Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-31
Closing Day of the Trial.


 The preliminary trial of Mrs. May Sp- vey, charged with the poisoning of her husband. w. H. Spvey, in this city on June 24, was continued before Justice Fuller today, beginning at 10:30 a. m. The court room was filled with specta tors, but not near so many ladies were present as at yesterdays session, as all hopes of a new sensation being sprung uilsuspectingly had been dispelled
 Before the court reconvened this morn ing Mrs. Spivey, in company with her friend Mrs. Atchison a constable and her stepfather MT. Boultier, took a lengthy walk up Washington street for an airing. Many people, curious for a close inspection of the accused woman, lined the sidewalks and gazed on her as she proceeded up the street. Mrs Sp- vey is bearing up well under the terrible strain to which she is subjected and when she made her appearance in the court room she was composed and showed scarcely any traces of prostra- tion, though, it is said, that when she re- turns to her cell in the jail after the pro ceedings for the day are finished her nervous system gives way entirely and she remains for hours at time in q seni-uneonscious condition.
 Justice Fuller called the court to or der at 10:30 o'clock and proceeded with the examination of witnesses for the de- fense.
 Dr. J. l.. Gaston: There are a number of diseases whose symptoms are simi-
  lar to narcotic or morphine poisoning There is one form of apoplcxy which in symptoms the standard authorities say it is impossible to tell the difference. think it would be a difficult matter for a physician who is called only fifteen minutes before the death of a patient to make a correct autopsy. That form of apoplexy is very rare. The characteris- tic symptoms of morphine poisoning and that form of apoplexy are the same ic cir a,f hatv poisoning and alcoholic coma. It is not in. a large majority of cases an easy mat ter to detect the difference between these diseases.
 Dr. Glenn Andrews: I am the city physician Gold tar remedies, if given in very large doses, sometimes produce fatal results. If a physician was called to see a patient fifteen minutes before his death and the symptoms are black ness of the nails and the patient is in a moribund condition, it would be hard to define rightly the cause of his death. There are marked differences in the early stages of such diseases by which they can be defined. Hysteria would have to be very violent to throw the per son into an unconscious or comatose condition.
 Dr. Michel: I am acquainted with the coal tar remedies. They are extensively used. l am acquainted with the affection called hysteria. I do not know if the disease affects the truth and veracty of the patient woman's nervous system would be very much disturbed by vin- lent case of hysteria. l don's think it would affect the truth of her statements during the interim. When a person falls into a comatose condition it is a violent form. Coal tar remedies given in large. quantities when the heart is not in good condition are liable to be dangerous. All coal tar remedies have an accumulitive effect. Their effect Is upon the heart and circulation. Morphine acts upon the heart.
 Henry Warner: l know Mrs. Spivey Have known her for two years. Knew w. H. Spivey for eight or nine years. Their relation as husband and wife was very happy. I thought. I boarded with them for eight months. Spivey often complained of head trouble. One day he complained and Mrs Spivey told him to send for some medicine. He sent 10 cents. He was better that night and ate hearty supper.
 Hamilton Hines: have known w. II. Spivey for five years and have known Mrs. lSpivey for fifteen years. As far as l was able to judge they lived a very happy life. On the day Fife Crittenden and Carrie Lee Cox were taken before the coroner's jury, Mrs. Spivey had my buggy borrowed About fifteen minutes before MT. Murphy brought the negroes down the street Mrs. Spivey drove up to my door and asked to use the buggy for an hour longer I understood her to say she was going to the cemetery. l visited the Spivey's informally. I have been at the house when MT. Spivey was not at home. I have visited the house both in the day and night and when Spivey was at home and when he was net.
 Dr. R. H. Owen: have the original death certificate of w. H. Spivey. Moses Clay. sexton, gave it to me. The cause of death is not stated. (Certiticate of fered as evidence). When the cause of death is uncertain it is generally placed under the head of remarks" In the case of this certificate the "cause Of death" was blank, and under the head of. remarks were these words: Was called in just before death. The symp-