The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-02
DIR. TAYLOR TESTIFlES.
MS EVIDENCE AGAINST DIR. DAKER.
u,. Whale Day Devoted to the Examination.
The Learned Coroner Explains many III
ncuit Points in the Analysis OF the Body

LprVcpOS Va. March l.-,Specla II he
hes, dav for the prosecution IN the Baker
case is over After a few unimportant VII
nesses were examined early this morning Dr.
TAYLOR. of Richmond. was placed on the
stand. and the whole day was taken up IN his
examinaton-in-chief. A great crowd rushed
into the courtroom TO hear his testimony.
lie proceeded as follows:
II live in Richmond. SO far az this case IS
concerned any occupation Is THAT OF S'ato
Chemist. | am also professor OF cheinis.'1
and teacher of sciences IN the hlchinOnu
Medical College. / lave made many cnenl-
icai analyses Of bodies for persons. J eA-
amined the body of Mrs. Baker came mere
on the 10th OF last June. | was sent IVi "
Colonel Summers. ! went FIRST 10 VIZ o"N'
OF Dr. Barr and then proceeded 10 Tue ei", ,'.
When arrived there Mr.. BALDWIN had so.9
through the proiminaries ana had eno o"' VI
removed almost down 10 the coinn
THg COFFIN UsHARTHED.
The coffin was taken out and opened, anu
Mr.. Baldwin opened the clotn'ns. ~ Nv.
made an incison and took ont the stomach
mart OF the liver and one OF the Kldheys-
also took out a little female child replaced
that as | had no use for IT. had prough,
with me several fruit jars which were cieanseu
perfectly before / started. also brought
of the liver in one jar. tho stomach In an
other and the kidney in another then as
decorously as could replaced everything and
left the body in the care Of Mr. Baldwin. |
tben mt the iars in the bucket and
returned 10 Abingdon. | took pas,
senger train for Richmond ana af
placed the bucket by my seat and sat up with
Il all night. When i got home put 1t In a
closet that no one has access TO except myself:
When | came 10 Abingdon the second time
took back bottle of the embaming fluid: l
first examined the stomach for strychnlne.
1 suppose il IL not necessary Tor me 10 De,
scribe my analysis for strychnine. as found
none
Counsel desired that he give the analysis
and lie proceeded.
THE ANALYSIS DESCRIBED.
II took a pair of scissors and cut off some
bits Of the organs. put them in mug ana
poured over them some water and alcohOl l.
then put in some acetic acid and placed IL
over fire and let 10 simmer Tor a sDoIt liihe
| then poured out the contents ana strained
it, ! next put II IN a saucer ana eNapoia'eu ~
After had gone through the eNapoi9...Vn
process several times there was very niue
solid substance left on the saucer; l put on
this a few drops of acetic acid. ms was 10
dissolve the strychnine. | then put IN some
chloroform and poured the whole IN glass
tube Ii there had been any strychnlne there
II snOOlu nave DeeH CIy oVoiiNoN' A"O'N "~'~
no signs ofany."
He then described several other tests that
he had made for strychnine, all OF which fall
ed TO reveal any. lie then described eiaDo-
ratey his analysis of the liver for arsenic. lie
used the Remch test Marshs test and the
Gotham test. all of which he explained mi
nutely. He said that each test revealed arse
mic. He applied the same test 10 the stomach
and found arsenic there also.
HMBALMING FLUID DESCRIBED.
He then described the embaming
fluid. 81 tested it by Remch's test; got at
once a coating of quicksilver. This was be-
fore / used any acids at all. The quicksilver
came from corrosive sublImate In the huid.
Corrosive sublimate Is preparation OF quick
silver The first test failed TO reveal any
arsenic. | then applied the sulphuretted
hydrogen test and at once observed
the yellow colors indicating the presence
of arsenic. / found that the fluid
contained also chlorate Of potash. which pre-
vents Remch's test from revealing arsenic.
also found zinc: so that the fluid contained
arsenic, mercury and zinc. Now | naturally
thought that if the arsenic found in the body
came from the embalming fluid, mercury and
zinc should be found there also then pro-
ceeded to make an analysis of the stomach
for mercury and zinc. | could not say for
certain that found any mercury. ] might
have found the ghost of mercury. but moth
stomach and found it there in small Quanti-
ties; so that ! had found zinc. and possibly
mercury, in the stomach.
THE LIVER EXAMINED.
I then examined the liver for mercury and
zinc and found not even the ghost of mer-
curry. but small quantity of zinc. | would
not say that there is not mercury IN some of
the liver. but in the parts OF the liver IN
which found arsenic without any trouble /
4 4 1t..I 81, Dr.,
rough analysis made | found that an ounce
of the embalming fluid contained 50
grains of arsenic, 81 OF corrosive subli-
mate and II of zinc | do not
know how much chorate of potash it con-
tanned. but certainly enough to interfere with
Remch's test for arsenic. The liver con-
tanned ne-thirteenth of grain of arsenic TO
two ounces. Arsenic is a ditlusive poison. l
did not think at the time of the last trial that
mercury was difiusive- have had some ex-
periments since then and have found that 1t
is"
Mr. Buchanan remarked that he did not
think that DR.. Taylor would nave 10 come 10
Abingdon 10 learn chemistry.
The witness afterwards said that he thought
the arsenic might have reached the liver
from the embalming fluid.
ALEGAL FIGHT RESULTS.
He was asked about the appearance of the
stoInach The question WAS objected TO and
arpued at length, the defendants claiming
that the stomach itself must be brought into
court and that the jury must nudge by Its APP
pearance. The Court gave the opinion that
the appearance could be proved by expert tes-
timony, but adjourned to look up authorities
on the subject.
Dr. TAYLOR proceeded at the afternoon SEES
sion TO describe the appearance of the
stomach. He said: The interior of the
stomach at the time first examined IL was a
dark red and presented thick. rldgy APP
pearance. The appearance OF the stomach
was the same as usual In cases OF arsenical
poisoniug But do not say that this appear
ance shows that this was case of arsenica
poisoning. | made al experiment TO see
whether arsenic would produce the same APP
pearance on a dead stomach and treated i
with arsenic. No change WAS produced IN
the color OF the stomach. | took piece OF
the same stomach and put it IN n bottle Of en-
balming fluid obtained from Richmond.
THE PROOF NOT CONCLUSIVE.
1.-The piece Immediately assumed a grayish-
white color. / then put another piece Of the
same stomach III some OF Mr.. Baldwln's iluld
and the same color was produced. | have
seen several stomachs from cases OF arsenlcal
poisoning; one in particular that kept fol
many years for experiments before my class
1T gradually became dark red IN color. about
the color OF dried beef. The stomach of Mrs
Baker has assumed the same color.
do not mean to say that this proves arsencal
poisoning in the case oil Mrs Baker. There
are other causes of this richness. 1t may be