The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-04-22
Druggist Fraslck Used ACstic
Acid Instead Of Cihic.
SOLD AS CITRATE OF MAGNeSIA
Mrs. Mccain Drank Part Of Contents Of
BsifIe and Died After Suffering for
Wsek-ETror Admitted.

Northport. l.. l., April 22.--Aftcr suffer
ing in agony for nearly a week Mrs. Vi
emma McCann, well known resident OF
this place, died yesterday from poison
taken by mistake.
A week ago Mrs. Mccain went to the
village drug store OF Leslie A. Frasick
and bought a bottle of citrate of mag
nesia that the druggist had just pre-
pared.
Mrs Mccain, who was hfty-six years
old and lived with her sister, Mrs
George Lefferts, took the bottle OF medi-
cine home and poured half OF IL into a
glass.
It's strong odor surprised her but she
nevertheless drank IL. The stun burned
her mouth and throat and almost imme-
diately she fell 10 the floor in agony DR.
George ~. DOnahue was sent for but IL
was half an hour before he came and all
during that time Mrs. Mccain was un-
conscious.
Dr. Donahue saw az once that he had
serious case OF poisoning 10 cope with
He administered an antidote. "a mere
whlff OF the mixture remaining In the
bottle being enough 10 tell him that the
poison was acetic acid.
DIR. Donahue then took the bottle of
supposed citrate 20 the druggist and
called his attention TO the mixture.
TOLD or THE MISTAKE
You have sold bottle of this to Mrs
Mccain and she Is dying he said. The
doctor thus describes what followed
Frasick turned pale and fell into
chair food heavens. DOCTOR he gasp
ed. that mixture was wrong. How could
/ have made such terrible mistake2"
Then Dr. Donahue said Frasick rushed
H. IL. 4.
compound bottles OF the citrate OF mag
nesia from the counter ran with Them 10
the yard, where he dashed them against
the stones. Frasck calmed down later
I'm the day when he heard that Mrs. Nc
Cam was slightly improved.
The poison. however. had burned the
woman severely, and DIR. Donahue called
I'm consultation Dr. II. II Davidson. the
coroner OF the village. The efforts were
in vain.
At no time during the womans Illness
was any formal complaint made by her
relatives against the druggist. Mr.. LEFT
ferts. who Is a well known shipbuilder.
said that no complaint would be made
by the family. He said they understood
the druggist had made an error. but they
sought no retributive measures against
him.
The coroner performed an autopsy.
finding that Mrs. Mccain died from acct
IL acid poisoning. He has not accused
Frasick and said that he was still con-
tinuing the investigation.
DRUGGIST GOES TO NEW YORK.
Mrs Mccain died az a. m, and imme-
diately afterward Frasick retained
Charles y. Partridge, justice OF the
peace, as his counsel. With him he call
ed on Coroner IA. ~. Davidson, made
statement acknowledging that h. had
made an error and almost Immediately
afterward took the first train for New
York. where his counsel said he r. now
No effort was made to- arrest him.
Where he IL in New York Mr.. Part
ridge refuses 10 state lie said however
that Frasick would return and stand the
responsibility for his act as soon as he
was wanted.
lt appears, according 10 the staement
of the coroner. that Frasick put acetic
acid into four bottles of the citrate of
magnesia he was preparing How he
came To make the mistake is "A puzzIe
as the poison was plainly labelled.
Mrs. Mccain was the wife OF n Brook
lyn policeman, from whom she separated
more than fifteen years ago. She return
ed TO Northport. where she was born
and supported herself by dressmaking
Her father. Edward Smith. who is ship
builder and a member of one OF the old
est families there. died some years ago
and left his daughters. Mrs McCann and
Mrs. Lefferts, a modest competence. Fra
sick once ran drug store in New York