Evening journal., 1903-07-03
MRS. PHARES' FATE
IN JURY'S HANDS
Counsel for Accused Tears
the States Evidence to
Shreds
WOMAN BETRAYS NO EMOTION

MRS. fnaIc5 IN Almost tenant ionth
Declared She Did Not Give Husband
stryehnine in Any Form and Did
Nothing to Cause His Death.
Mt Holly. N. j.. July 3.-The case
Of Mrs. Annie phurca. charged with
killing her husband. Albert phares
was given to the jury today. Prose
cutor Atkinson opened the argument
and severely arraigned the accused
and Garfield. Taylor Nlvidly did the
prosecutor describe the events the
state alleges took place on the day
OF the murder; how after giving her
husband one dose of strychnine, Mrs.
Phares, finding that the effect was not
sufficient, gave him more. The agony
OF the mans death was graphically
portrayed by Mr.. Atkinson. and dur
ing the recital Mrs. Phares watched
the prosecutor closely. but not mus
Gle of her face betrayed the faintest
emotion. Briefly outlining the mo-
tive for the crime. which he said, had
been plainly shown. M Atkinson
closed
Eckhart p. Budd then opened his
address for the defense. lie took the
inferences OF the state and analyzed
them. He did not say that Mrs. Phares
had not purchased strychnine. but as
serted that the actual reason for the
purchase of the poison had been for
the destruction of rats, as Mrs. Phares
had told the druggist lie then COM
mented on what he called the absurd
ity of the state's inferences. and the
improbability of an intelligent person
doing what Mrs. Phares is said to have
done
Mr.. Budd next took four tablets
from a bottle offered in evidence. the
medicine which Mrs. rhares had got
ten from the doctor. These pellets
the lawyer placed Ia an envelope ard
crushed under his foot, and, placing
the powder on a spoon, showed it TO
the jury
There" said he. "isn't that like the
powder which Mr.. Burr said was given
20 Phares?" Some is fine and some
is IN little chunks and brown in color,
and If you will taste It you win find
that it is the most bitter thing you
have ever had in your mouth. Isn't
that the states whole case? And yet
that powder is a harmless medicine
for stomach trouble"
Mr. Budd tore the states case TO
shreds and tried to convince the jury
that It was made out of the fiimsiest
sort of evidence. He declared that If
Phares died of poison the drug was
solfadministerod He scored phares
for introducing Taylor IN his home,
and for allowing him 10 remain alone
with his wife. In concluding Mr. Budd
said:
"We don't know what Albert Phares
died OF, he said. "and don't propose
to try to find out lie may have died
from poisoning or from some natural
cause. but If he did dieirom poisoning
we insist that he took Il himself either
by accident or by design. l don't say
that the man committed suicide, but
you have heard that he on several
occasions had said he wished he was
dead"
At the end of Mrs. Phares direct
testimony she made a clear ringing
, and almost defiant denial OF having
in any way administered the poison
which caused Phares' death. The in
cident was one of the most dramatic
of the trial, and came at the close OF
her direct testimony as a witness In
Z her own behalf She declared she
didn't give strychnine in any form tc
! her husband while he was i'll, and did
nothing I'm any way to cause his death
With this statement she was turned
over to the prosecution to be cross
= examined.
This was short but keen. II failed
to shake Mrs. Phares' testimony II
any degree dangerous to her defense
II did, however, show a certain lacl
OF frankness when the prosecutor
asked regarding the trip to Camden
when the witness and Taylor passe,
as man and wife. Mrs. Phares sait
she had said she was married. but shl
! hadn't said Taylor was her husband
/ The prosecution also scored a small
point in regard to the purchase of thi
poison. when the witness admitted
, she hadn't told her husband she hal
bought It or where she kept It, evel
though he had told her. as she said
TO buy It. In the main. however, Mrs
Phares' evidence for herself was no
disproved. Soon after Mrs. Phare
Il left the stand the defense rested. an
4 the argument was started.