The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-23
BENHAM IS MORE HOPEFUL
DR. WITTHAUs OONTRADEOTS TIE
PROSECUTIONS EXPERTS. =

ne Described the ERccts er Prr,-sio hria Fei-
souiuE ana showed THAT rhey were Net
Present IN the Case or Mrs. Berham-
tho Testiaony % ne All In bJ To-NiEht.
BATAVIA. N. V, July 22.-The defence in the
Bonham murder trial Is jubilant Prot. r A.
Witthaue, New York's famous toxicologfst, was
on the stand most all day. and his testimony.
which concluded tho defendants case, 10 re-
garded as a decided victory for Benhsm. Mr..
Scarlet said Enthusiastically to II Sun repre-
sentative this afternoon:
1--WE have knocked the pins out from under
the prosecution. Even II the jury should con-
vict, there is not a court on earth which would
sustain their verdict
The prisoner was also in . jovial mood. and
even went 30 far as to crack q Joke with the
newspaper man.
Say" said he, have you heard the gag
Do you know why Benham wants to 60 to
Auburni So ho can get Wizard. That's all
right, isn't II T.
The first serious knockout blow to the prosecu-
ton was dealt yesterday by DIR. John A. Miller
Of Buffalo. who declared that the analysis
made OF the viscera by Chemist vanderbergh
was faulty, and advanced the startling PROPOSE
ton that certain organs Of the body. the blood, or
saliva would, under certain conditions. contain
potassium sulphocyanate, which would ro-
spond to the test for traces Of prussia
hClu. hlb tSbLituohy "0o iVihioEGOu lONQAy
by that OF DIR. witthaus, professor Of
chemistry and toxicology in the University Of
New York and also In the University OF Yer
mont, the author of four works on chemistry,
which have boon freely quoted by prosecution
and defence alike, and probably the most COM
petent expert that could be secured. Strangely
enough even DR.. witthaus has seen but one case
of prussic acid poisoning. Like the rest OF tho
experts his knowledge has been entirely derived
f1ap, rrnrb, nv che .,,ktn,t and a-nnrir,.pt q uri,h
the acid poison on animals.
DR.. Witthaus said that in his Judgment, from
the symptoms noticed in Mrs. Benham's case,
her death was not due to prussic acid. he then
proceeded TO give his reasons for this statement,
step by step contradicting in almost every vital
point the testimony Of 1.-THE prosecutions experts,
notably that Of Chemist vanderbergh.
1T was extremely improbable" he said, that
q person unconscious from prussic acid should
recover at all. There would be no pain in the
chest nothing but a sense Of suhocation. One OF
the marked effects Of prussic acid is the rigid
lower jaw. which would prevent articulation,
30 she could not call for Howard. her
mother and her child. The respiration
is not usually seen in prussic acid pol
soning. The evidence shows that tho
body did not move; there are always spasms.
1t says the mouth was open. There are only
three cases cited where the mouth has been
found open in death from prussic acid. They
were quick deaths. When the physician tried
artificial respiration he would have smelled
prussic acid in the air which be expelled from
the lungs had 1t been present. The undertaken
did not observe II when he inserted the trocas.
No person noticed the odor at the embalming or
at the first autopsy. but did at the second.
l should. question the detection Of it at all.
II 1t had been hydrocyanic poisoning. you would
have found the right heart filled with dark
Only in cases of quick death is the light blood
found. There was no rigidity at the frst autop-
on once. IN H Rto the second ee5o G'; sGtoPsy ri Il IS sa dsn risa or
morris was well marked. It was not risor
to a low tempera,ure. Just ~ tbe sa sIen ss II cue iSs
body had been in an ice box. The observance Of
Of Wha, they were cree at ae dea, Sas ne no in ebsnins1
analysis was an improper one. The distillat on
sba opaie Of 9s sosi oeeh in 1s1m : ~ containing ar
S Go"IS nHas.hiss in P.tshh the blood. il eng were present,
vas found. his Would indicate ss'q pf r asae' aa I'D
tenn there Yves no fro!h at the mouth
reddish froth in the throat. Hydrocsanic acid
has NO appreciaole, effect on the heart tissues
heart. When the organs, were xamin at the
autopsy. they were handled, in such a careless
them. The two most Important organs. the kid
neys and brain. were not examined 10 any ex-
MIR. Kenefck in his cross-examination OF Prot.
Witthaus was unable TO shake the force OF his
testimony. To one OF his questions witness said
that there were only three cases known where
person had screamed as Mrs. Benhsm did when
a dose OF prussic acid was administered.
The greater portion OF the afternoon was con-
stunned in making the witness read extracts from
one of his own works on the subject OF prussia
acid poisoning. These will be used by the coun.
sci in summing up the case.
DIR. Herbert NJ. Hill of Buffalo also gave test.
mony to-day. He said that he had m
the records and could find no prussic-acid case
where the liver was notified. as was the case
mortem effects on a dog which he had dosed
with prussia acid. He then described the ex.
pertinent on the dog as to the embalming.
When the iuid was forced in" he said, " the
blood changed color raridly. the four legs stih-
ened and there was a rieidity OF the body. As
some OF the blood escaped IL was noticed TO be OF
q plnkish color. The next day we examined tho
dog again. The blood was found to be OF a dark
cherry color. The limbs and muscles were sim"
These are some OF the symptoms observed by
the physicians in the Autopsies performed on
Mrs. Benham's body.
The attorney read the testimony of Chemist
HANDKERCHIEF regarding one OF his tests. Wit
ness said he got no such reaction.
Dr. Hill testified in cross-exAmination that
half an hour after death the dog was embalmed.
TWO days later an autopsy was held. The hear0
was found full OF blood and the Jaw was very
In all probability the evidence will all be in By
.ornorrow night The prosecution will call sew.
eral experts In the. morning on the rebuttal,
among whom will be Chemist vanderbergh.
hen both sides have finished, II Is thoush0
that an adjournment will be taken until Mon
day. when the case will DO given to the jury.