The morning times., 1896-07-15

The inquest in the case of Estelle Holden
whose death occurred under such sus-
picious circumstances as to warrant an
investigation by the coroner, was re-
sumed yesterday afternoon. The jury was
impanelied ana the testimony OF some o.
the witnesses, heard a week ago, but the
examination was postponed pending an
analysis of the contents of the wo,nan's
stomach by chemical experts.
Charles Holden, the dead woman's hus-
band, Mamie Mann, an inmate OF the
Holden house, at M. 204 Eleventh street
northwest. and Lizzie Clayton, who kept
resort at 2O6 Eleventh street. were held
on suspicion uf being implicated in the
affair. The testimony of hese thr ee
was heard at the first sitting of the jury
and they were not present yesterday even.
ing.
stories about his movements upon the
day when his wife was taken sick and
neither could he give an exact account CON
cerning where he procured the sedlitZ
powders, which he bought for himself
and wife.
MANY WITNESSES EXAMINED.
A woman in the house stated that she
was present when the wife was given the
powder by Holden. while he affirmed that
she took it in his absence.
-Four OF five witnesses were called tn
prove that Lizzie Clayton and Estelle
Holden were on unfriendly terms and
that the Clayton woman had threatened
TO do her next door neighbor injury. 1t
was proved that they were on bad terms
and that each had repeatedly used hard
words to the other and that on one oc-
casion Lizzie Dad brought about Estelle's
arrest.
Susie Hight, an inmate of the Holden
house. had been attacked in the same way
after taking q sedltz powder a few days
before Mrs. Holden died and 1t was tried
unsuccessfully to trace both of these oc-
currences to Lizzie Clayton.
Mamie Mann had friend, William Mann,
who had shown some attention TO Mrs.
Holden, and when under the influence of
liquor had made some threats prompted
by the green-eyed monster, was next
brought into the tangled web. 1t was
conclusively shown that Mamie and the
dead woman was on good terms the day
after the alleged alteration took place
and that Esteile had even loaned Mamie
money.
Prof. John D. Hird, the chemist to the
Health Office, was put on the stand and
stated that he had just finished an analy-
sis of parts of the organs of the woman's
body.
HE FOUND STRYCHNINE.
He had examined the contents OF the
stomach and had found one-tenth of
grain OF strychnia and unmistakable traces
OF the same poison in the urine. DR.. Ster-
ling Ruffin, who performed the autopsy,
testified that from the autopsy and evi-
dence OF the doctors who tended the woman
after she was taken to the hospital, he
would say that Estelle Holden died from
strychnine poisoning. There was no doubt
OF 1t, he said.
He accounted for the fact that there was
SO little strychnine found, by the well
known absorbing power OF the gastric juice
and the drug would, In short while, be
distributed throughout the body by means
OF the blood. The sedlitz powders were
examined by DR.. Hird and no strychnine
was found.
The jury brought in the verdict that
Estelle Holden died from the effects OF
strychnine poisoning, but from the evi
dence adduced they were unable to hold
any one responsible for her death.
The jury ordered that the three pris
oners, now held at the District jail. be
released, and they will be given their
liberty this morning.