The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-08-11
EXPERT EVIDENCE.
College Professors on the Stand in
the Sham Case.
MERCURY IN KIDNEY AND BRAIN.

According to Professor Cornwall, OF
Princeton, This Poison Had Been Con.
stantly AdminIstered-ProTe worn-
ley Also Discovered Mercury.
TRENTON, Aug 10. THE third day of the
Sham murder trial opened with Professor
Theodore G. Wormley, OF Philadelphia, on
the witness stand. He is medical expert,
and fills the chair OF toXicology and chem
istry in the medical department Of the
University of Pennsylvania. When II was
suspected by the criminal authorities that
young Sham had been put to death with
poison, County Physician Cantwell secured
portions Of his brain, kidneys and other
parts, and sent them 30 Professor Worm
ley for chemical analysis.
The doctor was on the stand long time
describing in detail his experiments and
tests, exhibiting the results, and comment
ing as he went along on them. His analy-
sis of the organs was very thorough, and
the result was the discovery of mercury.
No traces of arsenic were discovered.
Henry B. Cornwall, professor Of applied
chemistry at Princeton college, testified
that at the instance of County Physician
Cantwell he examined young Shann's
bladder and portions of his brain and
other parts of his remains. He found
small quantities of mercury everywhere
He could not say in what form the mer-
curry had entered Shanns body. Professor
Wormley said that the poison he found
was sufficient to kill. The poison found
by him in the kidney aud brain pointed to
its continued administration to the patient,
rather than single dosing.
The witness was subjected to long ex-
D IL -.
tion of mercury by dead bodies, the effort
of counsel being to show that the mercury
found in the organs was due possibly to
the fact that the undertaken used chloride
of zinc on the body. The witness would
not admit that dead bodies could absorb
poison that way, bat if they did 1t was not
likely that the kidneys would absorb it,
to the exclusion of the other organs.
Carrie Pyatt, a colored woman, who
used to work for Mrs Sham, said she Wis
tied the family about a week before ohn's
death and saw him in bed while she was
there. Mrs Sham gave John some medi-
cine out of a tumbler. The medicine was
a mixture of stuff taken from two bottles
and a bowl. Mrs Sham told her that the
bowl contained ice water. Mabel Shann
was present. John lay In the bed on the
fiat of his back, and Mrs. Shann got into
the bed and fixed herself astride Of her
son, putting her knees on his arms as II to
pin them down. The witness said; "Mrs.
Sham, don't give him his medicine that
way. You amt got no spoon. Better
raise his head
chats right, Caddie," John exclaimed,
don't let them force any more down me. "
The witness said nothing and neither did
Mabel Mrs. Sham poured the medicine
down Johns throat. He had not asked for
the medicine. Hs ID asked for water and
his mother said: We'll, I'n give him his
medicine now"
Under cross examination she denied she
had any feeling against Mrs. Sham, or
that Mrs. Sham had discharged her. She
had discharged herself, after telling Mrs.
Sham what she thought of her.
William Bartino, a drug clerk, gave tes-
timony regarding the filing of prescrip-
tions for the Sham family.