The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-09-25
POISON THEORY EXPLODED.
No Poison was Found on Bullet
or Pistol With Which President
Mckinley was Shot.

Buffalo, n. Y, Sept. 22.-The most
important development in the Czolgosz
case today was the announcement that
no poison had been found on the bull
lets or the revolver with which the
anarchist assassinated President Nc
Kinley. Chemical and meteorological
examinations were made by both and
revealed the fact that no poison was
used by the murderer. An examlna-
ton to determine the exact mental
condition of the prisoner was made
in the Erie county jail this afternoon
bv DR.. Carlos Mcdonald OF New
York. the alienist who was brought
here for the defense by the Erie
County Bar association, and DR..
Arthur W. H. Hurd, superintendent
of the Buffalo State hospital. The
alienists were with the assassin for
one hour and half and when they
left both declined to discuss the case.
District Attorney Penney and ms ms
entire staff spent all OF Sunday at the
city hall preparing for the trial OF
Czolgosz which will begin tomorrow
morning. Mr.. Penney had confer
ences with the alienists and with City
Chemist Herbert H. Hill, who sub
mitted his report upon an examination
of the bullets and the revolver.
Immediately after the death OF the
president one of the physicians in at
tendance on the president expressed
the opinion that the bullets may have
been poisoned. District Attorney
Penney, who had possession of the
assassin's revolver, ordered careful
and thorough examinations to be
made. DR.. Hill was directed to make
a chemical examination of the bullet
and the chambers and barrel OF the
revolver, and DR.. Herman q. Matzln-
ger, one of the surgeons who perform
ed the autopsy upon the presidents S
body, was ordered to make bacterlol-
ogical examination. This afternoon
Dr.. Hill reported to the disrtict attor-
nev that his work showed that no
poison had been used. He also pre-
sented a written report, but it will not
be used on the trial as that question
is now eliminated from the case. DR..
Matzinger has finished his bacteriol-
ogical examination and his work also
revealed. the absence Of any poison.
The district attorney has been inform
ed to that effect, although the formal
report has not been submitted. au-
thorities on this question state that
the two examinations form a complete
test and that the slightest trace OF
poison would have been revealed. Dr.
Mcdonald and DR.. Hurd, alienlsts OF
the defense, called upon Distict AJtor-
ney Penney shortly before 3 O'Clock
this afternoon and remained with him
until 8 :15 when they were escorted to
the jail by Detective Solomon: The
insanity experts went to Czolgosz's S
cell in "Murderers' Row" and were
locked up in the cell with him until
4:15 O'Clock when they returned to
the city hall and held another con
ference with the disrtict attorney. FIT
teen minutes later DR.. Putnam, local
alienist, appeared and joined the con-
ference.
Although great secrecy was main
tanned at the district attorneys offlce,
it was learned this afternoon that DR..
Allen McLane Hamilton, one OF the
most noted alienists in the United
States and who was an expert witness
at the trial of Guiteau, is in Buffalo.
Not a doubt as to CzolgosZ's sanity
exists in the mind of District Attor-
ney Penney, so that it is presumed
that DR.. Hamilton is here merely to
meet the question Of insanity should
the defense determine to make fight
on that ground, although the defense
declines to make any definite state
nent on the subject pending the final
opinion of DR.. Mcdonald. 1t is the
concensus of opinion among those IN
terested in the case that no insanity
plea will be interposed by Judges
Titus and Lewis.