The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-08-26

The coroner vest rday summoned the follow
ing Jury to investigate the mysterious death OF
Henry Palmer Wednesday night on Church street:
Foreman, Wilbur 8. Pole; Lanier GRAY, s. X.
Ducrson. John E. Duerson, G. Bell and Blair
Kcnnerly, Jr
Mamie cambridge, the cook at Mr.. Johnson's
where the man died, testified that about $50
O'Clock she heard heavy fall In the basement of
the house and went down probably twenty min
utes afterward and discovered the body OF Palmer
lying on the floor with ft OF across chair
one mini Ing he WAS nslcep, tried to arouse him
and discovered that he dead The alarm was
quickly given. Jennie Powell, the prisoner was
at tho time apparently asleep on his bed. The
witness touched her al che quickly arose, and
when told that Henry was dead did not appear to
DC either excited or surprised.
shc also testified that Henry apparently
healthy, but hao heard him complain OF pain
DR.. Kinney was called sashc knew the deceased.
and stated that he did not think lie was affected
with disease OF the heart, but had often heard
MIN complain OF an oppressive feeling about the
chest and pain around tho heart which were
symptoms OF neuralgia OF the heart
several witnesses testified that they q IVY the de
ceased after death before Jennie Powell w as
aroused from her sleep. and that she did not APP
pcaar to be laooring nndcr any excitement,
testimony was conflicting in several instances
and did not correspond with what shc had stat cd
She went to the room OF Henry Palmer between
seven and eight O'Clock ,as he had requested her to
In t he rooma few minutes she asked him
for something to eat lie got up ana went to n
cupboard and got some bread and meat She
also stated that she saw bottle of whiskcy
when he opened the cupboard and asked him for
drink she took the bottle and poured out a
portion OF it in glass and she stated that Powell
said to her not to drink the whiskey, that IL was
baum's
She claimed that she tasted It bnt 0naino
something was wrong spit it out OF her mouth
She further stated that Henry sud he was in
great trouble and that she was eating the last
meal she would ever eat vii him. and he took the
bottle and drank nearly all the contents, saying
nc was going to hs supper somewhere on Tcrry's
I'LL. and would return very soon. lie locked the
door leaving her In the room She claimed that
she was soon asleep and knew nothing OF the
death until awakened by Mamie cambridge.
When asked why her statement connicted with
what she had testified to the night before she
claimed che was drunk all the time and did rot
DR., Stone was then called to state what her
condition WAS and said he did not think the
woman was too drunk to not know what she wns
doing and say ing.
DR.. Stone was summoned after the dis
covery OF the dead body and made nm cxamna
ton rs to outward appearances. lie taid, upon
one occasion his daughter (nt whose house Paine r
lived had told him he (Palmc0 sometimes sur
fered with collie. When asked by the Jury what
his conjecture wac In regard to the cause of death
he stated that there were no symptoms whatever
mat the death came from amy disease poison
that would cause commissions OF any kind ns
there was no sign whats yer OF a struggle
David e. Rosenbaum testified, after looking at
but did not remember selling him any whisky
the day he ore.
Several other witnesses who live In the neigh
borhood OF Jennie Powell on Bunker Hill stated
that she was disreputable character and had
been unduly intimate with the deceased.
The case was then given to the jury, hut before
avcrdict was rendered n post cxamina-
tion was ordered to see IL necessary evidence
could be obtained to make chemical analysis
necessary.
In the absence OF Mayor Trout, r. A. Buckner,
acting mayor, authorized the Jury to have the
chemical analysis made If they thought 1t neccs-
sary. They then adjourned to meet again at 6
o'clock.
DIR. Moorman made a thorough post.mortcm
examination, and after the Jury reassem blcd
testified that he did not find any evidences of
poison whatever, that the bowels were not co r
roded In any way. The heart was In di. ease d
condition. and that there gas enough in the
stomach to produce instant death, and that death
was caused by heart disease, brought on by acute
Indigestion, drinking whiskey and exposure.
The 1u then rendcred the following verdict:
I'VE, the Jury find the deceased came to his dealt
by heart dsensc and the arrest of the woman
was due to her suspicious manner and conflicting