The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-05
TRACING THE NEW
YORK PO|SONER
Police Have Men Under
Surveillance.
LOOKING FOR A LIGHT BEARD
THE WEARER PROBABLY THE
SLAYER OF MRS. ADAMS.
The Deadly Cyanide of Mercury Sent
to Cornish by Some Enemy
of the Young
Athlete.
LOOKING FOR A LIGHT BEARD
Special Dispatch to The Call.

NEW YORK. Jan 4.-The police have
three men under surveillance in con-
nection with the Adams-Cornish pol
soning and would have arrested one or
all of them had it not been for the fact
that none of these suspects has a nght
beard. Miss Miller, the salesWoman
who sold the match holder in Newark,
is positive that the purchaser had a
light beard 1t is said that should the
police discover that any of the suspects
purchased a false beard an arrest
would Immediately follow and that the
police would then believe that they had
a good chance to secure the conviction
of Mrs. Adams murderer.
Professor Witthaus, who has been
analysing the contents of the bottle out
Of which Mrs. Adams drank, to-day
made his report to the District Attor
ney. Professor Witthaus said definite
ly that the poison in the bottle sent to
Cornish was cyanide of mercury and
that he believes the sender of the poi
son must have been either a chemist or
one with an intimate knowledge of
chemicals. Professor Witthaus also
says that the bottle containing the poi
son was not a brOmo-seltzer bottle.
though q label taken from a regular
bromo settler bottle had been pasted
over this hottie.
All the suspects are said to be men
who had gIudges against Cornish.
Detective Captain McClusky has
given out a statement made by DIR.
Henry Beaman Douglas relative to his
treatment of H. c. Barnett of the
Knickerbocker Athletic Club. who died
in November, 1898, ten days after hav-
ing partaken of powder which he had
received from some unknown person
through the mails. Mr.. Barnett was
treated by DR.. Douglas, who declared
that he was suffering from diphtheria.
Interest in the case was revived on ac-
count Of the death of Mrs. Kate Adams
from partaking of a portion of the con-
tents of a bottle sent to Harry Cornish
at the Knickerbocker Club by some I'M
known person. Following are extracts
from DR.. Douglas statement:
On, October 80, 1898, was summoned to
see Mr. Barnett at the KnickerbOcker
Athletic Club Mr. Barnett said that he
felt badly and had a sore throat. [ eX
amined his throat and found lnflamma-
parts and the uvula. This part was COW
cred with a membrane His pulse was
about 80, his temperature about SO; He
stated on the day previous he had been
quantity of powder from a box which had
been sent him in the mails-evidently
taking This powder he had Immediately
elected it from his stomach and had vom-
tied pretty thoroughly.
The diphtheria ran the usual course, the
membrane disappeared from his throat
and he was considered convalescent from
the diph+he~ia.. About thirty-six. hours
lions and the objections. of the nurse, in
sisted upon going to the toilet and re-
manned there about half an hour.
Upon returning to bed his heart be-
came weaker and l was called to see him.
He was suffering from symptoms of heart
failure, and this continued up. to the time
of his death Mr.. Barnett had no bad
feeling from his stomach. His pulse was
good and strong, he was not confined to
his bed and he had no vomiting. He
stated that he was fool for taking any
thing that came in the mail, but that he
was in the habit of taking KutnOws pow
ders, and the mailed box was handy.
During the course of his diphtheria,
while he had neither diarrhoea nor Vomit-
ing for the first few days his tongue be-
came sore and the edges of his gums also,
which intimated slight symptoms of mer-
curial poisoning. I took the box contain
ing the powder he had taken to DR.. Eli
son. who. in my presence, made tests
which satisfied him that the powder con-
tanned cyanide of mercury. In the inter
vening week before Mr.. Barnett died he
had no symptoms which could be attrib
uted to mercurial poisoning except a sore
mouth. At no time did he present any
symptoms Of cyanide poisoning, and the
only evidence of any mercurial poisoning
was such as any man might have devel-
oped after taking a medicinal dose of cal
omel. I believe that Mr.; Barnett died Of
heart failure following dtphtheria, which
heart failure was brought on by undue
exertion. I do not believe any mercurial
poison contributed in the least to cause
his death.
Captain McCluskey had in his possess
sion the sample package containing the
remainder of the Kutnow powders.
which Mr.. Barnett had left when he
died This package was sealed, and
Captain McCluskey said that he would
give the bottle, as it was given to him
to-day, DR.. Witthaus the expert
chemist.
In speaking of the sending of the
two poisoned packages of powders one
to Barnett and one to Cornish. Captain
McCluskey said: The same party sent
the two poisons, it seems to me"
He refused to discuss the case in any
of it's phases, but said that he did not
expect to effect any arrest in the case
at once.
HONnH IIrHNII " rIAIrn