Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-02
gave Henry some water. Then Trask tried
to give him some but Henry couldn't swal-

Redirect-When witness left house, Fri.
day morning, Trask and Hamm were at the
| house. Said he had stated to Carleton tina!
MIR. Getchell, before and after he gave him
/ that dose, complained Of the medicine being
bitter.
Re-examined-Said he had been careful
not TO tell IN conversation more than was
asked him.
Henry W. P.ummer, Augusta, was called.
IL an undertaken. Sold the casket for
Getchell. Went out there with casket
Monday. There was no embalming Of the
remains.
Prof. F. C. Robinson, the chemist of
brunswick was called. Professor of chemis-
try in Bowdoin college for 20 years. When
he 90 home from Boston found the jars
locked up in his study, and described the
careful manner in which the packages were
sealed and cared for.
When asked what he found in the con-
tents of these jars he he found strychnine
in kidneys, liver and stomach.
Prof. Robinson produced a third of a
grain of the pure alkaloid of strychnine,
which was part of what he extracted from
those portions analysed. He judged that
in the body there must have been three or
four grains.
This strychnine must have been in the
circulation to get into those parts where he
found it.
He got from the stomach nearly twice as
much as from both the liver and kidneys.
About half pound of liver was in the jar
and one whole kidney.
Q.--What is a fatal dose of strychnine?
A, So far as I know, the smallest
amount that has killed an adult is half a
grain.
Belief in death is almost always present
in the case of the person poisoned with
strychnine.
If strychnine is taken in some solid form,
it might not be assimilated until another
dose be given and be cumulative.
Gin would undoubtedly to some extent
disguise the bitterness of strychnine. The
taste is bitter, and grows stronger especi-
ally at the back part of the tongue and
down the throat.
Strychnine is upon the market generally
in the form of sulphate, and this would be
easily dissolved in gin or water.
Cross-How did you estimate the amount
in the body?
Ave reckon that we got a sixth to an
eighth by analysis of what was taken.
The process of testing was one of his
own.
Q.-Would you think in third of
quart of gin carrying four grains of strych-
nine the gin would appreciate disguise the
bitter.
A.-Appreciably. 1t would be very Bit
ter though.
Q.-How much strychnine would a third
&c, nf frIp foH n n snlnfinnr
A.-Oh, an immense quantity. Perhaps
gin would dissolve one part to five.
Q-What is the maximum dose that a
patient has recovered from!
A.-Sometimes five or six grains.
Thought he had read of 20 grains being
taken and the patient recovered. Supposed
immediate treatment was given.
Re-direct-Wo Wouldn't suppose man could
live having taken one grain and received no
treatment. Believed Getchell died of
strychnine poisoning. The taking of food
might retard little the action of the
poison.
Mrs. Arletta Getchell of Sidney, was
called. She is the wife of Ambrose Getch-
ell, brother of deceased. Lives about three
miles from Henry's place. Had known
prisoner five or six years. Henry and she
had been married about seven years as she
remembered. Witness was not present
when Henry died.
Had seen prisoner at witness house Fri
day before Henry died Saturday. She told
witness Henry wasn't very well. Said FOw-
Ter told her Henry had bad spell down in
the woods. Had spoken about her hus-
bands health at other times. Prisoner said
DR.. Scott Hill had told her husband that if
he didn't doctor for trouble it would
lead to shocks. Remembered Henry
had sickness in the fall. Defendant had
told witness about Thanksgiving that Henry
had numb spells and she had to rub him.
Whilst witness was at Henry's house in
August and September, Henry was sick on
bed. Defendant hung her shawl out of
porch window, said that defendant told her
she hung shawl out to let Laforest know
that Henry was about the same. Trask's
house cannot be seen from that porch win
dow, but could see onto hill near Trask's
house.
I Saw defendant day after husband died. Saw
her in Augusta the next Monday after a
casket. Emery Nash was with her. Had
conversation with her that day when she
and defendant rode with her on Electric
car 20 Hallowell and back. Defendant said
to her, They've got awful stories going"
Witness asked her what, and defendant
said They say Mr.. Swift said, You don't
suppose that nasty bitch has given him any
thing, do you""
Witness said defendant went on to say
You know l got vinegar over to your
house. I've had to use it on his private
parts, they panied him SO. What allied him
when he died was what he got out West"
or words to that effect.
Cross examined-The witness wa closely
examined as to the incident of the shawl.
Q.-You followed her upstairs?
Ayes.
Q-Where did you find her up there?
A.-She stood at the window.
Q-What did she say?
A.-She said it was sign to let Laforest
know Henry was about the same.
Q-Who was Henry relying on to do the
farm work?
Al don't know.
Q.-You know that Trask was helping
Henry on the farm?
Witness didn't know much about it. Talk
about Scott Hill was two or three weeks be-
fore Henry's death. Witness had never
heard Henry complain of numb spells.