The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-03-03
FOUND STRYCHNINE.
Enough in Mrs. Stanford's soda to
Kill 662 People.

San Francisco. March 3.-Acting
Chief of Police Spillant has received a
cable dispatch from William Henry,
high sheriff of Honolulu. saying:
1.-THE Stanford bottle of bicarbonate
soda contained 43 drains, 662 grains
of strychnine. An examination of the
organs is under way"
Information has been received that
the bottle of bicarbonate of soda from
which Mrs Stanford took the fatal
dose at Honolulu was filled at the
Stanford pharmacy at Pafo Alto two
days before she left for Hawaii. De-
tectives are at work to trace the bot
tle-- 1t IS said that a large amount of
strychnine was in the possession of
the servants on the estate for the pur-
pose of poisoning squirrels at the time
OF the first attempt on Mrs. Stanford's
DR.. W. G. Stevens. a medical expert
made this positive statement:
Six hundred and sixty-tWo grains
OF strychnine easily would kill 662
persons The maximum dose admin
lstered is only One-fifteenth of a grain,
while the average is one-fortieth of a
grain
Louis Falkenau, who made the
analysis of the mineral water drunk
by Mrs. Stanford last January and
which was poisoned with strychnine,
said;
''Strychnine in bicarbonate of soda
cannot be detected easily Soda has
something like strychnine. 1t woulI
require an expert to detect the pres
ence Of strychnine, but it could be
done very readily"
The finding OF the large amount Of
poison in the bicarbonate bottle puzzles
Mrs Stanford's relatives and attorneys
in this city. Mount Fords Wilson, chief
counsel for her and C. @. IlathrOp her
brother, today declined to make any
statement until they had received di-
rect advices from Honolulu They held
an extended conference with D 0.
Mills. but would not discuss the matter
under consideration though it is inti- !
mated that Mrs Stanford's will was
mentioned.
The Call publishes a dispatch from
Honolulu which says that Miss Bertha
Berner, who was Mrs. Stanford's sec
rotary, has named All Wing. a Chinese
cook. who has been employed by Mrs.
whom she suspects of placing the
strychnine in the bicarbonate of soda.
All Wing. with the other servants in
the employ of Mrs Stanford is now
confined in the Stanford mansion by
private detectives. They are not allow
ed to leave the house and a Waterman
guards the gate day and night.
President JOrdan's View.
Stanford University, Cal. March s.
David Starr Jordan, president of the
Stanford. said today:
Mrs. Stanford was perfectly clear in
her mind the last time / saw her. which
was on the 15th or January. the day af-
ter the reported poisoning in San Fran
CISCO Since that time I have had sew
eral letters from her in her own hand
writing and defy any one to state they
are not perfectly logical The only time
Mrs. Stanford mentioned the reported
poisoning was the day after it occurred
as she came down on the train with me.
For my part. do not think she drank
any poisoned water. Strychnine might
have been introduced into the water af-
forwards for spiteful purposes. possibly
petty quarrel of servants. This is only
my own theory of the matter"
President Jordan said that Mrs Stan |
ford's death would not have any i'm
mediate effect in regard to the UNIVERSE
ty as she was fully in harmony with |
the policy of the board of trustees. |