Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-10-06
ON TRIAL FOR HER LIFE:
TheWhartOn.Ke .Ketchem Trial at Annapolis.
DR.. Edward Warren tells in his Book on
"a Doctors Experience in three Con-
tinents," how he Saved the Life
of an Innocent Woman.
EXTRACTS from DR.. Warren's Book.
THE WHARTON CASE.

the gallows was the famous case of
Mrs. Wharton, who was tried at An
napolis 10 the winter of 'T1-'72 for
the alleged poisoning of Gen. Ketch-
um. Some time in the summer of
1871 was sent for by Mr.. Thomas,
the well-known advocate, of Balti-
more, between whom and myself the
following conversation occurred:
Mr.. Thomas. Warren, / have
taken the liberty of sending for you
to ask you few questions and then
to make a request of you. Let me
begin by asking you what you think
of Mrs. Wharton ?"
DR.. Warren.-"I know nothing,
save what the papers state, viz: That
she has killed General Ketchum and
has been arrested for it. l take it
for granted that she is guilty"
Mr.. Thomas.-"Is your opinion of
her guilt so firmly fixed in your mind
as to preclude you from making a
candid investigation of the medical
facts of the case ?"
DR.. WaNen.-"I certainly have no
prejudice against the woman"
Mr.. Thomas.-"I am glad to hear
you say SO, Doctor. | have conf
dence in your judgment, and in your
courage to maintain your opinions. |
want you, then, to do me the favor to
examine the facts of this case-to in
vestigate it candidly and in the in
terest oftruth and justice, aloue-aud
then to inform me of your con-
illusions. Will you do this for me,
DR. Warren ?n
DR.. Warren. decision, Mr..
Thomas, will depend upon your re-
spouse to one preliminary question.
Do you as man-as gentleman
believe her innocent ? OF course as
her lawyer you can exercise your own
discretion whether to answer it or
not
Mr.. Thomas.-"I have not the
slightest hesitation in answering the
question. believe her to be abso.
lutely innocent"
DR.. Warren THAT settles the
matter. will make tho most search
ing examination, provided that you
procure for me q written statement
from the physicians who attended
Gen. Ketchum of exactly what they
observed in the way of dnte-morten
symptoms and post-mortem LESSONS
You must also give me ample time to
make this examination, and to speak
to other physicians on the same SUBJ
jeet until 1 have made my report. AT
the same time / shall claim the pri-
vilege of conferring with my friend
DR.. John Morris, for ! am in the hab.
it of talking freely to him on all sub
jects.n
He consented to all my conditions
and in few days he brought to me
written statements from the attend.
ing physicians as to what they had
observed at the bedside and upon the
dissecting table.
For several weeks devoted mysel
to an examination of the facts thus
presented, seeking with an unbiased
mind and an impartial judgment tc
eliminate "the truth and nothing bu
the truth" from them. / then sough
Mr.. Thomas and unfolded the process
of reasoning by which | had arrived
at the conclusion that both symptoms
and LESSONS precluded the possibalit!
of death from antimonial poisoning
and it more probably resulted from |
disease known as cerebro spinal me
ningitis, which bad prevailed in al
epidemic form in Baltimore contem
poraneously with General Ketchum'
i fatal sickness. Before reading thes'
notes requested him to endeavor t,
| find somc defect in my argument, q
bad been unable TO detect one. HI
heard me through with all the pow
ers of his well-trained mind directel
to the discovery of q flaw in the chair
of reasoning with which | sought t
bind together my premises and m,
conclusion, and when ! had finishes
the task he arose from bis chair an,
shook me warmly by the hand, wit
the exclamation, Complete, perfect
| nnanswerable. Our case is won
an innocent woman is saved from
| the gallows.
''I am glad you like it." | answered
"T0 my mind it il unanswerable, an
am delighted to find that it appear
SO to yOu."
/ ut is demonstration, and vi
stand any test. / must send for MI
Steele at once. and then ask yOu t
20 over tho ground with him, for
want bis mind enlightened and salts
fed as mine has been "
| Mr.. Steele entered the room veal