The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-03
POISON In C0BB'S STOMACH.
PROF DOREMUs's TESTIMONY IN THE
FAMOUS N0RWICH TRIAL
Arsenic nIse In Mrs. Bi.hcp-A Yale Profess
sor whe Disngreed with the Expert from
New York-A Vigorous Gross Ex u nuninatiou.

New York-A Vigorous Cross r. n u.inatioa.
NORWICH, Conn, Jan. 2.-The trial OF Mrs.
Cobb for tho poisoning Of her husband was re-
sumed this morning. Mrs Cobb was in court
as usual but this tmo with her veil up. and she
showed much more interest than heretofore In
the testimony. Her mother and little girl ac-
companied her
Prof. Doremus was again placed on the
stand. He explained at length the process re-
sorted to for the detection OF the presence Of
vegetable poison In this case. He had salts
fed himself first that tho arsenic was
not taken shortly before death; second.
that the treatment OF tho contents with
alcohol removed part OF the arsenic.
The contents OF the stomach showed the
unmistakable reaction OF arsenic. The
amount In the contents Of tho intestines
was small. and this may bo explained by the fact
that arsenic wns not taken shortly before doath.
and had been partially eliminated. The tissues
OF the stomach and intcstinos give a wcighablo
amount Of arsenic. There must have been alb
sorption OF the poison. Poison must have gone
into the Tissues. From one-third OF the liver
and half OF the kidneys he obtained very large
stain. and proved It thoroughly to be arsenic
| Not shadow OF doubt existed In this case.
Prof. DoTemus YnS then t5 examined & as % e his
that he found slight arsenic. stain in ten
| ounces OF livor two and half OF kidney. and
grain. From the heart and spleen he obtained
| q larger quantity. He could not state exactly
how much. but enough. In his opinion. to indi-
cate fatal dose In her case he has not yet
| completed his tests for morphine.
Thresher he after consutation m" with Proi John.
| son OF Yale College, aud was directed 70 hscer-
tanning whether or not the snlphide OF arsenic
with which II might have mixed unohemically
Al o'clock Prof. Doremus stepped down
from the witness stand having occupied II in
| all about twelve hours The cross examination
had not shaken mis- evidence by feathers
Prof.. Rudolphe A. wltthouse New York
chemist and professor OF toXieolnsy IN ne I Ser
that he attended and assisted in all but two OF
Pr9t, lorempss analysis OF mo yltals OF CGDn
his co-workcr had said as 70 the correctness of
his analyses and the. purity, OF the chemicals
used. Witness had not "A shadow OF doubt but
that Cobbs and Mrs. Bishops deaths were
caused by arsenicsl poisoning;
| Prof. Dorcmus. recalled, said TINT hc analyzcd
q part Of the contents Of the medicine that Cobb
took before his death. and which had hcen pre-
Hd ~ N wbch was TaT hSHS J
ing from the partial ANALYSIS. the entire liquid
in the bottle did not contain over one and I'VE
| onc-hundredths of grain OF strychninc, and II
the patient hal taken tho whole ut u dose 1t
would not probably have affected him fatally
Pf6' 'Samaei TSi Johnson expert Chemist and
toxicologist Of Yale College and tho chic; reli-
witness chair lie had helped 10 analyzo the
body OF Mary stannard OF the Madison murder
case He did not think that Prof Doremus's
analyses wore entirely Trustworthy. He dlf-
tered with E Proi Dorenus n his ,I,S methods: he he
| only authorities for those methods. and he had
heard no evidence from the, Professor OF sum;
| cient strength 10 concusvely prove to his mind
that Cobb OF. Mrs. Bishop died Of arsenical
poisoning. He would not be satisfied with
processes did not prove conclusiycly 10 his
mind the certanty, that. all the arsenic Prot
| Doremus claims to have found really was In tho
bodies. He once made an analysis in n poi
son case. and was about 10 testify In court
test he discovered that 1t was not arsenic.
