Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-08-19
MRS. SHAM TESTIFIES.
Her Testimony Regarding the
Mutilation of Johns Body.
THE THEORY OF THE DEFENSE

THE THEORY OF THE DEFENSE
They Assert That the MutIlation of John's
Body Was Iastigatsd by Insurance Rep
resentatives to Destroy Evidence OF
Incompetent Insurance Work.
TRENTON, n. j., Aug. 15.-Dr. Horace G.
Wetherill, OF Trenton. was put on the wit
ness stand by the prosecution in the Sham
murder trial yesterday. He has had
fifteen years experience as a practitioner,
and he gave it Is his opinion that young
Shann's death was due to chronic mer-
curiai poisoning. This opinion was based
on the assumption that his symptoms and
treatment We're as described by his W
physician, DIR. Bergen. aud other wit
nesses.
DR.. Arthur r. Mcdonald. of Princeton,
testified that he examined Sham for the
Manhattan Life Insurance company last
November, and hat he found him to be
sound and well.
Captain Holt, who has assumed the bur
den Of the work for the defense, made on
its behalf the opening address to the jury.
Captain Holt outlined the defense fully,
saying that the prisoner at the bar was
not a murderess. All her acts in this
matter were consistent with innocence
and honest intent. The boy died leaning
on the breast OF his mother and giving her
his last thought.
The state charges that she administered
to him the poison from which he died; that
her motive was the procuring of 5000
insurance on bis life; and that for weeks,
while he was languishing and PROSTATE,
she fed him daily the drug that finally
robbed him of his life. The defense would
show hat young Sham did not die Of poi
son, but was afflicted with disease, for
which he was treated with mercury, other
than the disease that he is said to have
died of.
The state charges that the mother re.
moved or had emoved the visccra Of her
dead son 10 conceal the murder OF which
she was guilty. The defense holds that
they were removed because they were dis
eased; and the object was to conceal the
fact that Sham was diseased aud unfit
for the insurance risk placed on his life.
James Packer, an Intimate friend OF
John Sham, was the first witness for the
defense Tie testified tn having visited
houses Of i'll fame IN Trenton in company
with John. William Mcyey and Hugh
shann, the latter a brother Of the dead
man, testified that John was afflicted with
O private disease. Other witnesses tosti-
fed to the loving relations between mother
and son. and the fact Of his having been
afflicted with q ysnereal disorder.
TRENTON, Aug. ld-In the Sham trial
Yesterday the defense introduced several
witnesses TO prove that the relations be-
tween the mother and sou were most low
ing and tender, Mrs Matte Sham, the
prisoner, was then put on the stand, and
detailed the incidents attending johns
sickness aud death,
TRENTON. Aug. 1.-THE evidence OF Mrs,
Kate + Stryker, which Vs;.s taken at her
home In Princetap, was read in open court
when the Sham murder trial was resumed,
Mrs Stryker is sick abed. She testified
that she heard tho door bell at Mrs.
Shanp's hous. ring between | and ? o'clock
the night that the disemboweling took
place. About half an hour later she heard
q carriage in the street, but Ia which direc-
lion it was goiHg she could not say. The
carriage did not stop.
Mrs Sham was then recalled, The
prisoner told the gsarg Of tho three
men as fellows; she was awakened by the
HngtAg or the front door bell. She slipped
an her wrapper, put on her slippers, and,
taking q small lighted lamp in her hand,
went down stairs. Three men, when She
opened the front door. stepped inside, aud
one of them inquired IL there was q yoanR
man dead there. She told tAem dYes,n
and they wantod "a kAow il they could
sc him. she said "NQ." objeeting on ~
grounds that the hour was late 6nd that
her daughter was asleep in the room where
her dead child laid. The spokesman of
the party said they had come to see the
man and intended to see him. Nya
Sham said she would call Mr., Vanselons,
a boarder, but the men ssid that would
not be necessary 4he spokesman pushed
her tWisa while the conversation was go
ing on, aud the other men passed quickly
up stairs.
She attempted to follow them, hgt was
held back by the man who remained down
stairs. She d ,maaaeA to know what the
outrage meant. and the man said: You'll
AND out In good time" In a little while
the two men who went IN statys came
down. They passed eat 81 the front door,
and the third nlaa followed them. The
maA wha pushed her aside used her
roughly, but she made no outcry at all.
"whatr exclaimed Judge Albeit, "you
uttered not a wordt"
mo. cir; ! did not, " said Mrs. Sham.
Later she explained this by saying that
she was so dased. frightened and grief
stricken that she thought she must hays
pecqme partially UNCONSCIOUS
Rey. Albert T. Baker, an E~piseopaiian
Clergyman. testified TO frequent inter
views with John during his Illness.
The greater part Of the afternoon session
was taken up with expert medical testi.
mony. DIR. David Warman, of Trea.on,
declared in his evidence thet the autopsy
on young Shas,als oody was improperly
psFformed. DR.. Thomas II. Mackenzie, Oh
Trenton. testified that from the sYmpteaas
Of young Sham as DESCRIBED In the testi-
mony il would he impossible for him to
say what the cause 81 death was. The
symptoms were characteristic of many
diseases. The person who disemboweled
him had to know a good deal about anat-
omy. Surgical knowledge was nc, -sses.
sary. DIR. W. w. l.. Phillips. the Oldest
practicing physician in Trenton, was Of
the opinipn that young Sham died u
gIstrd enteritfs, but what caused this dis
ease he could nat say.