Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-14
sARRETr D"BELLADOHNA.
A Statement From One of the Prin-
cipal Witnesses.
Barrett Wanted to Be Sick and
Couldn't.

EDITOR LEDGER-As some Of the
newspapers are attempting to prejudice
my position in regard to the medicine
obtained fo- Senator Barrett, l hope l
will be allowed through your columns
to give the facts in the case.
On Thursday evening about six
o o'clock, before the Friday on which
the 1908 bill was voted on, MI. Wal
ter Bransford approached me very ex-
eitedly with the information that
Barrett was locked up in the Maxwell
House by the high tax men, but that
he would get him away from them that
night. He went on to say that Barrett
was very uneasy and had said to him
that if he remained away from the
Capitol next day he must be able to
convince the 100 3 lobbyists that he
was too sick to be present and that he
(Barrett) was willing to take croton
oil, and il necessary, absent himself
for several days.
demonstrated that Barrett was an
ignorant old fellow, and did not know
the serious effects Of croton oil, which
might be fatal, and urged Bransford
to let him 20 out to his house, where
he could remain for several days, and
that it was not necessary to take any
thing.
He replied that Barrett had prom
ised the friends of the bill to vote for
it, and was afraid to be away unless he
could prove that he had been sick, and
added; "Then can't you getsomething
that won't hurt him much" To pro.
tect Barrett from any serious injury,
more than for any other reason, l went
to a 6rst.class physician, whose advice
| FELT wasneeded in such a case and had
the following conversation: Doctor,
a man wants to be absent from a meet
ing tomorrow in order to avoid per-
forming a very unpleasant duty-he
must give sickness as an excuse he
suggests that he take croton oil, but |
know that would be very dangerous.
He only wants to be sick the greater
part of tomorrow. Now, you know
the extent to which l want the medi-
cine to operate, can you give some
thing that will make him slight
ly unWell, but let it be
harmless2" The physician then
wrote a prescription for one-thirty-
sixth of a grain of sui atropia, and
said, BE careful in opening the pa
per, as the quantity is very small.
said: "As it might be spilled or lost,
you had better make it call for two
powders instead of one" He then
wrote the prescription fer three pow
ders OF o~ne-thirty sixth of a grain
each, though at the time l thought he
had written it but for two. He then
said to me: Put one of these pow
ders in a small pitcher Of water, and
after stirring it up we'll pour a few
tablespoonsful into a glass. The effect
will be to slightly dilate the pupils Of
the eye, but by to morrow evening the
person taking it will have thoroughly
recovered" | took the prescription
aud after showing it to several gentle.
men in the Maxwell House and tell.
ing them who it was for, gave it tc
Bransford, after carefully stating the
doctors directions.
Bransford was unable to see Barrett
that night, and was, consequently
unable to give him the medicine
Now, if Bransford had not told me
that the Senator" desired to take
something that would make him sick
| would have had nothing to do with
the matter. And if the physician
whose advice l sought, principally fol
Barrett's protection, had not assured
me that the medicine was harmless /
would not have given it to Bransford
These are the facts, apd any Other
statement is utterly and wholly false,
LOUIS B. McWHIRTER.
Nashville, January 10, 1881.