The mistake was made by using impure chem
ieal4-that Is ,ih9se that contained arsenlc IN
remus's chemicals had been entirely cleared OF
arsenics hy the tests that he said b" had made;
Tho amount 4 arsenic found in tho system Of
a man after death WAS no index Of the amount
he had taken. He thought the arsenic light
death This was In direct contradiction Of Do
remus.l He did not doubt that the Siyrians
were arsenic eaters and that such persons eX-
listed all ovor tho world. Further, he cited the
case OF q man who died Ot tho effects Of a dose
OF arsenic that had been administered more
than a month before tho fatal result. Death In
this case WAS attended by all the SYMPTOMS u
arsenical poisoning. and IN the body % the dead
| person WIS found by analysis nc-thrticth Of n
grain This amount was more than twenty
nine times less than was found In the body Of
C0bhl He. however. deemed II OF the utmost
importance, in determining that death resulted
from arsenical poisoning, that large amount
He did not deem as conclusive evidence the fact
that one grain OF arsenic was found In fifteen
or twenty pounds OF Cobbs body that arsenic
caused his death.
, By State Attorney waler-Do you. ms a be-
lever In the story oi arsenic eating thlpk that
five grains OF arsenic without fatal effect A.
, Yes. sir
are found in the body Of a dead man. that that
fact would be conclusive evidence that arsenic
produced death Al do not think that 1t
would be conclusive.
In answer 70 further sharp cross-cxamina-
; ton tho Professor said thnt he found less
! arsenic in the body Of the person he examined
and In which he knew death Was produced by
that poison, than Prof. Dorcmus discovered In
the body OF Cobb. He admitted. also. that he
was not willing TO assert that Prof. Doremus 5
method was wrong. but. 1t was n different one
the best authorities with which he Was nc
quainted. He added that he should fear that by
| Prof. DoremuHs method he should get sui
phur and arsenic mixed; that is, the arsenic
obtained would not be clear arsenic lie ac-
J | knowledged that the tests OF Prof Doremus
were in the main those that are, principally
and essentially tho methods relied on by the
best authorities, also that Copb might have died
> the Professor said that arsenic eating pro-
duees fine complexion, full, smooth skin, and
, adds strength and beauty and agility TO tho con-
t 'Now. =" said the Attorney. with dramatic earn-
. estness. and shaking his raised forohngor at
the witness. suppose that an arsenic eater, in
stead OF growing iair ana beautiiui and aelulr;
a | ing strength Of limb and lustre OF eye, should
grow daily weaker aud weaker. his limbs shrink
away his face grow wan. his eye .lustroess
I what would you think Of such n caso2 Suppose
: that man should die. and that arsenic Of an APP
4 precable quantity should DO found in his sys;
tem and that fact proved by, what you have said
I are methods conducted with integrity. would
! | YOU in the absence OF any other cause OF death
| deem that arsenic was the cause Of death p
. The Professor did not answer decidedly for
: several moments, and then said that he should
p deem II highly probable the arsenic was the
cause OF the fatal result
. This is not the question" said the States
Attorney Not whether it would be pTesump-
tive evidence Of death from that cause, but hay
: ing found arsenic in the body. under the condi-
= tions | have described. that IL. that no other
= cause for death Is known TO you, would you moi
! say that arsenic was tho cause of death 7"
. Yes. | should" finally conceded the Pro-
| fessOr.
j The general excitement Of interest and OK
I pectation had been wrought up 10 the highest
| pitch. and there was scarcely the rustic OF q
u garment or a breath sound In the large au,
= dience, as the States Attorney put the final and
. crowning interrogatory OF his brief but bril-
! liant examination. The spectators leaned for.
! ward with strained attention in their seats
: and the immobile face Of Mrs. Cobb III
! up with excitement and eaRerness as the
u witness paused before he answered. After he