The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-03-08

about the dispeusary than before. Had
spoken TO Superintendent Hamilton In re-
gard to the matter" He also gave reason,
for suspectlng that certain patient might
have done the work; but that Is, at IN,
special request OF the investigating authori
ties. withheld, since Il Is but a speculation
as yet, unsupported by evidence, though
the unusual privileges accorded this mar
gave him good opportunities II he had
homicidalmind.
A MYSTERY.
But don't you see DIR. Butler regards 4
as next 10 impossible that the poison coule
have been obtained In the dispcnsary
Then. where else could Il have come from
! IL might have been bought In the city
Yes, but the city druggists have been inter
viewed on that point, and they say Il wa
not, and they declare that they would no
have sold prussic acid, cyanide OF potash
or aconite to a lunatic or to stranger
What Is more, no suspicious walls or bot
ties have been reported found In the room
OF any inmate, and no doubt the room
have been searched.
Further, IL is said that lunatic with
homicidal mania would likcly-not infalli
bly but nkely-boast rather than concea
|
and any such party on the watch must hav,
been informed by q hundred things within
| his hearing and observation that number
of men had been killed. 1t seems that th'
women know nothing about the occur
renee, but the men to some extent do.
Observation-Disclosures THEORY.
There has been an attempt in some part,
OF the state TO cast suspicion in this dis
tressing affair upon former employees. II
has been limited that discharged officer oil
employe might have done it. So he might
But is IT at all likely? Consider that these
people would hardly be welcome guests
and could only enter the premises through
the keepers lodge; that they would have
10 pass through extensive grounds before
reaching the buildings; that having reached
the buildings they would have TO walk
through passages and porches, and finally
go up a light Of steps. and then, ten to one,
they would not find the passage in front OF
the dispensary empty OF people. But II
so, then such q person or persons could
have poisoned the medicines without de-
lection. but would have had the same risk
Of detection going out as coming In.
This theory, am glad to say, have not
heard advanced by any Of the asylum Of
6cials. They suggest rather that it was the
work OF lunatic. and q mighty smart one
ut that.
A QUESTION.
If lunatic or other person poisoned the
medicine while in the safe in the passage,
ii is asked, why did he take the trouble to
take one waiter off the other to reach the
mugs when there were plenty other mugs
of other groups that could have been
reached without that time and trouble
There is no explanation except that the
! freaks OF lunatics are past finding out.
In this great asylum, where the inmates
number 525, there are all sorts OF eases
The third person ever admitted-a woman,
who was received fifty-four years ago
clings with thefondness OF natural affection
to two doll-habies. They represent chill
drep lost to her some sixty years ago. That
is her delusion. Others have much moro
prepostrous fancies. One that lie is the
Saviour of mankind; another that she is
the mother OF our Lord; another thai
/ he is king; another that he il
suffering from some horrible disease; an
other that it is his commission to go fortl
and kill, and so on.
NEW IDEA.
There is one theory, suggested by Mr.
| Andrews, an attendant. which is perfectly
practical. and, at least, would solve the
mystery as to how, when whole lot o.
these medicines Qorty-odd mugs were
prepared at the same time, the poison ap
! peared in some and not in others.
He suggests that the peison-say cyanide
of potash in solution, for instance-migh
have been dropped into the glasses before
the medicine was poured into them. In
such case, suppoSing that eight or ten emp
ty glasses, having been washed, were set
! ting on a table or in the safe, a person Sc
| inclined might then have dropped The
deadly poison in them, and the medicin'
been poured into the glasses without The
druggist having his attention drawn to til,
matter.
The VEHICLE FOR DILUTING.
There is one theory (supposing tina
there was poison in sufficient quantity il
| the dispensary) consistent either with thu
| idea that the druggist made n mistake Of
that a lunatic purposely did the deed. i
| is that the poison was conveyed to tn
mugs in the vehicle used for diluting Thu
medicines. Druggists usually use pitcher
/ of water for this purpose. The watel
standing in the pitcher might by acciden
/ or design have received the poison anC
| been distributed from it to the medicine
sought to be diluted. The contents OF tina
/ pitcher might have held out only for eiSh
mugs, and might thereafter have been flleC
with fresh water for further diluting.
Whether this theory will hold out in thu
light OF the practice in this dispensary d.
not know.
AT present it seems as good as any other
and it conveys no more injustice TO this
that, OF the other person than any other.
ANOTHER.
There is a statement that under the oil
administration hyoscyamin. the alkaloid o
henbane, was used in the dispensary, ant
that two bottles of the solution and on
bottle OF ii mixed with mOrphia were lei
there. How near the bottles were to beint
empty, or il entirely empty, is not remem
bered. This alkaloid is represented as
deadly and quickactlng poison. AS TO thl
point DR.. Butler says: I'VE have none o
| il and have used none OF 1t since May last.
How scientists disagree! a pharmacies
| in Richmond OF State reputation told In
| that the Dispatch correspondent could no
possibly have the formula OF that toni
right, for he declared the ammonia woult
precipitate the tincture OF iron. lie az
have it right. The formula OF the tonic
which has been used here since anybod.
could recolect. is this:
Tinct ferrin mur.. ..."'l2 or.
Simple syrup...... ..-.....:: ..'''''''' o piS'
MIX and add
"A. Ammonia. .............'....''''.' ooL'
Tinct. Cinnamon. ,.s.s.s''' % OK.
Whtskey.... ...'..'.''''' q P'''
FURTHER FACTS.
DIR. Butler. before the coroner, said: Z"
used the diluted prussic acid to make
cough mixture two weeks ago. L foun'
the same amount there the day OF tn
poisoning that left there two weeks ago
about teaspoonfu."