The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-20
THE POISONED PEOPLE.
EXTRACTS FROM THE TEsPIMONy
TAKEN BY THE LEGISLATIVE
OMMiTTEE.
Doctor Gibson On the stand-gIoy He
Came to Taste the Aconite.


Came to Taste the AcOnite.
The StauntOn Vindicator publishes %
long report OF the testimony taken before
the legislative committee appointed to visit
the Western Lunatic Asylum and invcsti-
gate the matter OF the poisoning Of six pa.
flents there on the oath Of February last.
What follows Is from It's columns
DIR. J. st. =. Gibson. sworn Was summoned To
the asylum the afternoon Of the poisoning. Went
TO the medical dspens1iory While there, tasted
the preparations that were handed him AS sesqui-
oxide Of iron tasled nothing Mt that time except
the acrid taste OF the ammonia. 10 far from the
taste wearing of, however, IL increased. cleft
at o'clock. aud was called to the Deaf, Dumb,
went home. The numbness Of my tongue from
the tasting was strongly and increasingly
apparent. | felt confident: that had in some
IT expected to be called again 70 the asylum
pext morning, and exl;ectcd To then tell OF this
numbness., The next morning the hours rolled
went to see DIR. Henke, who had been with me az
the asylum the day before. and found that he had
been sent for 70 go TO the asylum. was not again
jury, / now believe that In touching the lips ana
tongues Of the dead and diving men cot tie AGO.
Mite on my finger, aud then In putting the cen.
tents of the bottle In the dspensatory on my fin
ger 10 taste IT, got the aconite on my tongue.
Witness did not believe the aconite was in the
cion of aconitc to Mr.. Howard Wayt In srict Sc
crecy. Did not make IL public, rs he felt that. with
Professor Malett and others IN charge of the case
all the facts would he arrived at. Did not think
of the probability Of his having gotten II on his
fingers from The dead lips until last night. No
one had ever suggested that theory 10 HIM. Was
no 10 that time the more puzzled as he remem-
bered that he had not tasted the poison In the
medicine from the bottles direct, hut had tasted
from his own finger. Had rad conflicting views
about whether he should make his tasting Of AGO.
mite known, but concluded that II was not Deces-
sary, as the poison has been decided by all to have
been aconiiine. HIS own experience was in line,
far the Identity of the poison was concerned,
with the ascertained result.
j. HOWARD wAYT
sworn. Testified TO the interview alluded TO by
Dr. Gibson in his testimony. Witness was MEM
Der of the corOners jury that sat IN the poisoning
case. Met DIR. Gibson on saturday evening ifhc
evening Of the p0isoningl and asked him what he
thought of the case. DR.. Gibson replied: Il
think have got hold OF acOnite think detect
1t on my tongue. / can't tell where got IT.
Witness asked him how he had got IT,. DIR: Gibson
said: " was shown three botfl 5 by Dr. Crockett,
but cannot tell where got IT," ihc next day,
In conversation with Dr. Gibson. he said he
had been summoned to 90 To the asvlum and
didn't know whether 20 20 or not. What did wit
ness think abOutit? Witness said. You have been
summoned by the coroner and you know what
your duty I'm the matter is. Witness asked, What
about the acOnite? DIR. Gibson replied, think
got acOnite-l can't tell on which bOttc-but am
not definite about II, and don't want 10 say any
thing about It. Witness said he would mention
II 10 Commonwealth 's-Attorney Echols and
Foreman Young. OF the Inquest. and have the
doctors summoned. DR.. Gibson said. No;
don't want YOU to say ANYTHING about it; 1t Is
mere impression OF mine; can't tell where got
| the Ia te." Witness sand. Mr. EchOls has the
| bottles locked up" DIR. Gibson replied, Yes.
suppose their contents will be anal zed.' Witness
again asked DIR, Gibson If he didn't think he ought
| TO be examined DR. Gibson said, No.; he
could give nothing Of any service in the matter
his were mere impressions.
In examining the bottles 'tness found thirteen
- 20 and Hlnn o.s
ounces of tncture-- the amount that ought TO have
| been I'm them. Witness doesn't know where the
tincture came from. The asylum was then pur
| chasing Its drugs alternately from Dr y. Wayt
| Brother and George May & Co. Had never men,
| TONED the conversation between him and DIR. Gi6-
son 10 any living being at the asylum or elsewhere
| witness has been impressed with DIR. Butler MS Il
thoroughly reliable and sklfuI pharmacist.
THE CERTAIN PERSON AGAIN.
DIR. r. =. Hamilton, recalled testified that the
detective told him that the person who II was sS'
pected had done The poisoning was hostile 10 hi:
! IN 81 administration Witness had, onsideo of INT
detective report some c0ryobOr5liive testimony tC
| fix suspicion on some particular person outside
| of the institution: but only suspicion. Nobod!
| has been specially named, but witness inferred
certain person from the indications given by tht
detective.
think 1t within tie range of possibility that iiuio
| extract or tncture of aconite could have beer
used. nut thnt alkaoid must have been used;
| fDr VI lett, in his report of the analysis said
| that he thought alkaod had been used but toe
much stress must not be laid on that assei tion.-
| FiRdicdtor.l
At one time during the investigation 4
discussion arose as to the eXpediencv OF
calling on DR.. Hamilton for the name o.
the suspected During ii COmmonwealth's-
Attorney Bell said he had done all so fal
in his power to get full information on
the subject. and he now intended to 20 tC
the Pinkerton agency in Philadelphia tC
ascertain in person their information. Mr.
Bell said that DR.. Hamilton had expressed
his willingness to furnish the name OF the
suspected party to him. The committed
agreed that 1t was not eXpedient for th(
committee to become the repository OF The
name 0f the party.
Mr.. Mcdonald, a member Of the com
mittee, offered resolution instructing th'
clerk OF the committee to write TO Pinker
tons agency, and ask them to furnish t.
this committee and to the Commonwealth
Attorney what information they have il
the case. Amended so ns to include send
ing an inquiry by telegram and adopted.