The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-05-20


rop druggist swho said Mrs. Collins
bought rough on rats was not endorsed
on the information until after the trial
began. The law requires that this be
done before, or else affidavit must be
made showing that witness connection
with the case was not previously known.
The jury is allowed to hold conversa-
tion with no one excepting the officersin
charge of it. Some of the jurors wished
to go to church Sunday, but others re-
fused, and as all must be kept together
none went to church. A similar condi-
tion of affairs arose Monday when some
wished to golto Wixom Bros. circus.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
During the session of court on Tues
day afternoon Attorney McCurdy, for
the defense, asked that an order be
made giving1M MRS. Collins the right to
talk to her friends as she saw fit. The
People replied that such privilege had
always been extended, with the single
exception of Col. Northwood. McCurdy
declared that statement to be false, and
Mr.. Chapman retorted that he had it
from the sheriff such was the case, and
that he would rather believe the sheriff
than defense.
Sheriff Gerow recently received some
medicine for Mrs. Collins from an un-
known friend of the woman's. but would
not deliver it, promising to buy her
other medicine if she desired it. The
sheriff wishes to take no chances.
DIR. A. M. Hume, of Owosso, was on
the stand Tuesday and testified that
death in Leachman's case was undoubt-
edly due to arsenical poisoning, as the
prominent symptoms were apparent in
the body after death.
DIR. BRUCE GOOD WITNESS.
DR.. Jay D. Bruce, of New Lothrop,
who treated Leachman at different
times, was on the stand most of We'd
nesday and Thursday and proved to be
good witness. He is keen and intelli-
gent, has positive opinions, and cannot
be shaken1in them. To prepare for the
case, DIR. Bruce took two weeks course
at Chicago institution on mineral
poisoning. His testimony has been very
damaging to the defense.
When DR.. Bruce was asked by the de-
fense whether he treated Leachman for
gastritis two years before the latters
death, he replied that Leachman did
not have gastritis, but was debilitated
from over work. The defense has been
assuming all along, and basing questions
on the assumption, that this illness was
gastritis.
In September, 1908, DR.. Bruce was
called to the Collins place to see Leach
man, and diagnosed his illness as due to
ptomaine poisoning. Ptomaine comes,
often from germ in the water, and is
very similar in symptom to arsenscal
poisoning. Mrs. Collins was in perfect
health apparently at this time, suppos-
ing that the poison came from the
water, DR.. Bruce advised against using
the we'll. Mrs Collins showed an expert
knowledge of poisons, apparently, at
this point, for she told the doctor that
she purified the water with painful of
salt. and salt is the best known enutrali-
zer of toxic poison. Leachman got
well, and DR.. Bruce went away on his
vacation. The hired man was taken
sick again the next month, and although
the symptoms were the same, DR.. Shoe
maker, who was called, did not recog-
nize them. Leachman died before DR..
Bruce's return.
The witness stated that an intimate
knowledge of the systems tolerance
would not be necessary to poison with
out suspicion, as the prisoner could be-
gin on very small dose and gradually
increase it.