Kansas City daily journal., 1896-10-28
PLATT WOMAN ARRAIGNRD.
HER HEARING POSTPONED UNTII.
MONDAY MORNING.
In . Most self-Possessed Manner She
Says, "Not Guilty"-Now In the
County Jail-The Children's
Death still q Mystery.

Alice Platt, the accused murderess Of the
Mussey children, was arraigned before
Justice Walls yesterday. ON a charge Of
numbering Elizabeth Mussey. She was
taken before the justice by Detective Ennis.
one Of the officers who arrested her. and
pleaded not guilty to the charge. Her
hearing was continued until Monday MORN
ing at 10 O'Clock. and she was committed
to Jail without bail.
The object In postponing Miss Platt's
preliminary hearing SO long was to give
the chemist who is making an analysis OF
the stomach of Elizabeth Mussey sufficient
time to make his report, following which
Coroner Bedford will hold an inquest in the
case.
The Indifference of Miss Platt, Q char
acteristic manifested since her arrest Sat
urday afternoon, was never more apparent
than on the occasion of her arraignment
before Justice Walls She seemed perfectly
self-possessed and she entered her plea Of
not guilty without the assistance of an
attorney. In a perfectly natural tone of
voice she said she had not es yet acquired
the assistance Of counsel.
She was taken to the county Jail inme-
diately after the commitment was made
out, ard seemed to like her new apartments
much better than those at the Central
station holdover. The women's department
in the Jail Is on the fourth floor. and when
Miss Platt had walked up three flights Of
iron stairs she felt faint and called for
glass Of water. Before the water was
brought she became unconscious and when
the trusty arrived with it. Jailer Wilson
1ad topYa Of he
face. She was Immediately revived and
was soon reading a book. She will have the
freedom Of the inside corridors. as it is not
customary to lock women prisoners IN cells.
The mystery surrounding the death of
the Mussey children and their grandmother
is as far from solution. apparently, as ever.
Lawyer Mussey. father Of the children.
called at police headquarters yesterday att
ernoon, Just before Alice Platt was taken
before Justice Walls to be arraigned. He
said, in speaking with Inspector F1ahive
about the death Of his children, that he
was satisfied Alice Platt poisoned them
and did it with strychnine. But how she
did it." said Mr.. Mussey, II am unable to
state believe that no other man can say
how the deed was done. 1t was not done
with the pills that were taken from Alice
Platt,s trunk and analysed by pharma-
cist."'
That the Mussey children were poisoned
by strychnine is an undisputed fact. That
they were poisoned by Alice Platt is the
belief Of many in Kansas City. But how
did she do it?
The partial report Of the analysis Of
Elizabeth Mussey's stomach made by Dr..
]. W. Carter was filed with Coroner Bed
ford yesterday afternoon.
DR.. J. W. Carter, analytical chemist, who
made the analysis Of the stomach Of Eliza
beth Mussey, reported to Coroner Bedford
yesterday that he had found traces OF
enough strychnine in her stomach to kill
her almost Instantly. The report was only
an informal affair and DR.. Carter will not
make his written report until to-day.
He has not yet completed his analysis of
the cookies secured at the Mussey home.