The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-02-27


condition, however, being only slightly
preceptibIe In those where death had en-
sued in a short time. In the stomach OF
Uolloman there was scarcely any conges-
ton. while in that Of Hines there was
great deal OF inflammation. In that OF
Adams the lining Of the stomach was
almost entirely destroyed.
Latest Developments Yesterday.
9:45 p. M.-No more deaths from the poi
sonipg have occurred since Saturday.
Mathew Vaughan, Of Prince Edward, re-
mains, however, In comatose condition.
The other sick men are out OF danger.
While the autopsy was progressing Sproul,
an inflrm patient, died, making
SIX coRPsEs IN THE INSTITUTION
Mt one time. The five victims were buried
Yesterday evening in the Asylum cemetery.
The Superintendent has locked upthe Asy-
lum dispensary and is getting his prescrip-
tions filed in the city. Some OF the conya-
lescents who have heard the terrible parti-
culars decline to take any more medicine.
The whole affair has been kept, as far as
possible, from the patients. and out OF the
$50 insane persons in the different build
ings several hundred perhaps, especially
the more nervous and excitable, are igno-
rant Of anything unusual having transpired.
The
NERVOUS DREAD AND DECENTRALIZATION
among the sane occupants and the officials
can be better imagined than described.
Since it has turned out that William
Winile, OF Frederick, who was at first
numbered among the Saturdays victims,
and Mrs. McAlexander, were poisoned on
Friday while eating their dinner, the sug-
gestion that there Is malicious person or
a lunatic with method in his madness at
the bottom of the affair adds 10 the appre-
tensions originally entertained. IL would
seem from the circumstances stated that
the person first attempted the crime by
tampering with the patients food, and, fail
ing in that, made the next experiment with
fatal success upon their medicine.
As long as the affair remains mystery
this uncertainty as to where the next blow
may fall may well be mingled with appre-
hension and alarm. Those familiar with
the insane know that the object OF lunatic
in committing such deed may be account
ed for on various hypothesis. lie might
have become incensed against an official or
attendant or another patient, desired to
test the action OF some drug, or labored
under the delusion that it was his duty to
kill and destroy. The Superintendent cites
the case Of one OF the inmates, who holds
that he has
A DIsPENsATIoN TO EXTERMTNATE
all who do not coincide with him in his re-
lirious convictions. Meeting DIR. llamil-
ton on the stairway not long since he re-
marked, "Well. Doctor, my time Is get
ting short" GLOW do you propose to eX-
terminate ?" quered the Doctor. "By
fire and sword" was the reply. The Doc
tor exacted n promise from him that hi
would inform him when he was ready tC
begin work.
DIR. Hamilton is determined to use ever.
effort to get at the facts, and will put ever!
facility at his command in reach OF the OH
GERS OF the law in their investigations to
morrow. The coroner's jury will get earl
to work, aud Mr.. Echols, city attorney
thinks their investigations will occupy
day or two. The Superintendent has liza
several physicians from the city in consul
tation with him at the institution, anon
whom are Drs. Atkinson, Gibson, and Il
II. Henkel; but il anything the
MYSTERY SEEMS TO BE INCREASED
by their investigations, as they have NJ
been able TO detect any odor CT prussi
acid about the bedclothes on which p;
tients had vomited, or was it detected upo
the dlsembowelled bodies OF the subjects
the autopsy; and the best medical men 81
; that il prussic acid was the fatal agent y
odor would have betrayed its presen'
, upon the breath of the patients, and woul
have also been plainly perceptible as 500
D as the bodies were opened.
!, II is now claimed by some that the pc
son used may have been byoscyamus (hel
bane), which was among the supplies
the drugstore, and had been administers
IL In small doses at times to the patients.
n Is said to be virulent poison. SO far, J
q light is thrown upon the mystery, and u
e investigation of the coroner's jury to-mo
c row is anxiously looked for.
Il DIR. Mallett returned to the Universe
II last night with the three .tomachs and the
Is contents, where he will analyze them, al
IS the result will not probably be known
e two weeks. The indications are that q
Is poisoning was done with prusslc acid
aconite.
The OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Troubles
M,ca February H. Attlc