The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-31
No Poison Found in the Stomachs of
Her Murdered Father and Mother.
Testimony Of Prof. Wood, an Expert, Who Was
Employed by the Prosecution in the Borden
Case to Look for Pruss,c Acid.
Neither Human Blood Nor Hair Dis
covered on the Discolored Hatchet.
One Spot on Miss BOrden's Skirt, Not Yet An
sIyzed, Which the Accused Girl Said May
Have Been Caused by Flea Bite.

FALL RIVER. Mass. Aug S0.-There were
many surprises ia the Borden murder case
hearing to-day, not the least among them
being Prof. +. s. Woods testimony. 1t
was the popular belief that he would show
some traces OF poison in the stomachs of
the murdered people. and would produce .
murderous-looking ship-carpenter's Ak,
having blade from five to seven inches in
length. On the contrary. he pulled out an
Innocent looking hatchet from a medium
sized travelling vsIiso. and quietly bat
firmly told the court he could not find the
slightest trace of blood on il, nor Was it al
lowed that such an instruments in
the hands of o woman could IN
fliCt gbastly w0unda He also demolished
tho prussic acid and other poisoning the
ories. and tho crowd In tho courtroom
wondered what was coming next Of the
hstchet episode the News says tonight:
''it needed no testimony to make it ap-
parent that the hatchet was not the ter
rible weapon used in the murders. Tho
wonder now il that tho police attached
such Importance to it. except from the sup
position that it Was the only weapon found
tooo oPptoAcu oNCu POooitihey VA INV
ing heen used. Mayor Couahlin was the
first to call special attention TO it. He dis
covered the alleged bloody spots. and the
innocent appearing hatchst at onco became
. terrible instrument of death. Tho
hatchet is not an old-fashioned affair
at ali. Similar hstohets may now be pur.
chasad at any hard ware store. 1t ls'a light
Ratchet, about two pounds weight, to bo
used IN general work about q house or
store. The head runs out into claw for
IL IL IN olx
inches in length. Professor Wood looked
for traces of all kinds of poisons. His
failure to find them added much weight to
Miss Elzzie's strong denials that che was
ever In Smiths drug store; hut, although
popular opinion runs In these channels, it
is we'll to remember that the State officials
did not depend especially upon tho poison
theory
1t was given out semi-officially. some
days ago. that all tho district attorney
mony was that Mra Borden was killed
some time before her husband. This fact
WAS we'll established. He said the ma
terials in her stomach showed that they
had been undergoing the process of diges-
tion between two and three hours; IN his
opinion about two ana . half hours. This
proved that Mrs. Borden died between 8
aYt. 80 o'clock, probably about $3.50. The
State has already established that Lizzie
was in the hallway leading into Mrs. Bor-
been able yet to prove that she as not in
the house between 9:15 and 11:15 O'clock,
when both murders occurred. The State
docs not disguise its pleasure at the positive
statement about the time made by Prof
Wood, which was unshaken when his
cross-examlnatlon was concluded.
ATTORNEYS HAVE sPAT.
An unfortunate quarrel between District
Attorney Knowlton and Mr. Jennings at
the morning session caused much comment
in intelligent circles this afternoon and
evening. 1t evidenced the intense strain
under which attorney jennings has been
laboring the past three weeks, and brought
out clearly the strong determination of
the States attorney. Both men were pale
for some minutes and hardly exchanged
words during the day. The only other
legal spat which attracted attention oc-
CURED late this afternoon when Mr.. Adams
made light remark during Me-. Knowl-
toms scross-examinatiOn of Dr. s. w. Bowen.
1t worried Mr.. KnOwlt0n some and. turn
ing shortly, he said: II don't care, sir. to
return pleasantrles in this case" The ex.
pression caused general comment among
thelisteners and again fixed TIE attention
of tho public on the prosecuting attorneys
determination.
During undertaken Winyard's cross-ex-
animation Attorney jennings dwelt at
length on the position of some keys on the
key-ring taken from Mr.. Borden's pockets.
The same matter was referred to In DR..
Dolan's cross ex examination. The purport
has not yet appeared. John Oinnio's testi-
mony regarding the impossibllity of O man
going over tho back fence after having COM
mitted the murders without being seen.
drives another contradictory nail into de-
undetected that way. Officer Philip Har-
ringtOns description of Miss Borden's cool
and collected manner was strangely at
variance with the agitation spoken
Nof by others He also emphasized
a well recognized fact. when he
say ho would not let his property Tor any
such purpose, meaning the keeping OF q
liquor store. The most interesting testl-
mOny of the day to the general pn5lic was
that given by District Attorney knowlton
when he read Miss Borden's testimony at
the inquest. Her answers TO District At
torney Knowlton at that time were often
times sharp and of sccretive character.
Tonight there il great deal of talk about
the intentions of the defense. Mr.. Adams
and Mr.. Jennings assert that the govern
ments presentation Of its case was incOm.
plete. and have decided to call many wit
nesses who were supposed to have been
summoned by the State. DE-. Bowen and
many others will be called OH.
The first witness called to-day was Prof.
Edward s. Wood. the man for whom every
hody has been looking for days. He said he
had received package containing two
stomachs on the 5th of August. ard two
jars containing milk used on the 4th
and 5th of August. ALI were labeled.
The stomachs were labeled "Mr. and Mrs.
Borden" The stomaohs appeared to be
perfectly natural. Mrs Borden's stomach
contained about eleven ounces of solid
food; the food was partially digested, and
showed wheat. starch and meat. The con-
tents contained chiefly meat and there
were vegetable pulp coils. which might be
bread or apples. The digestion seemed to
be advanced in the nelghborbood of two
and half hours, more or less. The
stomach was tested for prussie acid. but
with q negative result. The stomach of
Mr.. Borden contained only six ounces.
chiefly water. In Mr.. Borden's stomach
there was only q small portion Of starch;
the digestion in his case. the contents bein g
nearly all water. was much further ad-
vanced than IN the case of Mrs. Borden.
There were q few threads OF vegetable
tissue in his stomach. which might have
been apple. In reply To q question tho
Professor said the fruit might have been
pears. Witness had not analyze the milk
and could not report on that
ARTICLES EXAMINED BY THE EXPERT.
On the 10th of August witness received
from DR.. Dolan hatchet, two axes. q blue
dreas skIrt dreaa waist white afarched