The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-10
JUSTICE ABBHTT ALERT
He Will Visit and Person
ally Examine the House
of the Shanns.
MRS. SHANN TAKEN SICK.
Professor Wormsley Testifles-
Enough Poison 10 Kill
Any Man.
Special to the Jersey citu Ne,ua. .

Special to the Jersey City Ee,os.
TRENTON, Aug. 10. 1898. After DR..
Bergen acknowledged yesterday that he
was not chemist. Captain Holt touched
upon line of questions that indicated
what the defense will be, aud It as
whether the doctor had detected any
symptoms of syphilis, either of the sec
ond or third stage. TIE doctor would
not admit that the sores on the body or
the ulcers In his mouth were evidences of
that disease. He contended that they
were not syphilitic sores. He admitted
that he had never exami ned Jonn for any
such symptoms, nor had ne asked him
whether he had ever acquired trouble of
that character. He admitted that there
were ulcers in the throat, but the hair d id
not fall out.
The doctor denied that Harry Sha nm
had communicated to him The fact that
John Sham was suffering from yenerial
diseases. He said he aid not know any
thing of Johns habits or whether he was
a hard drinker. Although he WAS thin
and under weighted. he was still a hearty
man; sl1mness and tallness were char
acterstics of the Shanns.
The doctor testifled that at the time of
Johns death he felt certain that there
was some cause of disease that he could
not understand.
AFTER RECESS.
On the reconvenlng of the court at
fifteen minutes past two DIR. Bergen was
further cross examined concerning his
interview and relations with Special
Agent Howard NJ. Cough of the Manhat-
tau Life Insurance Company. He stated
that Cough came to the conclusion when
he heard of the disem boweIment that
young Sham had been foully dealt with.
The counsel for the defence then
brought into court large box containing
bottles. packages of medicines, boxes Of
pills and boxes of powders, and pic king
them up, one after another, they were
handed 60 DR.. Bergen for Identification.
but he gave no positive information as to
whether he had prescribed the contents
of the various bottles for john Shaun,
BY looking at the packages be said he
could not do SO, aud it could only be done
by comparing the number of the label
with the number on the list OF prescrip-
tions that he had brought into court.
There were thirty of these packages.
and Justice Albeit failed to understand
what was the purport of the evidences
that the defense was trying to secure,
He stated chat the packages mad not been
offered In evideucs. aud it was inpossi-
bic for physician TO identify particular
bottle as containing particular pre-
scription.
The defense. suspectng that the Ju5-
tice might rule against them, stated that
they wanted to show that Dr. Bergen did
not know all the prescriptions Jnat he
had given to Jonn Snann, and that ne
had copied many of the numbers OF the
prescriptions produced IN court from
these various articles.
Then there arose dispute between the
counsel aud the justice as to what good
the exhibit of the bottles WAS going 10 be
Ii they were not marked in connection
with the evidence, aud he declared he
would not allow them to go over all the
matter again so that the packages could
be marked. The lawyers then asked
tnat the whole lot OF bottles and rack
ages be marked for Identification only.
STOCKTON EXAMINES.
Prosecutor Bayard Stockton then toox
the doctor i'll hand for few moments.
and asked him if. 10 making his exam
lnatlons from time to time as physician.
any syphilitic evidences had besu seen
whether he would have known them
and he said very pointedly tnar he would.
de was also asked whether the traces of
alDumen found in the urine was not in
itself an evidence of mercurial poisoning
The doctor said that no case of the kind
had euer come under his notice, but Gnar
medical authorities say chat it is.
Captain Holt then began TO question
the doctor and gain his know ledge Of the
effects or poisoning, whea ustice A bbett
interfered and said that the doctor was
not there as an expert, but was com
mon practicing physician, exercising the
common notice that phYsician would
exercise, and that was the knowledva
that he had. and that was the knowledge
which he was expected to bring into
Court, and he could only testify to what
he knew aud what he had observed in
his practice. ana should not be required
to give expert testimony. The manner
in which the Justice made this little
speech caused lively sppl ause to go
through the court room.
Captain Holt then asked him what he
considered dose of calomeI, and he an
swered that it all depended upon the
person taking it; that from one TO twenty
grains had been used. and that it was the
custom OF our forefathers two or three
times year TO shake up their liver with
dose OF at least ten grains.
He admitted that he had no suspicion
about the death of young Sham until
after the body had been disem boweled
and ne made up his mind that an autopsy
should be held. but that he would not
hoid IL, and on that account concluded to
notify the authorities.
WITNESSES FAIL TO RESPOND
The next witnesses called were William,
Bilger. F. A. Mcconnell. James Ander
sou Samuel Ashley, all boarders in the
Shann house at the time of Shann'a
death. None of than responded to their
names ana Justice Albeit ordered that
an attachment be issued against them for
not obeyfng the orders of the Court. 4
They were foreign witnesses aud live out
OF the State.
William Veihty of 17l0 South street.
Philadelphia, was sworn. He occupied
the thirG-story back room. He said he
was not particularly interested in John
Shann and was In the house the night of
the disemoowelment. He did not hear
the door bell ring, but did hear footsteps
on the stairs. Whether going up or com
ing down, or whether made by more than
one person. he did not know, for he was
not concerned.
Samuel Ashley, the carpenter, subse-
quently turned up in the court room aud
he testified to nothing of Importance
about the events OF the night the body
was tampered with.
Henry M. Cough, of the Manhattan In
surance Company. WAS then called aud
gave his residence as P3rt Richmond.
Staten Island. and he said that BIS pusi-
ness WAS that OF inspector of risks for
tnat company. and that he did any other
business that might be required OF him.
H Q SAID that when he heard Of John
Shann's death he called &C the house aud
made some casual inquiry OF che colored
boy wnom he found IN the rear of the
house, and then asked for Mrs. Shann.
aud he was Invited into the house.
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