Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-10-29

standing up to shoot himself In the head, II
he stood where he had intimated, or by his
sitting down on the bed to shoot himself
through the head. The angle of the hole
could not have come by the accidental dis
charge of the revolver, either standing or
sitting, if the ball passed near his head.
The witness described the manner of Mrs.
Walkup's dropping the box of arsenic,
which she said she had bought at WHEEL
don's, but had not used, and would give to
ping appeared accidental as she came past
the spring screen door.
d. B. Kelly and Ben Wheldon, druggists,
testified respectively to selling Mrs, Walkup
arsenic, the first on Sunday, August 16, and
the latter on Thursday, August 20.
Miss Lizzie Walkup testified as to Mrs.
Walkup's distress on Friday at being
charged with poisoning and her denial of
it Mr.. Walkup told her he did not say she
was guilty but the evidence looked that
way very much. Witness picked up the
box of arsenic dropped by Mrs. Walkup on
the porch and burned it.
The Rev. w. c. Snodgrass, pastor of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, swore that he
met Mrs. Walkup on the street near her
home on the Sunday afternoon prior to
Walkup's death. She commenced talking
to him; said Mr.. Walkup was quite sick
and desired that the minister should call at
the house Monday morning or afternoon, as
she wanted counsel, as she was in trouble.
He went to the house at the appointed time.
Mr.. Walkup was better and had gone down
town. Mrs. Walkup said that Mr.. Walk
ups elder daughter had written him an
angry letter, and that whenever the letter
was mentioned Mr. Walkup seemed to be
almost out of his mind, and that he was so
troubled he had talked Of committing sui
eide, and day or two before that she had
heard the explosion of a pistol up stairs,
and on going up Mr.. Walkup admitted to
her that he had tried to shoot himself
through the head on account of Mrs. Hoods
letter. She prevailed on him to give her
the other pistol. At the time of this dis
closure she was in great dread of his still
taking his own life, and wanted his counsel
as to going to Mrs Hood and trying to
reconcile her for her fathers good and the
concern OF the family.
Fourth Day.
EMPoRIA, KAN, October 23.-The Walk
up trial opened yesterday with John
Thacher. member of the City Council, as
the first witness He testified to meeting
Mr.. Walkup on the Saturday and Monday
previous to his death, and that he seemed
to be in good health. He presided at the
Council Monday evening.
DR.. Jacobs then took the witness chair
and gave a detailed description of his treat
ment of Mr.. Walkup during the latter's
illness. His testimony agreed almost ex-
actly with that which he gave at the coro-
ner's inquest. He attributed the complaint
to acute indigestion, aggravated by eating
strychnine in vinegar and drinking pop on
Thursday, until after he had been informed
by Mr.. Bill Friday, going to show that
Mrs. Walkup had been buying arsenic. He
thus concluded that arsenical poisoning was
the cause of the sickness, and this impress
sion was confirmed by the increasing Sc
verify of the previous symptoms. He did
not treat specifically for arsenical poison
ing. He administered an antidote. He
described the pOst-mortem examination as
showing arsenical poisoning and said, in
his judgment, such poisoning was the
cause of death. His testimony was very
given and was not concluded at
noon when the court adjourned. His des-
cription of arsenical poison explained that
matter clearly, and his testimony was
listened to with profound interest.
The afternoon session opened with con-
tinuation by Mr.. Scott, of the cross-exam-
nation of Dr. Jacobs. The doctor gave a
detailed explanation of his reasons for con-
sidering until Friday that Walkup's condi-
ton was an acute attack OF indigestion.
The impossbiljty OF always making cor
rect diagnosis was explained. In explana-
ton of his reason for thinking Mr.. Walkup
was poisoned after Mr.. Bill had spoken to
him, the doctor said: sit may not be posi-
bic for physician to diagnosticate the
of patient by the symptoms of
the patient at any one time, but by the de-
velopment of those symptoms and the cir
under which they exist"
The doctor went on to give an illustration
by relating several cases. to substantiate this
statement. His testimony was lengthy and
gave in detail his treatment of the case and
full explanation of .arsenical poison.
Nothing in Walkup's case, he said, was
lacking to confirm the theory of arsenical
poison, and it would be absolutely impossi-
BILE for any doctor under the circumstances
to make diagnosis of the case Upon
DR.. Jacobs testified that
a good many other substances than arsenic |
or its continuous use would produce fatty |
of the liver. The greater part |
Of the day was taken up with his examine
ton.
DIR. Gardner, chemist, testified as to the |
of Walkup's stomach and vital |
organs. Their condition indicated arsenical !
poison. Pending the examination of this |
witness, the Court adjourned.