The San Francisco call., 1897-02-10
It WAS SURELY
STRYCHN|uE
Second Analysis of the
Powder in Buffers
Hat.
The Alleged Murderer Could
Have Committed Suicide if
So Inclined.
Another English Ship Captain R cog.
nizes the Prisoner Among a Lot
of His Swanhilda Shipmates,

Butler, the accused murderer of Lee
Weller. was not permitted to receive many
visitors yesterday at the City Prison. His
callers were principally people with suf-
fcient personal influence to get by the
turnkey, or men brought there to see if
they recognized the prisoner.
There was an exception made in But
ler's list OF visitors when half dozen of
his shipmates from the Swanhllda re-
quested to talk to him.
They greeted him in a warmhearted
manner and declared their honest belief
in his innocence.
One OF the seilors produced handker.
chief in good need of washing, which he
said he had found in Buffers bunk.
"Ive been offered pound for this wipe
of yours" he declared, "but I'll not
sell it,"
Butler laughed and said there were lots
of cranks in this country.
The other sailors showed a tobacco
pouch and pipe as well as some other
trinkets, each man taking pride in saying
how he had discovered the relics in But
ler's bunk after the detectives had made a
search of it.
The powder found in Buffers hatband
when he was captured on the Swanhilda
has again been analyZed by means of the
sulphuric acid process, a final test. The
result is the same as published few days
ago. The powder proved TO be strychnine
in sufficient quantity to surely kill five
men.
Butler has been identified again as
Richard Pascoe, West of England sailor
who arrived in this port on the British
ship Dalbardern Castle in 1890. Captain
Jones of the British ship Flintshire has
recognized the prisoner
Butler was sailor on the Castle,''
said Jones, "and I was the vessels first
officer. We came to this port from Swan
sea with coal. Pascoe, as we knew him
on board, had been sailing in coasting g
vessels, so he said, and came originally
from the west of England. I had an ex-
perience with him that caused me to re-
member him well.
"Soon after the ship sailed from Swan
sea the fellow began to make trouble. He
was quiet the first few days out, but soon
showed his ugly spirit. He quarreled
with the sailors and fought.
Butler became so unruIy he had to be
placed in irons"
Butler spent an uneveutfui day in the
City Prison yesterday. Few visitors were
permitted to see him and large mum ber
had to go away disappointed.
He was ANXIOUS to make as presentable
an appearance as possible in the Federal
court to-day, and at his request the SER
vices of E. P. Roche, the barber, on Lar
kin street, opposite the hall, were called
into requisition. Captain Robinson was
care ul to handcuff Buffers hands behind
his back. so that he could not get chance
to obtain possession OF the razor, if he felt
that way inclined.
There is growing feeling that Butler
has no desire to return TO Australia to be
hanged for his fieadish crimes and that he
will avail himself of the first opportunity
to end his lie. Every possible precaution
is consequently being taken by Captain
Robinson and the City Prison officials to
prevent such contingency so long as he
remains in their charge. A trusted
"trusry" is in the cell with Butler all
night, and during the day he is con-
stanily under surveillance.
Captain Lees is patiently waiting for
developments in regard TO Buffers life In
Canada, and feels satisfied that he will be
successful before Butler leaves for Aus
tralia.