Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-12-11
THE WHISKY BOTTLE.
It Is Brought Out in
the Graves Trial.
SAMPLED BY THE JURORS.
Mrs. Barnaby's Death Was Uudoubt
edly Caused by Arsenic.

Judge Rising had ordered court convened
In the Graves trial the prosecution put DIR.
j. A. Sewell OF the Denver university on
the stand. The doctor made an analysis
of the bottle Of liquid presented him by
DR.. Holmes and Mr.. Worrell. Jr., some of
which, 1t Is alleged caused the death Of
Mrs. Josephine Barnaby. He found this
liquid contained l-2 per cent. Of arsenic,
arsenite Of potassium and 81 per cent of
alcohol, aud judging from the analysis the
bottle contained 1872 grains OF arsenic and
no whisky at all He stated that after
concluding his examination he delivered
the bottle 10 Detective McPharland Of the
Pinkerton agency. He exhibited TO the
jury the result OF his analysis and also the
results Of . preliminary test in a glass
tube.
On cross-examination the doctor stated
that the bottle IL what IL commonly
called sixteen-ounce bottle, and re-
ceived by him contained about eleven
ounces OF the liquid. II was not in
formed" said he, "as to what had become
Of the other five ounces. and returned the
bottle to Mr.. McPharland, on the orders
OF the district attorney"
A Detectives Testimony.
Mr. McPharland was sworn. He said
he obtained the bottle from DR.. Sewall on
Mr.. Stevens order, In May last Witness
said he was the Denver superintendent of
the Pinkerton agency. After he received
the bottle he delivered IL to Professor
Haines in Chicago. The latter took some
OF the contents and he re-sealed IL and
brought IL before the grand jury There
the seal was broken because some OF its
members desired TO smell and taste Of its
contents. Again he took IL to Chicago
and 1t was again examined by DR.. Haines
and re sealed.
The bottle was then introduced as evi-
dence and passed around among the jurors
and lawyers, nearly all OF whom smelled
of II and put little on their fingers,
rubbed 1t on their tongues, and with q
writhe smacked their lips in their en-
deavor to determine whether or not IL was
good quality Of fine old whisky from
your friends in the woods on the noun
tains."
DR.. Sewell was recalled and his cross
examination continued. In reply to Judge
Macon's question, the doctor said he had
made the analysis by the Marsh test and
he first looked for mercury or some corro-
sive substance, but instead of getting
mercury
He Got Copper and Arsenic.
Here the doctor described the way an
analysis for poison is made. The defense
then attempted to have the witness admit
the Marsh test was unreliable, but he
would not do So He admitted that he
had told the result Of his work to Mr..
Worrell after he had concluded 1t.
Upon redirect examination he stated
that sntimouy could readily he taken for
arsenic, but not II the two drugs were seen
together. Then antimony was not readily
dissolved, while arsenic was. In the por-
celain bearing the arsenic stain Of arsenic
he tasted the stain and proved that IL was
arsenic II he used Marsh's test without
any other test he would be sure of the re-
suit of this test, but he did use other tests
TO make certain the result OF the Marsh
test
DIR. Sewell was excused, and Professor
Walter s. Haiues was called to the stand.
He said he was professor of chemistry in
the Rush Medical college, Chicago, and
had been in that profession sixteen years.
Besides, he was consulting physician in
the Chicago health department. He stated
that he was frequantly called upon to ex-
anime bodies and food, for poison. He
had examined nine bodies for poison and
over 100 specimens OF food. In June last
Mr. McPharland gave him liquid for an
alysis. He
Identified the Fatal Bottle
as the bottle from which the fluid was
poured He made analysis by four tests,
among them the Marsh, and his results
were the same as DR.. Sewelrs.
Judge Mac on objected to the witness be-
ing allowed to testify to the analysis, for
the reason that at the time 1t was made
DR. Graves had been indicted and
was under arrest and ought to have
been represented AZ the analysis which
was not done. The matter was argued
until Judge Rising overruled the objec-
tion and an exception was taken.
Professor Headon. who made an exami-
nation of the viscera and other organs Of
the dead woman, testified to the finding Of
arsenic in sufficient quantities to cause
death. At the close of the direct examina-
tion court adjourned.