The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-03-25
Inquest.

An inquest was held at the Holce station i'll
this city, on the 18th inst, on the body of Mrs.
Apolinia tanner, who died under suspicious cir
cumstances on the 10th inst. Deputy-Marshal
Dayton acted as Coroner, and the following
gentlemen as jurors: A. Mossman Robt. Lew
ers, W. Johnson, E. Kistler, Henry Warehouse,
William Hopper. The jurors first visited the
grave and there viewed the body and then re-
turned to the Police Station. The first witness
called was DR.. o. S. Cummings who had attend
ed deceased during her illness. This witness
stated "when first called to see her found her
in high fever, she complained of intense burning
pains in the stomach and great thirst. She told
me in presence of her husband that he had pois-
oned her. tanner objected greatly to this re-
mark. Was suspicious from the symptoms and
the remark she made. I administered proper
medicines and visited her again on the 4th,
5th, 18th and 10th of March. Thought the symp-
toms afforded strong indication of arsenical
poisoning. I was very careful not to give any
arsenical preparations on account of my suspi-
cions. Her husband reported to me from day to
day, and except on one day, reported favorably.
On that day I went to see her and she was not
well: she complained of a burning sensation in
her stomach which had never ceased since the
day 1 was first called. Visited her on the morn
ing of her death Mr.. tanner then reported that
deceased had slept nicely the night before and
that he had prepared some vermicelli soup which
she had eaten. Did not see deceased again until
the afternoon of the 10th, then Mr.. tanner came
to me and reported that his wife had spasms.
Went with him to see her but upon our arrival
found that she was dead. tanner remarked to
me that on the night before his wife objected to
taking the medicine. There was some medicine
remaining in a glass with water. tanner picked
it up, slipped it, and said there is no poison in
this. l did not examine the tumbler nor powder
on the table; met DR.. Hutchinson at the house;
DIR. Hutchinson made the ~post-mortem examina-'
ton. From the appearance of the stomach and
intestines we were suspicious that death had
been caused by acrid poison. l made no tests.
The stomach and intestines were put in a jar
and placed in charge of DR.. Hutchinson. Inev-
er saw, in cases of fever, the intestines look as
they did in this case. There were no symptoms
of peritonitis before death. In answer to ques-
tons by the jurors, DIR. Cummings stated that he
believed the woman was sane when she accused
her husband. That the woman had been well
only q day or two previous; that the subject of
poison was only mentioned on first visit; sup
posed that woman was getting better.
DIR. Hutchinson testified to the appearance of
the parts, at the pOSt-llOrtem was struck Win
the appearance of the parts as they lay in their
natural position, which was that of some severe
disease, The whole intestinal cana al was empty;
there were no signs of peritOnitis but the inside
of the bowels aud stomach were marked by Sc
we're congestion. In answer to questions, DR..
| Hutchinson stated that from what he had heard
of the case from DIR. Cummings, together with
appearances on examination, should say that
there were grounds for suspicious of poisoning.
Pahu W, a native living in the house with de-
ceased stated that Mrs. tanner had been sick for
nearly nine days before death. Was will Mrs.
tanner all day on the day she died. She had
severe commissions just before her death. Never
saw a person die in that manner before. Had
seen her take medicine from Mr.. tanner besides
what the doctor gave her. TIL medicine was
red-colored and some colOrless. Mr.. tanner and
his wife lived on amicable terms. George Williams
testified, I knew Mrs. tanner during her life
time, she was a member of the Hawaiian Legion
of Honor and was insured for So, 900 in favor of
her husband. From what I had heard in regard
to the family of tanner and his wife 1 had sus-
picious, and communicated my suspicious to Mr..
Lucas and when we visited DR.. Cummings found
he also had suspicious.
At this point the hearing was continued to
await the result of the examination of the
stomach and intestines by DR.. Stangenwald.