The San Francisco call., 1905-03-07


deep interest.
DR.. C. B. Wood, one Of the physicians
who conducted the autopsy, testified
that the symptoms found by him and
the other physicians were indicative
OF strychnine poisoning, which was the
cause Of death. The body had the ap-
pearance Of that of a woman of e5
years Of age-one who enjoyed good
health. No other cause Of death ex-
cept that indicated could be discovered
by the physicians.
The body, Dr. Wood said, was first
examined for external causes OF death,
but without result, and then for exter-
nal appearances, for the reason that
the physicians had been informed that
there was suspicion of poisoning by
the administration Of strychnine.
UNUSUAL RIGIDITY FOUND.
One symptom of such poisoning, the
doctor said, is unusual rigiditY. Mrs.
Stanford's mouth was rigid and the
teeth were locked. The neck was not
rigid, and the muscles of the upper
arm were relaxed. This would not be
expected in a case resulting from
strychnine poisoning, but the doctors
were informed that the undertaken had
broken up the rigidity of the body so
as TO put gown on it.
The forearms, DIR. Wood said were
rigid to marked degree, and also the
thighs and legs. The appearance of
the feet, according TO the witness,
would indicate strychnine poisoning.
The instep was arched, the feet turned
in and drawn up at the toes.
Mrs. Stanford's body. Dr. Wood said,
was the color of violet or purple. He
said that he had examined all the or
gans and had turned over to DR.. R. A.
nrsra
Chemical Analyst of the Board of
Health, the contents of the stomach.
The left side of the heart was found to
be contracted, while the right side was
relaxed On the left side he found one
and half teaspoonfuls of dark blood,
while the right side of the heart was
nearly empty and without clots.
The post-mortem appearances in
known cases of strychnine poisoning,
the witness said, corresponded with
those found in the autopsy. The ex-
animation of the different organs fail
ed to show any sufficient cause of
death due to disease.
STRYCHNINE CAUSED DEATH.
In reply to a question by Deputy
High Sheriff Rawlins, DR.. Wood said
that the post-mortem appearances, as
far as post-mortem signs go, indicated
strychnine poisoning.
DR.. T. r. Day, another of the ply
sicians who conducted the autopsy,
agreed with DR.. Wood that strychnine
poisoning was the only cause Of death
indicated.
The first witness examined by the
Coroner's jury was Miss Bertha Ber-
ner who had been Mrs Stanford's
secretary for the last twenty years,
and who came to Honolulu with her
on the Pacific Mail Company's steam
er Korea from San Francisco.
Miss Berner. who was examined by
Deputy High Sheriff Rawlins, after
she had made preliminary statements
Stanford, testified that the latter had
left San Francisco on the advice of
her brother, her physician and her at
torney, who had told her it was not
advisable to remain in the latter city.
Miss Berner testified that Mrs. Stan
ford said to her:
If 1 am not to stay in my San
Francisco home, and as the wet sea-
son is coming on, rendering il mad
visable for me to go to my country
residence, / prefer to go to Honolulu,
as II Is warmer there"
Miss Berner continued:
THE occasion which compelled
Mrs. Stanford to seek advice on this
question was the occurrence of Janu-
ary IA, when she drank mineral water
at her California residence and found
it bitter to the taste. This water was
afterward examined by a chemist
who reported that it contained strych-
nine, l saw the written report made
by the chemist at the time.
MRS. STANFORD SAD.
ION the steamer coming to Homo
lulu Mrs. Stanford appeared to be sad
and troubled in her mind, but after
her arrival here she recovered her
spirits and took numerous drives
which she appeared to greatly en-
joy
The witness here described drive
taken by Mrs. Stanford to a picnic on
the day of her death, the facts of
which have been already referred to
in these dispatches. She said that
Mrs. Stanford seemed very bright
that she sang a little song and told
the driver to proceed slowly so as to
make the drive last as long as pos
sible.
At this stage of the examination Miss
Berner showed signs of breaking down.
She recovered, however, and described
the luncheon of which Mrs. Stanford
partook at the picnic.
This luncheon lasted from 1 o'clock
until half-Dast l. after which the lit
tie party started on its return to Homo
lulu. The carriage stopped at a store,
where orders were given regarding a
costume for Mrs. Stanford, and the
party arrived at the Moano Hotel at 4
clock.
Mrs. Stanford, the witness said went
directly to her room so as to rest be-
fore dinner.
The next 1 saw Of Mrs. Stanford.
said the witness, was at half-past 7
O'Clock, when she came to my room
dressed for dinner. On the way to din
ner we stopped at the room of Mrs.
M. S. Grinbaum, to whom Mrs. stan
ford spoke OF how she enjoyed the
days outing"
ATE SOUP ONLY.
Miss Berner repeated the statement
already made to the Associated Press
correspondent and mentioned in these
dispatches that when the SOUP was
served Mrs. Stanford told the waiter n
would be sufficient, as she was not
hungry, having lunched heartily.
After retiring to her room Mrs. Stan
ford asked Miss Berner to prepare her
medicine, and the witness first placed
on the table a glass of the mineral
water desired by her employer and aft
erward placed half a teaspoonfuI of
of soda and one laxative
tablet beside it. The witness then left
Mrs. Stanford for the night. This was