The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-11
FOUND uNTRAcEABLE poison.
Famous scotch Chemist Was Not
Allowed to Name IL I'm a MUIR
der Case.

When John H. Yocum was on the stand
at the Adams inquest on Friday Mr. oS-
horne, the assistant district attorney, en-
Geayored 10 bring cut the fact that the
person who mixed the poison could not
have been a thorough chemist or he would
not have employed an agen. which could
he traced SO easily as mercury. Although
a chemist Nigh; know that cyanide II
mercury was a poison. M yocnfn ara not
believe that he would make uso OF Il,
because he would know o. SO many bet
ter. Sach as ptouaaic roisons which would
leave little or no trace after they had
been taken
This Incident recalls famous case In
England many years age. in which the
strong point % the defense was II show
that the accused. aho WAS an expert
chemist. would not have usssi a poison
which could ~ - easily found af.sr &
bad bnen taken into the human system
SIR Robert Chgtsteson. professor IN Fdin-
burSh university. "a famous expert m toxi-
c$sl0sy whose works arc Still standard on
that subject. was pus on the stand 70
prove this point When he declared that
a chemist would certainly use some pol
gan which wouta lsave no trace the PRISE
cutting attorney asked him II re meant
Is say that there were sseh poisons
SIR Robert REPLIED in the affirmative.
The prosecutor asked. Name them
~NoF' shouted the sssdge, II forbid you
20 answer that question"
IN spite ~ The protests of the pYosecu
tor, TIE Judge would not allow TIE cxpert
publicly 70 give the name ~ 8 poison
which wonla leave no'iraee. and tins. CUES
Hon remained unanswered
New cores tire curious pare IL the
s.oTy Daring she next two years Cir
Robert received rnore than 4ess letters
all as 81
ginS. Offering se huy. the name og the
tin1raceabie rslson Aliefcf 70 En- his testl-
Faony Many ~ thea he kept az curious
isies showing fhesn So his friends AZ s,sf-
sanes ~ the aspwaxfty ~ human lature
Soya~ - the excuses for wanting thu ms ne
II the roisDn were Ingenious One man
was writing a novel hases aa q poison
Plot. and wanted - make use OF the IN
traceaAsie poison ssiea He di3 net want
- give th@ n8nse ~ the poison IN asSs hoex
hut fs3sz wanted "a have IL ny higa srs cage
any sgientiflc critic sssogiia deny tire rees-
ssh.Nty ~ SsscA fcssons. when he could
= rS hiTa iSs mama sn a private letter ard
1soss fAs dist nxuishsss a9seori1ys' from
whom Il csn1e etc several pergons p-c-
f.s4ei 80 ~ ssustne chemistry ard a@saa
s0v the Information nG IRE wToas~si af pro-
ssss.oraI courtesy. tn all sgkh sir Rob- r.
nes.s5s SENS the advice - usgr~eia .ssetr
Sssallss and fhgy wosi'6 soou know as
ramrA about Il ss h@ So MARY Offered
"a rx@ sssr~a ~ ssorey Sn- the secTes asn~
&1sy pretenagaE they Aa3 Aes SslE larger
amounts thag thFw e@pBa snsi il 3at ia a
gwen ;isss eH6 wsee sitting BE- shswe TIE
p-ysfits GnSfaily ~ash Sar Fsaassyf
TEe tsing which snesf Impressed Slr
Robert ~s- 49, rmnaf@r - persons all
OVER tse world aho sseracss ATssaas a.
Fs,as-s- ssgsx fhe Ssrre1 u an agent thas
aos1ss ksa bat AeAvs 80 t~Ses. and she
ssvxxsn< gagx<ehsross 20 zhSea fAeT vseeR8sa
zszsss@~~ssse th@iy asss@s 81 nrsse - nes&sa
sAa 3rf0r7aaIInw + = xa5a tfAt NhatFvas
a.aa s0a Ssv K-assyt Asa IN Hssgs az ERE frssl
ae reaer saeutS@ns.t = rses e~%n 50 fsss
ca8s&es So Strsaxsg @AS h@ f-n Nr~s -
@8sN 8hn aanSer - tsstEgz *ssea a sAExg
YMFk SIR