The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-12
MORE EXPERT EVIDENCE
TESTIMONY OF DOCTORS AS To THE
CAUSE OF RICE'S DEATH.
DIR. Gardner of Opinion the Million
aire Did Not Die as a Result of
C~hIOrOfOrm Poisoning.

NEW YORK, March r.-Prof. James
Ewing, of the medical department of Cor
nell University, who testified yesterday for
the defense in the trial of Albert T. Pat
rick, who is accused of the murder Of Will
lam NJ. Rice, was on the stand again to-day.
His cross-examination was continued by
Assistant District Attorney Osborne. who
put a long hypothetical question that in
cluded all the history of Mr.. Rice's illness
as related by Jones and by DR.. Wilkes Cur
ry, and asked DR.. Ewing if he could find
anything between IL o'clock on the morn
ing of Sunday and 8 o'clock in the evening,
when Rice died, which could have caused
death.
Mr.. Moore objected on the ground that
the question did not contain a fair state
ment of testimony in the case. Recorder
Golf overruled the objection. DIR. Ewing
said the question was so full of contradic-
tions that he could not answer it. Asked to
detail the contradictions, he said Mr..
Rice's lungs could not be normal when the
autopsy report showed an area of conges-
ton that indicated pneumonia; that he
could not have been thoroughly examined
by a competent physician If the person
making the examination found no indica-
ton of lung trouble, and attributed the
difficulty in breathing to mental worry.
Mr.. Osborne amended the question and
DR.. Ewing said there was no need for
anything 10 intervene to cause death be-
yond the symptoms described and disre-
garded by DR.. Curry.
DR.. Ewing said that taking into con-
sideration the consolidation in Rice's lung
shown by the autopsy, together with the
congestion and other conditions found, he
thought there was sufficient to account for
the death of a patient 81 years old. The
pneumonia might have killed Rice in two
hours or il might have taken longer.
On redirect examination DR.. Ewing said
he thought pneumonia, oedema and con-
gestion of the lungs were present in Rice's
case.
DIR. John II. Gardner was the next wit
ness. He said he was the author of a work
on chloroform. Mr.. Moore described the
administration of chloroform as Jones said
he gave il TO Mr.. Rice, and asked DR.
Gardner if it could be done that way. I'm
my opinion" DIR. Gardner replied, lit
could not. The shock of placing the chloro-
form in a cone as described, over the face
OF a Parent WWouIG aWaken the patent
istered slowly" DR.. Gardner said a
observation-disclosures rag would not burn
as Jones described the burning of the towel
he took from Mr.. Rice's face. He said he
based his reply upon the results OF those
experiments Recorder Goff would not let
him describe those experiments.
Mr.. Moore put the same hypothetical
question as to the cause of death that he
had put 10 DR.. Ewing, and DR.. Gardner
replied: II answer your question as a
physician, not as a pathologist- From the
picture you have drawn form the opinion
that the patient died of oedema or dropsy
of the lungs. and that a remote cause OF
death was nephritiS.'
Ibid the patient die Of chloroform poison
ing?"
oning in anything you have said"
Cour adjourned.