Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-30
MRS. SPVEY PUT ON TRIAL The Court Room Is Crowded to
 Suffocation. ABOUT 200 LADIES PRESENT Coroner Campbell Testfes- Did Not h. iect Any Flud-Undertaker Crow Put
 in About Three Quarts.

charged with the poisoning of her hus-
 band, ". H. Spivey in this city on the 24th of June, was commenced today be- fore Justice.of the Peace Fuller.
 This trial is being held in the circuit court room of the county court house because of the large crowds of people to witness the proceedings. The large room was crowded to suffocation, some 200 ladies being present. Court was called to order at 10:30 and innumerable witnesses called for both prosecution and defense. The trial will consume sev- eral days.
 Coroner Campbell was the first wit
 ness and testified as follows:
 q knew MT. Spivey in his lifetime. 1 buried him. In preparing his body for burial I did not inject any fluid Tn the body of the deceased. l exhumed the body. The stomach and intestines were taken out. I carried them to Auburn and delivered them to Prof. B. B. Ross;
 l also delivered to Professor Ross bot tie of embalming fluid"
 Dr. R. S. Hill then took the stand and testified as follows: "I am practice ing physician in this city. I knew MT. Spivey only casually. I attended him in his last illness. l was called to see him between and o'clock on the afternoon of his death. He died in about 15 aninutes after I called. In my opinion the cause of his death was opium poison. His breathing was slow pulse a little rapid, but regular; chest, hands and face were
 blue precipitation free--symptoms of opium DO when first taken (Mr.
 Wiley lbjectedo Witness then
 stated @ condition in which he
 found Nj vey was that of the last stages of opium poison. ITS. Spivey said
 MT. Spivey had not taken any morphine;
 said there was none in the house; sad
 there was some in the house about two years ago; would not know 1t if she saw
 it. I was at the cemetery when the body
 was exhumed. Stomach, intestines, one kidney and a portion of the liver were taken from the body; don't know who sent for him; found Mrs. Spivey there;
 had never attended MT. Spivey before. His nails were blue; pupils of the eyes contracted. These symptoms have been
 seen in death caused by alcoholic como appoplexy and epilectic; never knew of
 15 grains of antiseptic causing death.
 The body was exhumed three weeks after burial.
 Fife Crittenden, a colored servant in Mrs. Spivey's house. was the next wit ness. Her testimony was as follows: I was a chambermaid at the Dexter house
 at he time of MT. Spivey's death l went to Alexander & Spann's drug store; Mir. Spivey sent me; I don't know what he
 sent for; MT. Spivey wrote the note; carried the medicine and laid it on the washstand. MT Spivey was asleep when I got back Mrs. Spivey was not in the room. I paid cents for the medicine. I went to another drug store between 10 and II o'clock; was sent with a note by Mrs. Spivey. The note had 10 cents in it. 1 saw her write it. She told me to go to Fowler's drug store. The druggist asked me who it was for and | told him 1t was for Mrs. Spivey. I got package and carried it to Mrs. Spivey. I went on a third errand about 10 D. m Mrs. Spivey sent me. She gave me note and $l and told me to go to Besson's drug store. She told me MT. Spivey had vomited up
 the first medicine. I saw her write the note (She was shown the note. She said she was not sure it was the note.
 but said it looked like iD. MT. Besson gave me a package; don't know what 1t contained. I gave the package to Mrs. Spivey I went after the doctor some time in the afternoon. MT. Spivey~ died on Monday afternoon after having been sick since the preceding Thursday. My aunt wrcte me asking if was in trouble. I wrote her that I was not in trouble
 but was a witness against Mrs. Spivey. I told her would be paid for being wit ness; have not been paid and have not been promised any pay. l did not have
 charge of the house. Carrie Lee had charge of the house. I wrote my aunt that people told me that if l was Wit ness for Mrs. Spivey I would be well paid. I thought was a witness for her. I hear that the state would pay me.
 The letter written to her aunt will be introduced if it can be found. Witness was subjected to a rigid cross-examina- ton, but her testimony remained as glV- en in on first examination.
 Mr. Beeson, the druggist, was the next witness On the morning of MT Spiveys death Fife Crittendon brought me note (here witness saw Effie Crlttenoon and thought he recognized heD. put ,.NfvV Nlni nir1n n marked it "Poison-Morphine,' and gave it to the girl. He was shown the note and recognized it. Please send me 10 cents worth of morphine" were the words of the note. No name was signed 10 1t.
 MT. E. H. Lewis, druggist at Fowler's drug store, next took the stand He said: "I know Fife Crittendon. On the day of MT. Spiveys death she brought me a note to the store. It was for 10 cents worth of morphine. l gave the note to MT. Fowler. MT. Fowler gave me the package and I gave it to Fife Crittenden l got the note between 10 and II a. m.
 pr. Mitchell then took the stand: T was MT. w. H. Spivey's family phys- clan. 1 was called into see him Satur- day morning, June 22. He had diarrhea. His wife gave him dose of oil. He had a pain in the head. I was sent for again Saturday afternoon, he still had diarrhea and headache. 1 prescribed for him and told Mrs. Spivey that was going to Mol bile. and that if she needed a physician during my absence to send for pr. R. S. Hill who would have charge of my practice during my a''eence at encamp- ment. 1 did not cons der him seriously i'll. I heard of the death while in Mo bile l thought MT. and Mrs. Spivey lived happily together. To all appear ance they were an affectionate couple. I have prescribed for Mr. Spivey for pains in the head. Have been practicing nearly fifty years"
 The symptoms of Mir Spivey's condi- ton when pr. Hill was called in were stated to the witness and he was asked if he had never seen patient before, and was called in and found him in this con- dition, whether or not there would be vour iellies and other condi-