The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-01-07
REAM-HARTMAN EXAMINATION.

The examination of VIM. Ream and
his wife, Emma, on the charge OF being
implicated in the Hartman murder which
occurred in Sciota township in Novem-
Der, was commenced before Justice Row
ley, at Laingsburg, on Monday. The
crowd in attendance soon increased to
such an extent that the justice was oblig-
ed to adjourn court to the town hall,
where he was again crowded out and COM
PEELED to open court in the Cooper House
ball room.
The examination was conducted by
prosecuting Attorney A. L. Chandler,
while A. E. Richards represented the
Reams and F. III. Watson looked after
the interests of John Hartman. Not only
the people of Sciota township manifest
deep interest in the case, but many
people from surrounding towns were
present and listened eagerly for the SEN
sational testimony which the authorities
were supposed to have up their sleeves.
The first witness sworn was Paul Good
hue, clerk at Frain & Vests drug store,
Laingsburg. Goodhue testified to selling
two drains of gum opium to Emma Ream
Nov. 9th, '97, and when he inquired if
the drug was for her own use, she replied
that it was for grandmother, who knew
how to use it. Emma questioned him
further as to the number of grains OF NOR
phihe the opium contained, and his an
swer was, "Not quite twenty" She gave
as her reason for asking the question that
she had dispute with her brother re-
garding the quantity of morphine in a
dram of opium.
Mr.. Go.dhue further stated that the
amount of opium he sold Emma was
sufficient to kill any ordinary person.
He was followed by Joseph Wyckoff
and Hanford Sharp, two of the jurymen
at the inquest, whose testimony was OF
no particular importance further than to
prove Wi liam Ream's statements given
at the inquest.
DIR. Austin was next called and proved
to be very important witness, he being
one of the doctors who conducted the
post norton examination. He gave as
his opinion that Mrs. John Hartman
came to her death from opium poisoning;
he told of finding the stomach empty,
the lungs congested, the pupil OF the eye
contracted and water on the brain.
He was assisted in the examination by
DIR. Scott and it will be upon the testi-
mony of these gentlemen that case will
be established, if at all.
The analysis of the stomach made by
Prof. Clarke, of Detroit, can hardly be
expected to furnish any evidence tending
to establish case of poisoning, for it is
the recorded opinion of many prominent
chemists-Prof. Gomberg, of the Universe
ty Of Michigan, being among the rest
that in a case of opium poisoning all trace
of the drug is gone from the stomach in
a remarkably short space of time, and
that the proper place to look for eviden'
ces of it is in the lungs, brain, kidneys
prise at all if Prof. Clarke testifies today
at the examination that no evidence o.
opium poisoning was found in Mrs. Hart
mans stomach. In fact the surprise
would come from his testimony bein.
otherwise.
DIR. Austin stated further that he founC
no evidences of disease whatever, bu
that he did find sufficient evidence t
warrant him in giving as his positive
opinion that Mrs. Hartman was poisoned
John Hartman was the next witness
called by the people, and he exhibited
great nervousness when he took the stant
and became the center of attraction TO
the large crowd, many of whom made m
attempt to cover up their suspicious
John stated that he was the sole heir a
law to the estate of his father, who die'
Oct. 10Th, and his mother, who die
some time in November, the exact dat
he could not recall. The Reams came t
live with him four days previous to hi
fathers death. He had noticed that hi
mother would not drink coffee served b.
Emma, and many other little thing
which had aroused his suspicion afte
his mother died. On one occasion afte
his fathers death, he had visited tn
cemetery with Win. Ream, and Will
standing by his faith er's grave Ream sal
to him, "John, VIII en- your mother die
we will bury her ov er on that corner an
then if you will Civ your property to m
l will erect fine monument when yo
die"
Hartman also dis covered white pov