The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-05-31
MURDERERS' ENEMY.
CHEMISTS GIVE TESTIMONY IN
POISONING CASES.
The Analytical Chemist Is the Witness
. Most Feared BY Prisoners Who Have
TO Face the Charge of Murder BIZ
Poison.

charge of murder by poison has no
witness against him who is so much to
be dreaded as the analytical chemist.
In many cases the life or death of the
prisoner has depended upon a simple
experiment in the laboratory OF the
chemist. One method of tracing poi
son is to transform the suspected de-
to the powerful scrutiny of the micro
scope. But that test is successful only
where comparatively large doses OF
poison have been given. In another
form Of test the grave issue depends
upon the color of a fragment of cop
perfoil or the hues of liquid in
diminutive crystal globe. When ar
senic is suspected to be the cause of
death the copperfoil experiment is
tried. If the result is dead black de-
posit the case looks equally black for
the prisoner. Strychnine, when admin
istered in most minute form, is de-
tected by subtle process of chemical
concentration by means of which the
suspected fluids are reduced to single
drop, which is placed in tiny glass
globe. Into this is then dropped
minute particle of potash-bichromate.
II strychnine is present the result is
display of changing colors--blue,
purple, red and lastly, a rich mauve
tint. These colors are pretty to look
at, but they may mean death for the
fAI ors,1 i-
suspected to be the cause of death the
fluids are chemically cleansed, and
then reduced to a drop or two. Nitric
acid is first applied and if morphia is
present it is revealed by the drops
changing to lovely carmine hue.
Then, If sulpho- -molybdic acid is ap-
piled the drops change first to a bril-
liant magenta color and then to sky
blue. In spite of all the care and
knowledge devoted to chemical analy-
sis in criminal cases mistakes some
times are made. On one occasion
famous analyst-Professor Tyler-was
nearly the unconscious cause of send
ing an innocent man TO the gallows.
The professor, after careful expert
ments, declared that arsenic had been
the cause of the death with which the
prisoner was charged. The prosecution
proved tnat the prisorer was the only
man who possibly CO lid have admin
istered the poison. The man pleaded
his innocence in the most frank and
pitiable way, but the evidence was
against him. He was sentenced to
death, and the day of his execution
was approaching when Professor Ty-
Ter received a letter from the condemn
ed one seL.lng forth his side of the case
in such forcible manner that the pro-
fessor was induced to reconsider his
analysis and make another examina
tion. He found, to his amazement, that
the arsenic which he had discovered
had been placed in the fluids by him
self in the ordinary course of his
analysis. He at once confessed his
blupder and the condemned man was
saved from the gallows. The difficulties
of chemical analysis may be imagin-
ed when it is realized that of some poi
sons it requires only an infnitesimal
amount to produce death. One-tenth of
grain of aconite will kill a powerful
man, and of strychnine half grain
is enough to send a man out of this
world-New York Press.