New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-21
WHAT KILLED MRS. HARRIS!
DR. E.P. FOWLER SAYS MORPHINE.
TESTIMONY OF THE PHYSICIAN WHO ATTENDED
HER LII ST RI,EORE SIZE DIED.

-.
death should be allowed to testify in the trial OF her
husband on the charge OF poisoning her J0hp a.
TAYLOR of counsel for the prisoner. VINO Is lachs
Jury in Part III Of General sessions argued ta' ~
Edward Y. Fowler prccluded from elNlhB c''
dence because the nearest relative oil the cead p''
her husband refused unsea his lips The physician
gained his knowledge while acting in q cOhndch'lm
capacty and could not disclose the facts which he
had learned "The law is not being invoked to pro
tcct a criminal" went on NJ. Tay loT. Tor thcn Is no
criminal in this Courtroom lie also quoted DECISIONS
OF the Court of Appeals Assistant Distric'-Attoine
simms likewise read from opinions Of Judges VI 'hd'
court. In opposition TO Mr.. Taylors position. ke-
corder Smytb however, decided that Dr 1o"ler ''uN
be allowed to testify
Tie physician told all the circumstances OF inc
yaung woman's death. declaring that 1t was caused
in his judgment. by morphine poisoning W. lraNc's
Jerome subjected him to long and searching CroS>-
examination which lasted until late in the afternoon
Mr. Jerome showed that his side would Try 10 prove
that Mrs Harris might have died from an ordinary
medicinal dose OF morphine. that her deth might
have beer due acute congestion oil inc huhoIS' W
hemorrhage at the lasc OF he BRAIN OF 10 ohc'
Tho public still showed the greatest interest IN the
case for admission TO the courtroom had to be refused
10 many persons. The prisoners mother sa' pN HIS
side all day. holding his hand in hers and strokng OF
Mating II afcctonaely much of the time Her race
reflected The course Of the testimony accurately "heh
the evidence seemed favorable to the prosecution she
would show Indignation; wren 1t was the opposite
her smiles were gleefu to a degree
Dr. Fowler first told the story Of the young WIG
death and Of the symptoms of her diving hours lie
was summoned soon after midnight of JANUARY 81 TO
The Costock School 10 attend Miss Potts, as she was
called He found her in a state Of coma' WIN 'he
surface OF the skin pale and blue Her respllauonS
were about two minute, he pulse less aoho'ha Inc
pupils of the eyes symmetncaly cohtraet' Sd a.
10 be almost invisible. There was profuSe coa
rpd
and sent for Dr. Bauer asking him TO bling electrical
appliances. Atrophine injected. but no stomach
nump was used for fear that it would prove fatal as
10 employ II would make necessary the stopping OF ,e
artificial res piratiOn.
Drs Painter and Kerr were afterwad called in, and
artificial respiration kept up all night by . a. H.
there was distinct Improvement in the patients con
dillon Then she grew worse, an her respI alton mad
fallen To one in two minutes. There was short In
hastion and a long eXhaation. this being symptom
of poisoning by morphine or opium Dr. Fowler SEM
for Harris. and lie arrived at about daIDieah' Inc
witness showed the medical student tho box when hsd
contained the pills prescribed by Harris. The physi-
clan went on:
81 said to him: We have a frightful case here, ana
there has been some very great mistake asked
him what those capsules had contained lie said lha'
he had given them TO malaria. headache ana the Ike
and he had ordered what he thought to he the best
that he had ordered twenty-five grains of quinlne ana
one grain OF morphine be mixed and put these INTO
capsules and had given directions that one capsule be
taken at night. | repi d that oncsXth. or even one
grain of morphine could not have produced that coEd
ton which had there, which was one OF the most
pronounced cases of opium poisoning had witnessed
and told him 10 go right TO the druggists, because
thought they had reversed the proportion of the drugs
He Immediately left, remember or very soon. and
went TO the druggists and back, stating that the
thing had been put up. they said, exactly according
to the prescription He said that he had written The
prescription, and asked him If he was doctor OF
medicine He said no he was a student, ard he had
written the prescription and signed 1t Medical stu
dent"
"Harri, asked me at various times whether he could
Be- iconsidered responsible for this accident. told
him l didn't know who responsible. He asked
me the same question eight or ten times. lie also
suggested that we should have tried tracheotomy. l
was certain that that would have killed the patient.
At 4 o'clock the pupils of the girls ewes had begun
10 dilatc and they grew larger until far beyond their
natural size This Is a symptom that precedes death
At about ten minutes 10 IL O'Clock said to Harris.
she is gone.' rs she dead 2 he asked YES re
Piled MY God what will become OF me- he gasped
lie had told u, that if the girl recovered he might
become engaged to her When she died, however
saw no signs of affection"
Mr. Wellnan wanted Dr. Fowler to 20 into this point
of whether Harris seemed deeply Interested IN the
sying girl. but Mr.. Jerome objected and Recorder
smyth ruled that line OF questioning out OF order.
Then Mr.. welhnan asked the witness
What was the cause Of Miss Helen Potts's death =
An overdose of morphine or an opiate. l should
say
"Wil y)u state TO the Jury what grounds you
base your opnionl'
Il base II many things answered the Witness
GAll the symptoms OF morphine poisoning were pres
ent, and do not think that they could have been
due to any other cause"
Dr. Fowler said that under ordinary circumstances
of m
dose lie had observed no signs of any heart trouble
In the young woman.
After recess Mr. jerome took the witness In hand
and cross.examned him both to the facts IN the
case and as TO many questions OF medical sciciioe.
The young attorney had prepared MS case well an"
led the witness through maze OF sclehunc H"'"'''
without confusion He first read from the testimony
given by Dr. Fowler before the Grand jury me
witness admitted having aid that it was impoSslDie
IN make An accurate cumulative analysis OF the MOT
phine taken by person unless the wHoie Uous "0
taken lie would not say, however, that he had 'cat
fed TO other statements attributed 10 MN l." o
transcript OF the Grand Jury's minutes
Well every one knows that the dTand jury s'e"oh
ra,hor &c incompetent broke in Mr.. Wellman.
He wa, appointcd BY the District Attorney re-
torted Mr. Jer )me. .A
pacor5er smith called time" by declaring that the
.tepographer was no longer in the citys service MI
Jerome then tried to get from the witness some ac-
oount OF his knowledge Of the test for tracing dnnhe III
.bo system but this line Of questioning proved waste
Of time. ,,. -. .ho
Professor Witthaus. who MADE an ANALYSIS Vi INC
dead girls stomach. found 1-lOO OF gram OF MOI pe
a. IL How much OF the drug do YOU think is the
mnimuur which would cause Death ASKED Mr.
jerome.
swell. don't think that half grain would pro-
Once DEATH was the answer
Harris's counsel then read statement rom work
nv Dr. de Costa of Philadelphia, which sad 'hat one
sixth Of a grain Of morphine might cause death II
,,dnav trhls existed even II this disease was latent.
60 that the patient cid not know that he had IT, DIG
DIR. Fowler believe this Yes. he did
9Mrs Potts said before Deputy Coroner Weston that
her daughter had had heart trouble since she was
five years Old that she was unable 10 run up''"i's
without feeling pain that her breath was short and