Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-12-07
MISS IANe T0PPAN
cCuntinued from page l.D

Following Gen. Whitney came Q. \.
Brigham Of Lowell whose wifn's
mother adopted Miss Toppan and knew
considerable about her family history.
Mr.. Brigham finished his testimony ut
> o'clock and it WAS supposed that he
would u" followed by benjamin Wa
tcr~. y druggist at Warrham. from
whom il is alleged Miss Toppan pur-
chased hcr drugs. Rut before Mr.. Wa
tcrS could enter III" room the jury WAS
given q recess and District Attorney
Holm s went M stairs To- consult with
chi7f Justice Mason. The district at
toInrv WaS ciusetcd with tn" judg" for
nearly thrc"-Cllart"rS Of an hour ana
il soon became evident that the ease.
us far lS the grand jury was concerned.
hH' been closed. for TIL" jurymcn all
fled into tn" trc1Surcr'S ntii"" ana drew
tl. il pay.
Al 3.I o'clock they wcr" again called
together and word was sent to the Jail
70 Miss Tupran. Tho jury filed IN
stairs to the court room and scarcely
hat they been seated when Miss TOP
pan came in. accompanied 10y Deputy
Sheriff EcarSc ana followed by her
counsel James Stuart Murphy nf L"-
well. She WAS given "A seat in front Of
th' jurym.n and appeared fairly com
posed. although once in a while what
seemed like an agonized expression
swept over her countenancc.
The foreman of the jury produced
three sets of typewriter papers. The
papers were immediately handed to tho
clerk and he began to read. The indict
menJs We're in the usual form and that
charging Miss Toppan with the death
Of Mrs Gibbs was the first one which
was read.
In it it was said that Miss Toppan
on the 18th Of August. at cataumet,
Mass. committed an assault upon Mrs.
Gibbs and administered to her ~ grains
or morphine, atropine OF morphine ana
atropine. or some drug unknown to
th juryme liy reason Of these drug :
Mrs. Gibbs did languish. and. Ian
gushing. did die" on the next day.
During the reading Miss Topaz
seemed somewhat bowed but stool
reSolutely beside the rail. first with her
hands folded. then seemingly weaIi"'!
resting her head upon her left hand
with her elbow on the rail She lid not
continue this posture long. however.
for soon the clerk finished reading The
Mrs. Gibbs indictment. ana before he
began on that Of Mrs. Gordon. her
counsel rose and said he waived furt her
reading.
The clerk. turning I" the woman.
asked her if she We're guilty Or the
charge according to the indictment. In
n low. and somewhat husky voice. Miss
Toppan replied: Not guilty
The clerk then took up the Indictment
! charging her with the death of Mr..
Davis and again the woman replied
Not guilty" Then came the third in
dctment. Of Mrs. Gordon. ana once
more the clerk put his question which
had the same response.
MI Murphy. addressing the court, r.
,mcstrl that senior counsel be appoint :
! ed to represent Miss Toppan at the
| trial. and the chief justice said tina:
he would take the matter under ad
visement No intimatior was made at
| this time as to when this trial would
| take place, but the district attorney
! said after the court adjourned that il
| would be probably some time in the
! carly spring.
There were no other proceedings dun! :
ing the afternoon except the formal add
! journinent
| Tie jury dispersed and after nearly
all had retired. Miss Toppan was led
back 10 her cell in the Jail.
| As each Indictment against Miss Ton
pan is in four counts. it is optional with
the government on which they will rely
to prove the case. 1t is probable that
| 4
| completed in the course of thn next two
| months. but an opportunity will be
given the defence to prepare that side.
In the meantime Miss Toppan will re-
main IN Barnstable Jail. where she has
been sine" her arrest and to which
confinement it is said she appears to be
resigned.
Because tWo-tEirois of I.ermany's "A