The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-19
TIONAL POISON CASE TELL
ING HIS STORY.
HIS GREAT DESIRE TO TALK
KEEPS COUNTY ATTORNEY but.
LER AND MIR. PIERCE MIXED
UP CONTINUALLY.
EXPECTED SENSATION IS OFF.
The Prisoner Tells How He CANA
by the Aresnfc and Why He
Locked 1t Up.

Several Incidents, more or less hlIS
morous, enlivened the solemnity of the
proceedings of the Hull trial yesterday.
There was also a hint thrown out by
the defense that may result in short
ening the trial somewhat, and will
also be sore disappointment to the
sensation-loving throng which has been
listening to the evidence in the trial.
Mr.. Pierce, for the defense, intimated
that he would, If necessary, admit all
that 1T was sought to prove by the tes-
timony of Bertha Matthews. 1t is
possible that the state will accept the
situation, and confine its efforts solely
to the evidence that has already been
presented. The state rested yesterday
afternoon, and Mr.. Butler stated that
Miss Matthews would arrive in the city
on an afternoon train, and that he
would have her in court this morning.
Then, much against his wish, Mr..
Pierce opened for the defense.
The crowd present was not so large
as on previous days, for the reason
that Judge Egan ordered that the
doors be guarded, and that no more
than could be comfortably seated be
admitted. There were more women
present than on Monday, and they
sighed and showed every evidence of
sympathy with the complaining wit
ness, seeming to take manifest delight
in the pleaSantries of the court every
time that he ruled against the attorney
for the accused. There was a f1utter
of expectation when Mr.. Butler an
nounced that he would produce the
girl, Bertha Matthews, tomorrow, and
a sign of discomfort when Mr.. Pierce
suggested that 1t would not be neces-
sary to call the young woman and SUBJ
ject her and his client to the pain
and modification of public confess
sion.
Mr.. Hull was restless during the
early session when the physicians were
giving their testimony in regard to the
poison that has been submitted in evil
dence, and which the accused admits
was found upon him. But he did not
manifest any nervousness that was so,
noticeable in his wife Once or twice his
eyes filed with tears, but while on the
stand, during the afternoon, he was coor
and collected, and gave his answers I'M
a concise manner and in an audible.
of the prosecuting attorney, was dis
position to tell more than he was asked, i
and there were frequent tits between
counsel on this point.
Mr.. Pierce is doing all that he cam
for his client, but the very points that
he seeks to make clear in the minds Of
the jury as showing the innocence Of
Mr.. Hull he has not yet been able to
get admitted in evidence. Severalt
times during the afternoon, while Mr..
Hull was on the stand, Mr.. Pierce had
Wordy battles with Mr.. Butler, and
argued frequently against the rulings
Of the court. In several instances the
court finally changed his ruling, ap-'
parently to expedite the trial Of the
case.
There was enough poison in sight, in
the court room, when the trial was re-
sumed yesterday morning, to have
killed several hundred persons, and all !
of it had been in the possession of the
accused and was later submitted to
DR.. ]. L. Rothrock to make chemical
analysis. DR.. Rothrock was the first
witness called. He said he had found
in the Warner liver cure bottle from
I ten to twelve grains of arsenic. Then
he had tested an original bottle of the
same remedy and had found no arsenic
in it. Taking up a smaller bottle, con-
tanning a white powder that was hand Z
to contain about 200 grains Of arsenic. I
Asked what poisonous dose Of ar
senic was, witness said something de-
pended upon the individual and upon
circumstances. The smallest recorded
deadly dose was two grains Of the
drug solution. In response to Mr.
Butler the witness said that if the bot
tie of liver cure medicine was well
shaken a teaspoonful would show
about three-fourths Of grain of ar
senic. The poison would remain in
the system, secreting itself in the liver
The examination Of the witness became
somewhat technical, and the court fin
ally remarked that he never could
make anything out Of a doctor. Mr.
Pierce retorted that this particular
doctor seemed to know something
about poisons so long as ne confined
his remarks to his books, and then
demanded of the witness If arsenic was
not sometimes prescribed in cases Of
malaria.