The San Francisco call., 1905-03-05
STRIVING TO FIND POISON.

SIeuths Having Medicines in Mrs.
Stanford's Closet AnaIyzed.
An investigation OF the Stanford
mansion on California street Thursday
by Captain Burnett and Captain CAL
lundan revealed the fact that Mrs.
Stanford's medicine closet contained
many bottles and boxes of liquids and
powders that had been purchased in
various parts of the world during her
travels abroad. Many of the prescrip-
tions were purchased in this city and
bear upon their labels the names of
the apothecaries and the names of the
prescriptions. Whenever the police
found a prescription whose contents
they did not thoroughly understand
they carefully laid it aside and have
since caused ii to be analyzed. In a
number Of cases they have sent police
men in civilian clothes to drugstores
with the numbers of the prescriptions
and had them ref1lled, after which the
purchase has been submitted to chem
lists for analysis for the purpose of de-
termining whether or not the medi-
cines contained strychnine properly
prescribed or in quantities that would
suggest that it had been admins
tered with criminal intent.
While this work is in progress the
detective office is engaged in looking
up the careers of the various members
of the Stanford household against
whom any suspicion has been directed.
Particularly careful will this work be
in the cases of Miss Richmond, maid
to the late Mrs Stanford, and former
Butler Beverly. Prior to coming to this
country they were in service in Eng
land, Beverly having been a butler in
the employ of Lily Langtry and Miss
Richmond a maid in the households of
prominent British families. The main
purpose of the investigation is to learn
if Beverly and Miss Richmond enjoyed
unblemished regulations on the other
side of the Atlantic, and further If
they were. there acquainted or came to
this country together. To those who
have been watching the detectives in
their hunt for information concerning
the former maid and butler of Mrs.
Stanford it would seem that the au-
thorities are deeply concerned in those
two individuals and propose to over
look nothing in their careers.
The police have started out again
with renewed Yigor in search of a clew
as to who may have purchased the
strychnine said TO have been used to
poison Mrs. Stanford. Twice have the
apothecary establishments Of this city
and Palo Alto been appealed to to fur
nish any information they may have re-
garding sales of the deadly drug, but
the results have been anything but
satisfactory. First, Captain Harry
Morse, acting for Attorney Mountford
Wilson, addressed a circular to all the
local druggists asking them for the
much desired information. He received
many replies giving the names Of pur-
chasers of strychnine during the last
of the drug stores, and representatives
Of the Morse agency were sent out to
investigate each case, but nothing was
accomplished. Detectives were also sent
to Palo Alto and San Mateo on a SINH
lar mission, but they returned with
out any clew. A few days ago the
regular police made general inquiry
throughout this city and adjacent
towns with the same poor result.
Yesterday it was resolved by Act
ing Chief Of Police Spillane and Cap
tain of Detectives Burnett to institute
a more thorough search and to extend
the date of possible purchase back sew
eral months, on the theory that the plot
TO kill Mrs Stanford may have orig
mated long before the strychnine is al
legged to have first been administered
to her in this city. Acting on this
supposition the patrolmen on every
beat have been instructed to make in
quiries at each drug store within their
jurisdiction.
It is admitted by the heads of the
Police Department that their hopes of
tracing the purchaser of the strychnfne
are not very good. They think it pos
sible that the culprit. If an employe of
Mrs. Stanford, may have obtained the
drug from a quantity that may have
been in the Palo Alto home or the
house in this city. IT is not unfreouent-
~ the case that strychnine is used
about houses to destroy rats and this
may have been the case at Palo Alto
Consequently the detectives are making
a careful search of the Stanford prem
ises with the idea Of confirming this
theory.
Stamford AI.,.,..e