The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-15
PHILADELPHIA POISON SHOP.
POLICE TRYING TO LAY TWENTY
MURDERS 70 HASSEI.
All Physicians VINO Live Near the Herd
Doctor Asked 10 Tell About strange
Deaths-Mrs. Williams Confronted
with the Negro-Hls Own story Told.

Doctor Asked 10 Tell About strange
Deaths-Mrs. Williams Confronted
with the Negro-His Own story Told.
PHILADELPHIA, March 1.-THE police
are irving to fastep a score OF murders
upon George Hassey, the negro herb doctor
who, they assert, operated murder mill
Mt which lives could be snufled out for
prices ranging from go up. Develop
ments as startling as those In the ceie-
DRAFTED Holmes case are promised
Confirmation OF the story that the raid
on Hassey herb shop was due to an
effort to find out where John and Annie
Williams, now awaiting trial on the charge
OF murder, purchased the arsenic alleged
TO have been used In the killing OF their
two children, was secured yesterday
Mrs. Williams was brought up from
Moyamensing Prison and confronted with
Hassey In the presence OF an assistant
District Attorney and two detectives.
Did you ever see this man before?' she
was asked.
Il don't know replied Mrs. Williams
sharply Then she turned TO Hassey and
said Are you the man we engaged to take
our ashes away when we moved into ll35
Vienna street,?
Il never saw you in my ife.' replied
Hassey.
Hassey's connection with the Williams
case the Central ONCE absolutely refuses
to discuss. Were sure Of our ground In
the Williams case was all Assistant
District Attorney Thayer would say.
DR.. Meeker, the chemist. who declares
the slow powders" supplied by Hassey
were rich In arsenic and who is testing
tho viscera Of the late william j. DAM
for poison, had long consultation with
the acting District Attorney this morning
Every physician within a radius Of half
q mile Of Hassey's home has been sum-
moned to give evidence as to mysterious
deaths among his patients.
This man Hassey has been dispensing
his slow powders' for ten years; said MI
Slayer to-day. NO one can tell the num-
ber of his victime We have already under
Investigation three cases. In our raid on
thu. house we have found memoranda giving
the names OF the hcrb doctor's patrons.
All are being looked up. He has made
since his arrest many incr'm'natine state
mcnts.
To TuY SUH correspondent Massey, to-
day said. Il am no poisoner. I'm an herb
doctor. ] cure people, not Kill EN-. MY
mother was an herb doctor before me
and have made medicines for thirty years.
The principal thing ! givo my patients
is a mi xture Of swamp root, sassafras,
wild cherry. princess pine, snake root and
half an ounce Of mandrake. ] always
gathered the herbs myself and mixed EN-
up according to the receipts my mother
taught mo-
Concerning Detective Gavin, who saws
Hassey wanted him to kill his wife, the
herb doctor said: Gavin came to me
and said he had kidney disease. The
medicine gave him was buchu and smart
weed. He came back and said II did him
good. Then he said, But that's not what
7 came 70 Gee you for. My wife drinks
and want you To help me. I'm thinking
I'll get a divorce.
L did tell him not to get divorce ana
TO bring me three strands OF her hair and
/ would fix his wife for him. l meant
would work a charm 20 she would stop
drinking. The powder l gave him was
part Of the charm. / never gave him
poison. He lies If he says So.
what were you doing with that poisonf-
he was asked.
Il needed 1t for rats.
DO you believe in charms'
OF course ! do" answered the voodoo
doctor promptly. .,
Harry J. Scott, attorney for Mrs. Danz.
denounces her arrest and says there is no
evidence against her.
L shall apply at once for hei release on q
writ OF habeas corpus. he said.