The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-01-06

ate and decide whether or not the press
should be represented at the proceedings.
Sheriff Robinson stood guard over the
door leading to the room where the jury
was closeted, and kept every one away.
The action of the officers has created
considerable comment among the good
citizens of the town.
At quarter to eleven o'clock the jury
was still trying to find out whether or not
it ought to let the representatives in.
THE POST MoRTEM.
DR.. Leav1tt, one OF the doctors who
made the autopsy on Mrs. Kniffin's body,
was interviewed today. He said, My
examination shows that Mrs. Kniffin's
death was painless and sudden. She died
instantaneously. There can be no doubt
of it. The cavities of the heart were en-
tirely empty, and, in fact, every indica-
tion pointed to instant death.
Were there any traces OF poison2"
mo, not If you mean arsenic or drugs
of like character"
How did you find the lungs?'
"They were slightly conQested, and
from the indication | should say that Mrs.
Knifin had been a consumptfve. Now,
do not misconstrue what [ say.
What mean is that tuberculosis was
in its preliminary stages. She might
nave lived for years before it developed
disastrously, of course, but the seeds of
the disease had been sown."
Was there any mark upon her throat
or face, as has been reported?"
None that could see and I made q
very close examination. When ] first ex-
amined the body specifically on Friday
there was Q purplish tinge about the
lower part of the face. On Saturday the
color was not SO deep, but had faded
away into a pale blue, mingled with
pink"
"What would cause the color to settle
about the lower part of the facet"
'In my opinion the application of any
irritant might. Chloroform would; so
would ether"
"But do you think that the color was
caused by the application of either one of
these irritantss"
II most certainly do, and / am sus-
tanned in my convictions by the fact that
one of the bronchial tubes was also af-
fected by an irritant of some kind"
CHLOROFORM.
"Can you not state positively that death
was caused by an application of chloro-
form or ether?"
81 think it was. 1t is very difficult
matter to state positively that death in
any case was caused by chl0roform. The
| indications are not positive enough.
also want to say why death came SO
quickly. While making the exam
| ination | found a fatty substance
about the heart, and be-
| lieve that Mrs Kniffln was
| LrOuDleQ WIFI uCE uGdFt. WUeT6 u case
| of that kind exists, neither physicians
| nor dentists d are to use an@sthetics, for
| fear of a fatal ending. In her case
| an anBSthetic meant instant DEATH
1t was administered, and she died at
| the moment. When l made my first ex-
| animation, the day after the murder, the
| hands were not clenched as reported by
several newspaper correspondents, nor
| were her features distorted. Her face
was as peaceful as though she was
asleep"
''Knowing, as you do the cause of death,
| do you incline to the belief that burglars
| are responsible for the murder?n
II can't say that do, for great excite
ment might have had the same effect as
The statement Of the doctor throws a
| new light on the case, and seems to bury
! the burglar theory SO deep beneath .
mass of facts that 1t Will be nard
| for the adherents of the story to resur-
rect it. What DR.. Leavitt has said to
your correspondent he will say on the
stand before the Coroner's Jury today if
his turn comes, and it probably will.
In regard to the removal of the stomach
Of the dead woman he said:A
II removed it simply as matter of pre-
| caution and protection to myself. am
| not infallible, and the result of my work
| may not be looked upon as correct by GER
| tain persons interested, 1t may be said
| the woman oied from the effects of
| poison.
IN that event the intestines are here to
prove it or disprove it, as the case may
| be-
The stomach is in sealed jar, and is
now in the doctors house, at No. S05 East
State street. 1t may be sent to Prof
| Cornwall at Princeton tomorrow, but it
| is doubtful.
AN ABSURD IDEA.
ha r,f M mi until, Mics
| Pursell has also been used by the local
| newspaper reporters with telling effectl
| but an investigation shows the absurdity
| of the thing so far as its connection with
| the case is concerned.
| Last week Miss Pursell left hare to pay
a visit to her family at Broadway, about
| seventy-five miles up the State. She
started to return on Thursday morning.
| At Phillipsburg it is necessary to change
| cars. Here she metDr. Kniffin.
| They talked few minutes until the
| train came along. Kniffin said goodby,
| Journey, while Miss Pursell waited a few
minutes longer until the Trenton bound
| train came.
The Chief of Police Charles H. McChes-
ney, stalks about town enveloped in an
air 'of deep mystery. He is full of
theories, but declines to discuss
| the case with any one. Prominent
citizens of the city are becoming angry
at his apathy, and are loud in their ex-
| pressionS of disapproval of his course.
| They look upon the department, with one
or two exceptions, as necessary evil.
| The man who is working hardest on the
case is prosecutor of the Pleas Stockton.
He is sparing no effort which will tend
| to throw more light upon the murder.
| Detective Lane, who is assigned to the
| office is a bright shrewd fellow, and is
assisting his chief in the work.
| A wedding Where Everybody Was