The San Francisco call., 1905-03-22

Yesterday afternoon Captain Jules
Callundan of Morse's agency and De-
tective Harry Reynolds of the regular
force, on returning from PaIo Alto,
whittier they went as escort to Miss
Beruer, were closeted with Acting
Chief of Police Spillane and Captain
Burnett for an hour and a half. Dur
ing the conference the first mentioned
two made a verbal report of the result
Of their investigations in Honolulu. 1t
was a synopsis of a written report that
VIII be prepared to-day and submitted
to Attorney Mountford Wilson. In
this report the detectives will furnish
Attorney Wilson and Captain Burnett
with an interesting account of Mrs
Stanford's death, which is greatly at
variance with the evidence adduced at
the inquest in Honolulu, although it is
founded on the testimony of the very
same witnesses at that formal hear
. ing.
In the report the detectives make
Dr. Humphris contradicts himself on
points so material in the determining
of the cause Of Mrs. Stanford's death
that II IS hard for the detectives to ar
rive at the conclusion that murder
was committed. Briefly their find
ings, which are concurred in by Presi-
dent Jordan, who was present at the
examination of witnesses after the in
quest are to the effect that an over
loaded stomach; a weak heart, excited
by overinoulgence in exercise attend
ing the aged woman's outing on the
DAY OF her death, and the use of cas-
cara with strychnine, Improperly pre-
pared, combined TO bring about her
death. In his original testimony be-
fore the Coroner's jury DR.. Humphris
described Mrs. Stanford's symptoms at
the period Of death as positive indica-
lions OF strychnine poisoning. He told
Of her terrible commissions and the
rigioity following her death.
DIED IN CHAIR.
When the detectives arrived in Hon
olulu and proceeded with a second in
Nesugation, a careful questioning of
the doctor developed the fact that in
stead OF dying in her bed as he had
previously asserted, Mrs. Stanford had
actually died in q chair Considerable
Importance is attached to this proved
fact, for II strongly tends to dispel the
theory that she died from strychnine
poisoning, for had such been the case.
the convulsions that invariably attend
the dying moments of victim of
strychnine poisoning are so severe that
II would be impossible 10 yen hold a
patent on a chair.
It was established by the detectives
that when Mrs. Stanford summoned her.
maid, Miss Hunt and her secretary.
Miss Berner, she complained of a
pauseating feeling, and the two women
I'D their mistress first to a wash stand.
where they began administering TO her
hot water and then placed her In an
ordinary straight-back, armless chair
Later they placed Mrs. Stanford's feet
IN a bucket of hot water. and while
Hiss Hunt busted herself rubbing the
sick WOman's limbs, Miss Berner got
. tin dish Of hot water which She
placed ia Mrs. Stanford's lap and then
bathed the latter's hands Had Mrs
stanford, as was previously testified
10 by Dr.. Humphris. been subjected to
severe c0nvulsions, ii would have been
impossible to keep her feet submerged
in the pail Of water, or to have ball
anced the basin Of water in her lap.
OTHER EVIDENCE.
To this strong evidence. not brought
out at the inquest. the detectives ad-
ded the informSfion, gained from Miss
Berner and Kiss Hunt, that finally
Miss Berner removed the basin from
her mistress lap and thereupon Mrs
Stanford took Miss Berner's hands in
her own and placing one against each
cheek. bitterly complained of agoniz-
ing pains in her stomach. Detective
CallUndan closely questioned DR.
Humphris concerning his knowledge of
strychnine poisoning symptoms. and
the report made to Captain Burnett
makes no hesitancy in questioning the