The Portland daily press., 1894-05-01

hence the prescription of gin and sulphur.
From Monday morning until the Saturday
he died, he had worked every day cutting
cord wood. He was well all the time and
had taken the medicine regularly three
| times day. On that Saturday he went in
| to the woods and worked all the forenoon
with Mr.. Fowler. He came to the house
| at noon. He was in sight of Mr.. Fowler's
| all the time. He took the gin and sulphur
before dinner, as he did before breakfast.
| That is all that he did take. Soon while
eating he
| WAS TAKEN WITH A sPAsM.
| That passed off quickly He was soon taken
again with severe spasm, seized his head,
| made an exclamation and started for the
lounge, but had difficulty in reaching it. He
| had these spasms until he died at $50 that
evening. DR.. Driscon gave him antidote
for poison. He seemed to get better, but
| when the doctor returned in the evening.
the man was dead. When Getcheu said at
the table, ''How funny my head feels,'' Mrs.
| Getchell remarked, II guess you've taken
| too much of your medicine
| Before the doctor came she caused him to
take another dose. He did not wish to take
it, but she urged him too, saying that it
would help his stomach. Mr.. Fowler tested
the medicine before it was given, and said
| that 1t tasted bitter. Nr. Getchel said
| that 1t tasted different than ever before.
| Now after the doctor had gone, leaving him
| better, and leaving medicine for him to
! take, Mrs. Getchell gave him another dose
| of that gin and sulphur.
| After the body had been taken up and
| examined, it was found in perfect condition,
| except that the
| LUNGS WE'RE GORGED WITH BLOOD.
| The doctors concluded that he died Of
strychnine poisoning. The stomach was sent
to Professor Robinson, who found at least
| four grains of stryohnine a sufficient
amount to kill large number Of men.
So the government claims that the first
great fact will be established that Mr..
| Getehell died Of strychnfne poisoning, ad-
ministered a short time before his death.
| The government will also show that you
must conclude that the strychnine that
caused his death was In the bottle Of
medicine, not in the food, because the
others partook Of it. That it was put in the
bottle between breakfast time and dinner
time, there can be no doubt. Who had the
only opportunity and motive to do 1t? The
| prisoner at the bar had the exclusive oppor-
tunity. She was there all the forenoon, and
| nODOQy WenC near Lno DOJtle. Suo 1S LILO
only person who could have done it.
| 1t is but fair to speak Of her motive. They
had been married but six years and had one
! child. There lived in that neighborhood
| married man, one Laforest Trask, separated
from his wife. He and the respondent be-
| came infatuated with each other. That she
| VIOLATED HER MARRIAGE VOWS
| with Trask, there can be no doubt. They
were together at Ocean Point, and occupied
| the same chamber. When she said goodbye
| to him, she kissed him. She said that sh
would be with him next season and that
| ssthings would be different then and she
could do as she wished to-"
'sThere was an unholy alliance between
| this respondent and this man Trask.n He
| lived not far from the Getchen house She
| signalled Trask during last fall, when
| Getchel had similar attack, to let him
| know her husband S condition. He used to
| come to the barn and she used to go out.
| there and stay for an hour at a time.
1 Her subsequent conduct shows the
restless anxiety to ward off suspicion.
| The night after he died she said her
husband had loathsome disease. This was
| a deliberate falsehood There was nothing
| the matter with him. The doctors said moth
| ing about that.
| There was some of the medicine left after
| the man was dead. 1t was turned out that
| night by the doctor. This seems unfortu-
| nate, but it will be as thoroughly proved
| that strychnine was in it as if it had been
| found there.
1t has not been discovered where she got
| the poison, but that is not necessary.
Mr.. Carleton's presentation of the case
| was admirable.
| DR.. George E. Brickett testified as to the
gin and sulphur prescription. and that he
| was positive that there was no heart
! disease.
Drs. Crocker, W. T. Giddings of Gardiner.
and DR.. George 81. Brickett, testified as to
making the post mortem, and finding no
signs of disease in the vital organs, except
| the stomach The stomach, a portion of the
| liver and one of the kidneys was sent to
Prof. Robinson of Bowdoin for analysis.
| Cross examination showed that these
organs were placed in a glass candy jar,
which was carefully washed with warm
water, but not chemically cleansed. 1t was
also shown that strychnfne affects the
spinal cord. In this case, the spinal cord
was not examined at the post mortem.