Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-06
THE EVIDENCE
||Of Dir. Eunice Kinney Against
Miss Richardson,
While Not So Very Damaging, Seems
Somewhat PerpIexing.
Another Chapter in the Latest Murder
Mystery at Home.

clpal evidence which led the Revere
police officials to arrest on Christmas
eve. Miss Catherine w. Richardson,
formerly of Littleton, N. H., on
chSrge Of attempting to murder her
mother, Mrs. Harley C. Richardson,
was laid before Judge Bosom in the
district court, today, in the testimony
of DIR. Eunice Kinney, who attended
Mrs. Richardson.
1t took three hours for DR.. Kinney to
relate her story and her cross exa-
mination had not been concluded when
the court adjourned. AS the govern
ment has Is other witnesses before
the defence can be heard, the question
OF either holding Miss Richardson for
the grand jury, or discharging her for
want of evidence will hardly be de-
cided until later in the week.
The main feature of DIR. Kinney's
testimony were the accounts of the
three occasions when she was called
to see Mrs. Richardson while the lat
ter was suffering from what DR.. Kin
ney diagnosed as arsenical poisoning;
an instance in which DR.. Kinney her
self was made similarly sick after
tasting of medicine at the Richardson's
sonal search by woman representa-.
| tive of the Revere police of a small
druggists envelope containing two
| powders in Miss Catherine Richard
sons stocking This last named dis
covery was made Immediately after
Miss Richardson's arrest by Chief
Sackett and was followed by Miss
| Richardson's fainting.
| The government has not yet shown
whether or not these powders were
white arsenic. although one of them
has been subjected to chemical an
alysis. The envelope, however, was
marked in pencil 10 gr. sodium bro
mide."
| DR.. Kinney was put through a severe
cross-examination by Mr.. Charles w.
Bartlett. the counsel for Miss Richard
son. during which she made a few
contradictory statements and a number
of admissions, but the substantial por-
ton of her testimony was in fairly
good condition when the court adj
journed.
The most telling point made by the
defence was that of obtaining from DR..
Kinney an admission that Mrs. Rich
lardson was evidently mildly insane,
and rambling in her statements, which
admission came directly after DR.. Kin
ney's testimony that it was Mrs. Rich
ardson who called her attention to
changes being made in the medicine
which DR.. Kinney had left for her.
| During the time in which Mrs. Rich
| ardson was under DR.. Kinney's care,
from Dec. II to Dec. 25, the latter visit
| ed her on an average of twice a day.
| On the first occasion, Dec IL, the call
was by telephone. and it was then that
| DR.. Kinney found her suffering from
burning of the throat and stomach
Although DR.. Kinney believed then
that Mrs. Richardson's illness was due
to arsenic. she admitted under cross
examination that she did not give her
the usual antidote.
| Five days later, Mrs. Richardson had
another attack and two days later a
third. Between these times she was
able to be dressed On Dec. IL, or be-
tween Mrs. Richardson's second and
third illness. Miss Richardson was also
taken sick with the same symptoms
and Dr. Kinney was hastily called
Miss Richardson told the doctor she
must have taken the wrong medicine.
| lily dllcI tillS, L. hlllIlty CdIUG
into the room suddenly and found Miss
Richardson giving medicine to her
mother This medicine did not look
| like that which DR.. Kinney had left the
day before. as she tasted of it. She
said it was blacksh and three hours
afterwards she was very sick. She
treated herself for arsenical poisoning.
Finally there came the report to the
police. which was followed by Miss
|Richardson's arrest and the search of
her person by Mrs Rollins, a repre-
sentative of the authorities. The dis
covery of the powders was the result.
DIR. Kinney admitted that Miss Rich
ardson had told her that her mother
had similar attacks before Dec. IL and
that she did not know that the family
had other medical advice while she
herself was in attendance on Mrs.
Richardson.
| With this last admission the days
hearing closed and further cross-exam-
lination was postponed until tomorrow.