The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-13
Traces of Poison Found in
the Stomach of the
Deceased.
CONTAINED IN THE MEDICINE.
Corrosive Sublimate In Sufficient
Quantity to Have Caused
Death Discovered.

SAN JOSE, CAL, Aug. 12-Dr. II enry
Case has been arrested for the murder of
Elezer Frost, the capitalist. This was the
result of the evidence given at the Coro-
ner's inquest, a.chemist testifying to having
found poison in the stomach of the dead
man, and also in medicine prescribed and
mixed by the physician.
The arrest has caused a great sensation.
1t is generally believed that DIR. Case had
no criminal intention, but that in prepar-
ing powders for the deceased he gave him
heavy doses of mercury and corrosive SUBJ
Innate instead of morphine and bicarbon-
ate of soda, the drugs he supposed he was
giving. The bottles in the physicians
case were found, as was alleged, to be un-
labeled and the drugs mixed. DR.. Case
has practiced medicine for over forty-fve
years, and has heretofore borne a good
reputation. He was locked up in the
| county Jail, as no bonds could be given on
this charge.
The first witness examined at the
inquest this morning was Mrs. Mary
Laederich, daughter of the deceased.
She said she was at the deathbed
of her father and that Mrs. Frost, the
widow, said that DR.. Case had told her
nation of the bowels.
Mrs. III. A. Griffin, who claimed to be
prophecies and to possess a gift of divine
healing, was the next witness. She said
she had called at the house Monday morn
ing and that Elezer Frost was rapidly sink
ing. She told the members of the family
that he would die at 1920 A. NJ, at which
time to the minute he died. She saw no
medicines given him.
Erwin Frost, the son, told of visit to
his father just previous to his death. He
was suffering intense pain and would tear
open his shirt bosom and cry out, money,
| money, money! Paper, paper, paperW
Around his neck was tape to which was
attached a little bag.
"He told me in March last" said the
witness. ''that if he was murdered, the
man who killed him and got that bag
would get fortune. He said that it con-
tanned papers telling where two lots of
money of $4,000 each were buried. One
lot was marked with small diamond and
the other with small STAR"
Chemist A. A. Cunningham of San
Francisco was next called to the stand.
He had made q chemical analysis of the
stomach, kidneys ana brain of Frost and
had found 61S grains of mercuric sulphide
in all the organs. He said he had found
morphine and corrosive sublimate in DIR.
Cases medicine. The bottles in DR.. Cases
medicine chest were not labeled, and he
reproved the doctor for being so careless.
The chemist said three grains of corrosive
sublimate was sufficient to cause death.
The mercury found was enough to cause
death. If Frost had been given morphine,
as they say he was, he would have found
traces of it.
About 80 o'clock the case was given to
the Jury, which after an hours deliber-
alton returned the following unanimous
verdict:
1--WE find that Elezer Frost met his death
from mercurial poison contained in the
medicine prescribed by DR.. Henry Case
and administered by DR.. Henry Case and
members of the deceased s family. 1t may
have been through negligence or design.
we do not know"
1t is thought the arrests of members Of
the Frost family will follow.