Evening journal., 1895-05-13
DEATHBED ACCUSATION
Darling Said His Wife and Ply
stefan Were Poisoning Him.
ANTEMORTEM AFFIDAVIT FILED.

Ing.
New YORK. May 1.-Two important
documents have been filed in tho district
attorneys Office ia connection with the
case now under Investigation by Assistant
District Attorney Battle, In which Mrs.
Flora Adams Darling, mother Of Edward
Irving Darling, the musical composer, ac
cuses DR.. Spranger Of having poisoned her
son. DIR. Spranger subsequently married
the widow of Darling, and they are now
In California
Among the papers filed is the dying dec
laration OF Dazzling. After he had been
told that, with every condition in his
favor, he could not live, he wrote with
his own hand, the suhjoined statement
The other statement was made in tho
presence Of witnesses a few hours before
his death The original documents are on
file in the district attorneys Office, and
will probably prove To DO the most impur.
tant evidence for the prosecution at the
coming trial Of DR. Sprangor,
1t is understood that by direction OF the
district attorneys Office analyses are being
made Of the medicines taken from the
walls which were used in administering
drugs to the patient (Darling) during his
Illness.
Darling's Dying statement.
Here is Darling's affidavit:
On Dec 80, 1890, / met with severe
accident when attempting to save property
for a firm / WAS with in Detroit, breaking
both ankles left log arm and wrist and
many small bones ia the feet My physical
condition was in such perfect order l re-
covered rapidly. and was out OF casts Feb
22 and to business again March ]. Had l
been an halitual drunkard my recovery
would have been different. Dr. Oleetz was
surgeon DR. Sprnnger physician, and from.
this date the intimacy began between DIR.
Spranger and Mrs Darling One year
after my accident l was a we'll man, bar
ring lameness. and took out q life insur-
anoe policy for 81, 600 in the Bankers and
Brokers association. In proof, DIR. George
| A. Duflield. the examining physieian.)
At this time 1t was discovered by DR.,
| Spranger that Mrs Darling required 10
onl treatment. / secured the attendance
Of DR.. Le Sour, who subsequently per
| formed an operation. ut seems however,
/ Dr. Spranger was attending her at the
same time, which did not know Mrs.
Darling insisted DR. Spranger should be
present, which was permitted The opera
tion was not a success and had to be re-
peated. The second time DR.. Spranger
was not admitted.
/ only know from hearsay, which, Of
course, amounts to little that while under
| tho influence of ether she talked SO com
promsngly about him 1t was not deemed
| advisable 10 admit him a second time.
| Prior to her acquaintance with DIR. Sprang
| or we had lived happily. From that date
| she was different woman. Where she had
| been amiable, agreeable and cheerful, she
| was now petulant, yindietive and arbi-
trary. 1 seemed TO DO the object of her an
| tipnthy. She would accuse me Of the most
absurd actions. and especially delighted to
| pour her tale Of imaginary woes into the
eaM Of any one who would listen. / paid
no attention to this, thinking the opera
tion had affected her mind
This was in the spring Of 1899. To that
| time my health was perfect After Sc
we're attack early in March 1--WE called 1t
cholera morbus) change took place.
did not seem we'll but kept attending to
business DR. Spranger frequently gave
me medicines which seemed to afford
temporary relief but ultimately left me In
worse condition, From As pounds went
down to 30 pounds in few weeks. was
sick without being able to find out what
was the matter. was constantly drowsy
and irritable and my wife took especial
delight in smiling sweetly, but saying
/ things she knew would annoy mo.
When He Wrote 1.-THE viking"
June /, 1892 Miss Clayton came to my
house TO write The Viking Tin music /
forgot my misery We continued at the
work until July 4. when my wife came
into absolute possession of an estate had
recovered for her yielding an income OF
about Sla, 600 We left for Washington
July 8; went TO the Ebbitt House. The
second day after our arrival had a most
violent attack, nearly dying. Dr. Harri-
son called four times that day and gave me
| four hypodermic injections OF morphine.
We returned TO Detroit July s. was too
| III 10 sit up--hgd to Ito in my sleeping
compartment all the way--and have been
regarded as q dying man ever since.
During the time we were in Washington
Mrs. Darling developed an entirely new
phase Of character She did not wish me
to see any Of our friends. She would at
times show the greatest tenderness toward
me (hotore peoplel and then without the
slightest provooation become ylndiotive
and abusive This treatment, with the
most heartless neglect continued and In
4
| grew worse, Dr. Spranger attending me
| The variety and quantity Of drugs he
| poured into me was sufficient TO Justify
olassing mo an annex TO his laboratory
| Flo gave no prescriptions. only medicines.
failed rapidly. The effect produced was
a state Of constant irritation Of tho stom-
acb, almost ceasoloss nausea, then utter
collapse. No matter what took in my
stomach, ! would almost Immediately be-
gin TO reich and vomit. until in my weak
ened condition the cold sweat would start
out all over me
Anthony In tie whisky.
My mother and aunts camo to me. They
were not welcomed or desired by Mrs.
Darling Dr. Spranger told Thorn that
had Bright's disease Of the kidneys. They
did not accept his opinion. DR.. Sprangei
called in two Of his friends-Dr Oleet2
and DR.. Long. They at that time did not
concur with him. DR.. Spranger told me
TO continue taking whisky, although my
stomach refused TO retain that. as it did
every thing elso had some Of the whisky
that was given me at that time analysed,
and 1t was found 70 contain anthony.
My mother IS a witness that she saw my
wife pour the contents Of q small vial Of
yellow powder into the decanter used by
"A ut H.. Il