The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-03-04
MISS BERNER
SUSPECTED
Mrs. Stanford's Secretary
Contrddicts Herself
AWAITING THE CHEMISTS REPORT
AWAITING THE CHEMISTS REPORT
Strychnlne Used Is Believed To H,v.
Come From Stanford Stables
at Palo Alto.

SAN FRANCISCO, March 4.-Re-
yond the departure for Honolulu to-
day of Detective Harry r. Reynolds of
the city force, Captain James Callun-
uan, head OF a private detective agency
employed by representatives of the
Stanford estate, David Starr Jordan
president OF the Stanford university
and Timothy Hopkins. one of the trus-
tees of the university, the morning
developed nothing new in the great
Stanford death mystery. Rumors fol-
lowed by prompt denials were not
lacking, but tangible facts were alb
sent. The first rumor denied was the
alleged finding of a bottle of strych-
nine in the Stanford mansion. The
police declare that in Fridays search
only few simple bottles of medicine
were found. Another rumor was to
the ERECT that it was authoritatively
announced that strychnine mad been
found in Mrs. Stanfords stomach.
Neither police, Mrs. Stanford's broth
er, nor counsel for the Stanford es-
tate have any such information, and
all deny the report on the work thus
far accomplished by the analytical
lulu or cabled to San Francisco. Miss
Berners admission that she purchased
the bottle of bicarbonate of soda and
tnat the purchase was made after the
first poisoning and three days before
the time she says it was packed away
to remain untouched until Mrs. Stan
ford alSived in Honolulu is considered
fatal teAneF site of the ease. liz set
Miss Berner's many contradictory
statements and bad memory have not
helped dispel the impression that she
is attempting to shield the guilty per-.
son. The police department is still
resting on it's oars. but is ready to
make arrests as soon as information
comes from Honolulu that poison was
actually found in the stomach of Mrs.
Stanford. There can be no question
that a number of former Stanford SER
wants and servants now cooped up in
the Stanford mansion and perhaps
two or three other Stanford employees
will be taken into custody as soon as
it is definitely ascertained that Mrs.
Stanford was poisoned.
Before sailing the detectives had
another conference with the police of
ICldlS ana were HOl OILY 10
escort Miss Berner and Miss Hunt to
San Francisco but to bring other ma
terial witnesses if found expedient.
All tangible evidence will be turned
over by the Honolulu police to San
Francisco officers. The fact that the
strychnine found in the mineral water
of which Mrs. Stanford partoOk when
first poisoned is identical with the
strychnine used about the Stanford
stables to kill rats is conceded as a
most important discovery. The police
anticipate no difficulty in learning the
identity of persons who could have had
access to the poison kept in the stables
and they believe that the clew will
lead direct to the person or persons
responsible for the presence of poison
in the bicarbonate Of soda.
1t was persistently reported today
that the name of the actual instigator
of the crime has not yet appeared pub
licly. The police, it is stated, agrees
that carefully laid plot eliminated
in the death of Mrs. Stanford and that
one high up Matched the plot Chief
of Police Spi1laine announced posi-
lively this afternoon that arrests will
be made Immediately upon the receipt
of the chemists report that srychnine
has been found in the stomach.