The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-01
ROME'S POISONING CASE.
MORE STRONG TESTIMONY FOR
THE STATE


Death Resulted From Poisoning
Mrs Deitz Tes titles Concerning the
Mixing of the Eggnog and tie Theft
Of AIRS. NcKee's Box.
ROME, GA, March 3L-More interest
was manifested in the Mckee trial to-day
than on yesterday. Many women were pres
emit The state swore a strong line Of testi-
mony to-day Each link was nicely con-
nected. The cross-exsmination failed to
break the force Of the evidence. Or.
McCalrs testimony was finished this morn
ing. He could only swear that his belief
was that it was arsenic poison. No one
could state positively from symptoms.
There were many diseases that produced
similar symptoms
Dr. W. D. Hoyt next testified. He be-
heved that Mrs. Wimpee died of arsenic
poison. She had all the symptoms. He
made the autopsy of Mrs. Wimpee's stom-
ach. The autopsy confirmed his belief that
il vas poison. There was great inflammation
of the stomach. The membrane was SO
infamed as to be almost destroyed.
WOULD TAKE MICROSCOPIC EXAMINA-
TON.
Il would take microscopic investigation
to detect poison in other parts OF the body
aud stomach. He had sealed parts of the
stomach in jar and gave them to Mr..
Richards to take to the state chemist. He
could not swear positively to poison from
symptoms only. He saw the poison (''Get
There'1 that had been left on the shelf in
Mrs Wimpee's ROOM Mrs. Wimpee was
very apprehensive that she would die.
DR.. 4. n. Holmes next testified. He was
Mrs Wimpee's physician and assisted in the
autopsy. His opinion, based on the symp-
toms and autopsy, was that she died of
arsenic poison. He could not swear posi-
lively. He testified In effect like DR.. Hoyt.
THE ANALYSIS OF THE STOMACH.
W. W. Richards testified that the jar
containing parts of the stomach and also
two packages Of powder, which was given
him by lady at Mrs. Wimpee's house, had
heen delivered by him to Prof. H. c. White
in Athens for analysis. They had not been
out of his custody. He kept them in his
safe at night before he left for Athens. The
next witness introduced was Prof. II. G.
White of the stats university. He was
kept on the stand for more than two hours.
Intense interest was manifested in his testi-
mony. He received the contents of the
stomach and powders from Mr.. Richards.
He made an analysis of the stomach and
found the metal arsenic. 81 have the
ersenic taken from Mrs. Wimpee's stomach
with me, said the witness A white little
plate was held to view and on it
were seen two little black spots.
MRS. M'KEE INTERESTED.
The prisoner gazsd intently on It. He
had analysed the poison Get There" as
containing arsenic similar to that taken
from the stomach. The jar containing
parts of the stomach was not tightly sealed.
He could not say whether the dose was large
enough to kill or not
Several witnesses we're then introduced to
show that Mrs Mckee had bought rat
poison on Aug IS, 1890, and Get There" rat
poison on Sept. IS, $780, 1t was clearly
proved.
MRS. DETTz ON THE STAND.
The state introduced the main witness, Mrs.
Julia Deitz. There were many who could
not get into the court house during her
testimony. She and Mrs. Mckee spent
the night with Mrs. Wimpee on
Sept. IS. 1890. Mrs. Mckee asked
all to retire and permit her and Mrs. Deitz
to sit up for the night They did so and at
IL o'clock Mrs. Mckee asked Mrs. Deitz to
assist in preparing an eggnog for Mrs.
Wimpee. They went into the kitchen.
"You beat the whites and | will beat the
yellows," said Mrs. Mckee. Mrs. Mckee
beat the eggs on the kitchen table, above
which there was a shelf. Mrs Mckee told
her TO go into the dining-room. She went,
but looked back over her shoulder aud saw
Mrs. Mckee take something off of the shelf
In her fingers and put it in the eggnog
Mrs Wimpee would not drink the eggnog,
but said: "You and Mrs. Deitz drink it," to
which Mrs. Mckee said: ooh no, it would
not do" Later on Mrs Mckee went into
the kitchen and prepared some milk, which
Mrs. Wimpee drank.
THEFT OF THE BOX.
About l o'clock Mrs. Mckee went into
the wardrobe, while she and Mrs. Wimpee
were lying down. The next morning a tin
box was missing out of the wardrobe. Mrs.
Mckee confessed to Mrs. Deitz to having
taken the box, and asked her to say nothing
about it. The box contained notes made by
Mrs. Mckee and belonging TO Mrs. VIM
pee. The next morning Mrs. Deitz went
into the kitchen, and on the shelf above the
table on which Mrs. Mckee had prepared
the eggnog she found the rat poison "Get
There" and some of it was scattered on the
shelf.
MRS. Mixes CONFESSION.
Two days before Mrs. Wimpees death
DR.. Mccall sent for her and requested that
she 60 and find out from Mrs. Mckee what
kind of poison she used. She went three
times, and only gained admission on the
third attempt. Mrs Mckee looked awful,
and was perfect fright. The witness then
began to repeat the confession made to her
by the prisoner, but counsel objected. After
a long discussion as to the admissibillty Of
the confession, the court adjourned until to-
morrow.
When Mrs. MoKee's confession is in
nearly all the evidence will be in. The
arguments will probably begin to-mrrrow
afternoon.
The defense will claim that the evidence
of poisoning is not certain enough to wars
rant conviction.