The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-03-14
DIED a NATURAL DEATH
Doctors on Stand Declare William
Rice Was Not Killed.

Doctors on Stand Declare William
Rice Was Not Killed.
New York. March l3.-Assistant Dis-
trict Attorney Osborne resumed the cross
examination OF Or. John H. Girduer. in
the trial of Albert T. Patrick. accused
Of the IT urder of Wm. Rice Mr. Osborne
described the medical hosiery Of Rice's
case from the prosecutions point cf view
and asked the witness if under tee con
ditions existing at il "a. m. as told ,y the
attending physician. something must have
intervened 10 cause Rice's death at 3
O'Clock in the evening.
There W as quite sufficient evidence
Of oedema of the lungs AT that time. DR.
Girdner replied. TO account for the death
without anything intervening.
DR.. Alexander c.. Leun OF Philadelphia
an expert in disease OF the lungs. was
then called
Mr.. Moore described the chloroforring
Of Rice IS recounted By Jones. and ~ ed
DR.. Leuf. if il could have been accom-
plished without waking the patient Dr.
Leuf said he thought not. He had never
been able 10 administer chlor0form 10 a
sleeping patient Mr. Moore produced a
life sized colored figure Of The haman
body showing the action OF the blood and
DR.. Leuf described the circulation Of the
blood and the manner in which Il is
forced into and out OF the heart and longs
He illustrated TO the jury how chioro-
form kills by paralyzing the centers OF
respiration and by paraiyzing the action
Of the heart Dr. Leuf said il was his
opinion shat Rice died because Of bad
r-s. Il
cause OF the lung conditions. lie Jid not
think death was que 10 chloroform pois-
oning
In answer to AIr. Osborne DR.. Leuf said
acute co-extensive congestion OF the iungs
vas a disease by itself. The witness pub
lished a book about it in iSs5 NJ. Os-
borne read from his book which described
as invariable symptoms OF the disease
in question; symptoms which the prosecu-
ting attorney said were not disclosed fn
the autopsy on Mr.. Rice body Dr Leuf
said the statements were true whom ne
made them. but experience had taught
him that some of those statements must
be modified. The recorder asked II in
view OF his later experience ne had made
any public correction or modification or
the articles he wrote on acute pulmonary
congestion. DR.. Leuf said he had not
beyond talking about w,iat he had learyzed
with his associates.
Alr. Osborne wanted 10 make tesr with
q towel and chIoroform 20 determine how
long the odor Of the drug would continue
perceptible, but the recorder ovcrruIci the
request.
In the afternoon DR.. Kenneth w Mill
ken testified that he thought Rice'1 death
was due to oedeman OF the lungs
Or. Austin Flint who was surgeon
general in the army in the civn war ANA
who is professor OF physiology IT Core
nell university. testified that there were
cases in record where mercury had been
found In the body year after * had been
Mr. Moore asked the witness 70 assume
che conditions described hv Jones ia the
killing of Rice and 60 say hat aoalJ
be tho effect Of the patient
III tho patient were in natural sleep
he would awaken and throw or the
cone. replied Dr. Flint
In reply 20 a hypothetical question as
% the cause q Rice's death Dr. Flint
replied:
"Oederaa a the lungs
To Mr. Osborne. Or. Flnt said thar the
congestion % the Lungs caused by chloro- f
form would not last long enough t. pro- :
duce oedema-