The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-24
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LEYH VERDICT INDEFINITE.
KILLED BY POISON ADMINS
TERED BY Az UNKNOWN.
Enough Cyanide Of Potassium Found In His
stomach to Mil Quickiy-Westphal
Repeats His Story OF Putting Head.
ache Powders In beer Old Man Drank.


Fifty-two witnees,s were in the County
Court in Brooklyn yesterday morning when
Coroner Williams began the inquest into
the death OF George F. Leyh, the aged Will
liamsburg truss maker, who died on the
afternoon OF Dec. ?. after being poisoned
by drinking beer into which some fatal
substance had been placed. II was ex-
pected, particularly by the police. that ad-
titional light would be thrown on the cir
cumstances surrounding Mr.. Leyh's death
and lead to a solution OF the mystery. Moth
ing OF a startling nature. however, was
disclosed. the principal witness simply re-
hearsing what already has been told. After
the jury had been selected Coroner Williams
began the inquest at 030 o'clock by calling
Robert Westphal, the boy who was in Mr..
Leyh's employ Westphal retold the cir
cumstances Of the drinking Of the poison d
beer by Mr.. Leyh. and said that Mr.. Leyh
first took glass Of whiskey, then glass OF
OF wine and later bottle Of beer.
When the boy was asked u there was
anything in the glass before the beer was
placed in II, he replied that there were
headache powders in the glass. and not
bromo seltzer, as he had state at first
When he was informed that he had said that
he had put bromo settler into the glass and
was asked why he had changed his state
ment. he said that Miss Isabelle Leyh, and
Mrs. Mcleod, daughters OF Mr.. Leyh, had
told him not to say anything about the
headache powders. The boy added that
1t was o'clock in the evening when he was
told not to say anything about the head
ache powders. Westphal then related the
circumstances attending the illness Of Mr..
Leyh after he had swallowed the poisoned
beer and how he, westphal, had summoned
Isabelle from a telephone on the opposite
side Of the street.
Concerning the money which the boy st ole,
he said; Il found the pocketbook lying
on the floor near the store and picked
it up and put it in my pocket. 1t containd
s21os; ! don't know who the money be-
He told how he later purchased bicycle
and pair Of gloves Assistant District
Attorney Francis x McCanrv questioned
Mestphal about the headache D wders.
When Mr.. McCanry asked him why ne didn't
tell Mr.. Leyh what he was going to do with
the headache powders he replied that he did
not know. but a few moments later In reply
TO he same question put in AZ other form he
said that the reason he did not tell Mr.
Leyh was because he was afraid Mr.. Leyh
ccJCSt. "eS'Pfldl duutd tnat ne
used to put headache powders into the old
mans wine and that Mr. Ieyh did not
like u, Westphal was asked how much
powder he had put in the beer and he re-
plied half powder"
Q.How many powders did you have,
Q-what did you do with the others, A.
Z rev them In the fire.
.Why?-
The boy hesi,ated and then said that he
did so because he thought he had used
enough.
weetphsl testified further that there were
several bromo settler bottles in the
room and that Isabelle Leyh used bromo
settler.
After Theodore Yunkers, a bicycle dealer.
had testified to the purchase OF a bicycle
by Westphal for s2s 80. Miss Leyh was
called. She testified that on the morning
Of the day her father was poisoned, he had
directed her to write to West phal's mother
telling her that the boy was getting worse
and worse. Miss Leyh added that her
phal hard name that morning. Miss
Leyh told how she had gone 70 a telephone
TO speak to her sister. Mrs. Mcleod, and
how while she was al the phone Vest hal
appeared and told her to 60 home at once
as her father was sick She did so and
found him in great agony.
Miss Leyh was questioned by the Coroner
about Adolph Lepke. who formerly worked
for her father. The young woman said
that the best feeling existed between her
father. and Mr., Lepke. who called once in
a while, and that she had gone out with
him twice.
When the Coroner finished Assistant
District Attorney McCaffry questioned her,
and she told him that her father was con-
tinually quarrelling with westphal because
he did not attend TO his duties,
o-Wiat, did YOU hear your father call the
A -
o--hsd YOU instructed Robert to place
Q-That Is rig - Ayes, sir.
TT j. A. Mcleod, a son-in-aw Of the
trussmaker. and DR.. George F. Leyh, a
son, both testified being called to the house
10 attend the dying man. Coroners' Physi-
clan Wuast testified to the autopsy and
said that there was evidence Of irritation of
undoubtedly swallowed some irritating
poison.
Edward Levin Of i4i Palmetto street.
who was disinherited by his father in a
former will, said that he was on friendly
terms with his parent and that the last
time he saw him was about n wear ago.
He added that he knew nothing Of the cir
cumstances connected with his fathers
death
DR., Walter X Kent, chemist. made an
exhaustive report on the results of his exam
ination Of the contents Of Lewis stomach,
as well as Of the beer in the bottle and in
the glass. He said that he found cyanide
of potassium in large quantities In all three
The walls Of the stomach we're corroded,
When the Prussian blue test was applied
unmistakable evidences Of cyanide OF po-
tassium appeared
In his quantitative analysis he found
two and two-tenths Kilograms OF cyanide.
This result may be low. he said, partly
through Incomplete extraction and partly
from decomposition Of the cyanide The
relation Of that quantity found to the dose
taken Is not well established"
Concerning the bromo settler bottles he
said he found no cyanide in their contents.
After completing your analysis" asked
Coroner Williams. ARE you able to say
that there was sufficient cyanide Of potas-
stun In George F. Leyh's stomach to kill
and kill quickly"
Yes, sir, answered DR.. Kent
The Coroner then charged the Jury who
returned verdict Of dc ath caused BY eva
Ride OF potassium. administered by some
person or persons unknown.
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