy.
were confident That prussic acid was the drug
used. On" OF those present said that in the an
mails II suicides there had not yet occurred a
cas-" 81 n druggist killing himself by any other
means than prussic acid. But acids Of that
nature nr' corrosive, and there were no such
indications about the bodies. After tho autopsy
me bodies were taken in charge by an I'M
deriaker. and they will be buried rs soon rs a
permit is granted.
In taking Mrs Dcfroree Katherine Murphy.
Thomas Kelly. and Henry Cooper Ohe latter
two being mentioned in Dcffarge's letter. to the
! Twentieth street station. on Thursday evening.
10 detaln them AZ, Witnesses. Capt. Ryan acted
without Coroner Ellinger's orders. and when.
after IN" had returned home late that night. he
received message from Capt. Ryan telling
what he had done, the Coroner sent word back
that the witnesses must Ice released 1T was
| not ~ all necessary or right 20 drtaiu them.
he said. No one is accused vt being impl-
cut"d ia the crime. The witnesses will not 20
away. and II they should We have the letters
| which ar. ample evidence. Whether Mrs. Def
| fargo and IN" two mon gave DefIarge real cause
90 ihluk as Pc did Is question that have moth
At l., o'rlork yesterday morning the four
W"r" released. The two women went home.
and TIE two men were not seen again. lestrr-
/ day afternoon Mrs. Dcilarge sat in her parlor
talking with two or three friends She nu-
prarcd much better than when bending over her
dead boy on III" kitchen floor the previous day.
Sh" was tastefully dressed in black. and was en-
1 |a Nat.HF
haby girl WAS still alive and well and happy In
the New York Hospital made the blow less
heavy. OF her boy she spoke with trembling
voice. Of her husband freely aud without APP
parent ieeling. The ,parlors were we'll fur
nished; There were Brussels carpets on the
| iioor-. lace curtains AZ the windows handsome
furniture. piano. books. pictures. and orna-
" Life with my husband" she said. was n
hell on earth: He was a nervous. excitahle
man, jealous Of every one, idle passionate He
did not drink; don't know that he had any
and he seemed penurious; yet he got through
thAg9od deal Of money first and last.
IN cn,i, Two years ago We had our money
and was as much my husbands as
mime hut about two years ago ! found that
| Mm about lt. He was angry and told me Ia
thk' are oi my money myself. Since that |
oart tonne Tor II. lie was wildly Jealous. II a
ulrWun came 90 the house on business. he
would NJ once accuse me Of improper conduit.
= q.
! himself He'd act like n Wild man. About a year
ago we had quarrel. He wore two rings
| That give him one u seal ring the other a
En'd ring with Remember me- on H. When
w. Quarrcl"d he pulled of those rings threw
ih"m ON the noor ana ground them with his
| l'cL Thus DO | grind your love under my
| Poet Pee ~lli. picked uu the rings and told
him lint would keep them until he dioi and
tNru " luld plH'e one on each side II his head
IN TIE coffin. At"rward he begged mo to give
him n" rings again. but | would not. When he
went away on FRIDAY he took my pooketbook
In u were 80. the two rings two other rings
and some lttlo relics, | don't know what rs
hrrom" ~ tuem ALL Nothing either of the
money or tho rings was found on his body He
hal been alking about depositing money for
tine children. but l don't know whether ho did
or not.
II" was very queer man about some things.
lie bought pistol and hourishrd It SO much
lhal was afraid, not that he'd shoot me but
mat II might 20 of and hurt us. got It, and
hli II in box IN the chimney hut he had 1t
again IN few DAYS. Last November he and
another man opened store, his partner fur
nishiug the money hut the business didn't pay.
h"'ausT he was continually leaving II 10 run
nom" ana watch me. For the last month or
two there was queer look about his cves
They looked fixed and staring so that Martin
and both noticed IT, think he was crazy"
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