Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1882-04-15
GCommnnicatcd.l

EDIroR PREss The publication in the +. {.
drerfiser of the evidence offered before the Coro-
ners Jury summoned 10 hold an inquest ON the
body of Mrs. tanner, has naturally called forth
comment of u various nature and from various
sources. That such matter should afford much
for reflection among tho better informed, or
naturally thinking portton of community, is
not at all strange excepting under the absurd sop
position that such could be indifferent to the Ques-
ton of proventable death, or to the discovery Of
crime But to be brief, have only 10 refer to the
testimony of DR.. Cummings; and to summarize
this, iii connection with collateral facts for tho
substance of that upon which am to dwell.
The deceased lady died and vas buried Upon
the refusal of the physician who attended from
tho incpiency TO the fatal termination Of her dis
ease, to grant certificate 10 tho cause Of death
coupled with the latent suspicious Of Interested
parties suggested by collateral circumstances
demand for the exhumation and expert examine
ton of her body was made. grant in accord
anse Herewith was made by the autl critics, and
an autopsy duly held. Evisc6ration Of the codaver
according TO the testimony Of Drs. Hutchinson
and Cummings, disclosed pathological appearances
uncommon to fever or other natural disease and
were strongly indicative Of irritant poisoning !;
and therefore corroborativo of tho lady's prior
disclosures to DIR. Cummings. Upon his first visit
the doctor had been told by the patient that Hhe
had been poisoned; and according 10 his testi-
mony the symptoms Of the disease were strongly
corroboratiye of her assertions, and pointed IN
his opinion To arsenic as their cause 30 far ~
any evidence to the contary appears, the patient
allowed TO die and be Inferred without y SUE
picion having been uttered To the authorities,
To any one else. And not only this but further
opportunity was conceded to the party accused
supposng criminal inteut-by making him tho
medium by which medicines were To DO dispensed
and through whom knowledge Of the condition Of
the patient was 10 be received The q0ostiun
naturally arises Gould the patient, by precau-
tions and proper attendance have been saved
supposng her to have been poisoned | attempt
no answer.
Again, relative to tho discovery Of crime lot me
premise by saying that many deaths have
demonstrably resulted from the administration Of
irritant poisons, where the most refined post
norton analyses have failed 10 detect their pre-
sence, oven IN cases where enormous doses have
been taken; and more especially has this been 10
with arsenic wide, Horsley, Taylor, and Beck }
+" On the other hand mineral poisons, as anti
mony, arsenic, etc, have been readily detected In
body afterwards. '-Horsley. Dr. Taylor speaks
OF girl who took one ounce Of arsenic and died
IN seventeen hours, and another who took two
ounces and died in eight hours but in neither
case could the poison be detected. In considsra.
tion OF such facts as these, known Ia all educated
practitioners, would Il MOTTO say the ieast--have
been advisable that the appropriate encretions Of
| iocted To anaiysis-espccially ia cass wheEa
suspicion lay 80 strongly from the first An
analysis of the eKcrca OF tho patienti ii seems to
me. was imporatiyey called for under the circun-
stances, as Developments resultant therefrosn
might have relieved AN Innocent party from All
unjust lmpntation, and the authorities from
unnecessary annoyance and expense or, have
established the laei Of poisoning (which now ma,
never be- and Affixed the guilt upon this prisoner
| The questions involved IN this case are believe
| vital, and cannot be ignored or laughed svay
irasInueh as like may have occurred lsefors
unnoliced, or may occur again. Saws saes
author A low degree Of civilization places a Nov
estimate on individual human life ~ aud vhiis
We pretend 70 high state Of civilization We can
better preservation. 1 speak without anisuss III
I'll VIII 10 any; bat from a senss of tn
needs OF community justice. might az
frain trial may depend, and vish 10 urs
ludice no one IN the eyes VI their fellows and
trust that my remarks will be quoslioslsd n
70 motive by no reasoning mind. The qusslioo,
suggest themselves 10 any one VI thinking mind