The herald., 1895-05-13
ADY|NG MAN SDECLARAT|ON
The Startling Story Of Edward
Irving Darling
NEW LIGHT ON THE CASE
The Mother Of the Composer Charges
Or. Spranger and the Widow Of the Late Music
Writer Now in California --Were Warm
ed Shortly After DarIing's Death
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK. May 12.-The dying de-
claration of Edward Irving Darling. the
composer. has been filed with other doc
uments in the district attorneys Office in
the case in which Flora Adams Darling,
mother of Edward Irving Darling. ac-
cuses DR.. spranger OF having poisoned
her son. Soon after the death Of Darling,
Spranger married his widow. They are
now in California. The affidavit made
by Edward Irving Darling was written
partly by himself IN the presence OF wit
nesses few hours before his death. In
the statement he tells how, in December
1880, he met with an accident when at
tempting to save property for firm he
was with in Detroit.
DR.. Betz was the surgeon and DR..
Spranger the physician VINO attended
him. He declared that intimacy be-
tween DR.. Spranger and Mrs. Darling. his
wife, began during his illness. Concern
ing this intimacy Darling alleges; Prior
| to her acquaintance with DIR. Spranger
we had lived happily. From that date
she was different woman, Where she
| had been amable. agreeable, and cheer
! full. she was now petulant vindictlve
and arbitrary. l seemed to be the object
of her antipathy." Darling said that
this was in the spring of 1892 and up to
| that time his health was perfect. Early in
| March he had severe attack of what
was called cholera morbus. He did not
recover but kept attending to business.
DR.. Srpanger, he said, frequently gave
| him medicines which seemed to afford
| him temporary relief, but ultimately
| left him in worse condition. In few
| weeks his weight from 14S went down to
| So pounds. He was sick without being
| able to find out what was the matter and
continues:
"1une 1. 1894. Miss Clayton came to my
house to write the Viking. We contin-
wife came into absolute possession of an
estate yielding an income Of about yl2,-
600 annually. We left for Washington July
5th. went to the Ebbitt house. The Sec
ond day of our arrival had most vic.
lent attack nearly dying. We returned
to Detroit July 18th. | was too i'll to sit
up and had to lie in my sleeping apart
ment all the way and have been regarded
as a dying man ever since. During the
time we were in Washington Mrr. Dari-
| ing developed new phase OF character.
| She did not allow me to see any OF our
| friends"
Darling declared that his wife contin-
ued to grow vindictive and abusive with
out the slightest pruvocation. His treat
ment continued alter their return to De-
+ troit where he grew worse. ID. Spranger at
tended him. The statement continues as
follows:
THE variety and quantity of drugs be
| (Dr. Spranger) poured into me was sutfic-
lent to justify CHASING me as All annex to
| his laboratory. He gave no prescriptions.
of any medicines. | failed rapidly. The
effect produced was a constant state OF
| irritation of the stomach, almost cease
less nausea, then collapse. No matter
| bat took NJ stomach. | would AL
most Immediately begin to vomlt, until
| IN my weakened condition cold sweat
would start over me.
MY mother ana aunts came to see me.
They were not welcomed by Mrs. Darling.
"Dr. Spranger told them that had
Bueht's disease OF the kidneys. They
did not accept this opinion. DR.. Spranger
| called in two of his friends, Drs. Betz and
| Long. They at that time did not concur
with him. DR.. Spranger told me to con-
| tinue taking whisky, although my stom-
ach refused to retain that. but did every
thing else. had some OF the whisky that
was given me at the time analysed, ana
| it was found to contain antimony.
"My mother is a witness that she saw
nv wife pour the contents OF small. vial
Of yellow powder into the decanter that
sat by me at the bedside.
| Darling said that he fought against a
sickness and tried to keep up, but it was
impossible. His wife, he said. spent
much OF her time gossiping at Dr. Spran-
GERS Office or with his .frie Ids. Darling
Stated that he became worse and DR..
Spranger came to him with drug which
he had received from Paris. hylodcr-
mic injection OF this drug drove him
crazy. lIe said that he talked for nine
teen hours without ceasing. The state
ment continues with the assertion tnat
Darling found his wife hau private let
ter box. He also discovered that his wife
and DR.. Spranger were circulating the
renort that he was drinking himself to
death. liz dawnel upt IL him that he was
not being properly treated and he refused
TO take any more medicine. He began to
recover after that. In November he left
for New York.
q Concluding the statement declares "In
November was improved but if any man
suffered the tormcnts OF the damned. was
hurt crushed. humiliated and crucitied,
| was at tnat time by Mrs. Darling. Sne
decided to close the house.
INV mother went to Mount Clemens.
left for New York. She with tue child
rem. was to go to Washington. She did
not 90, Soon as left December Sth, she
filed bill for absolute divorce for drunk
enness. non-support, cruelty and dcser-
tion, which she expected to obtain with
aiimuny through default.
'On January 26th she joined me in
New York, cane to my. rooms OF her
own accord ana llVeu WIFI NE dS u ut'e
voted wife until March lst. l had i'm
proved in health, gaining twenty-five
pounds. We were at work on The Vik-
ing. The day she left | was taken seri-
ousy i'll. and have failed slowly but sure.
Iy. am dying without hope OF recovery. -
John Quincy Adams brother OF Mrs.
Flora Adams Darling. of this city. was
seen last night He said that the decIa-
ration OF Darling had been placed in the
hands of Assistant District Attorney
Battle. He also said that under the direc-
ton of the district attorney an analysis
was being made of the medicines taken
from vials in administering drugs to
Darling. The result OF this analysis Will
be submitted to the district attorney to-
/, morrow.