The San Francisco call., 1905-03-17
Henry 0Hff Holds
to Poisoning
Theory.
Miss Berner Not
Regarded as
Suspect.
Special Cable to The Cali.

HONOLULU, March 16.-The author
ities here are as far away from a solu-
ton OF the Stanford mystery as ever
they were. While il cannot be said
that any stroke Of genius has been ex-
plotted in the case, il would be hardly
fair to blame those in charge. for the
whole subject involved is, from this
end at ali events, so batting that many
g skilled detective might find his work
cut out when he tackled it.
The case Up to the present time has
been in the hands Of High Sher-
III Henry and Deputy High Sher-
If Rawlins. Neither has had
previous experience in working up
such a difficult case. Henry was war
den OF Oahu Prison until the police up
heaval which threw High Sheriff A NJ
Brown and his deputy. c f Chilnng-
worth, out Of their positions. RaWllns
was at that time young attorney, VINO
stood well with the Republican ma
chine and had been chairman Of the
Board OF Registration for the last cleo
tions AS q criminologIst he has had
no experience whatever save in the
small cases which he has dealt in the
past few months. The policy Of both
men has been one Of caution and Sc
crecy.
HOLD TO POISON THEORY.
LLEL MIS- STANFORD the el-
fects OF strychnine poisoning is estab-
nshed beyond any peradventure say
these officials. They are also fortified
IN this conclusion by the verdict Of
the jury that heard the evidence at
the inquest. The medical testimony
showed this conclusiveIy, they con-
tend, for not only did the physicians
who were present at her death testify
70 this, but the examination of the bot
Tie OF bicarbonate of soda and of the
organs OF the deceased showed the
presence Of strychnine beyond any
manner Of doubt in their minds. That
the poison was not present in large
quantities is a fact and this has led in
one instance to the belief that Mrs.
SJanfOrds s fatal dose must have been
taken from the top of the bottle, where
most Of the deadly crystals lay, and on
the other hand that as she had dined
very sparingly, while at the same time
she had drunk a large quantity Of wa
Ter, quick absorption by the organs
would follow. so at least the medical
testimony ran.
The physicians who were at the death
bed are men who stand high in their
profession. They are DR.. ]. Howard
Humphris and DR.. H V Murray, both
residents Of the MOana Hotel, the fash
lonable hotel at Waikiki beach, which
is one Of the show places Of Honolulu,
staying
While their testimony agreed in
every particular, and there is no rea-
son 10 believe that they told anything.
or had any reason to tell anything, that
was not absolutely the truth. it is a sub
Ject Of comment that both physicians
were present during the entire exam
ination.
Rawlins' questions to the witnesses
were OF rather perfunctory nature
and the only sign Of real search in the
whole proceedings was shown by At
totney General Andrews, who asked
some pertinent questions in a purely
exploratory way along the line OF pos
sl0ie suicidal intent. Rawlins there
upon asked the Attorney General to
stop this line OF inquiry and Mr.. An
crews withdrew, as recently ii has been
decided that the Attorney Generals de-
partrnent shall only take part in GRIM
lnal cases after arrests have been made
by the Police Department.
CAPSULE COMPLICATIONS.
A point Of interest TO every one here
came out in the examination Of the
chemical experts when the fact was
demonstrated that strychnine is one of
the constituents Of cascara capsules.
such as Mrs. Stanford took before re-
urng; and IN the event Of any arrest
lhis would assuredly be seized on by
the defense. The strychnine found in
me bicarbonate Of soda was in such
small quantity that. presuming the
poison 70 have been very evenly dis
rlbuted throughout the medicine, it
would seemingly have required the ad-
-olU0nal amount in the cascara capsule
IN order to have caused death OF
course, the presumption that the
strychnine was evenly distributed
through the soda can never be estab-
hshed, and indeed the theory that the
poison would be on the top OF the bot
tie would seem TO have some weight.
Beyond this mere theorizing the case
is still deep in mystery. Miss Berner.
the constant companion Of the late
Mrs Stanford Cor a dozen years or
more, is now regarded as absolutely
free Of suspicion Certainly there
would seem TO have been an absolute
lack OF motive If for q moment II is
suggested that either she or the maid
Nay Hunt, had any guilty knowledge
q the tragedy. Miss Berner is a
very remarkable woman. 1t is believed
IL Honolulu that she has acted as a
medium for Mrs. Stanford and that il
vas through her that the deceased
lady SAVIOR at any rate believed she
saw-and communicated with the loved
ones who had preceded her across the
dark river. Miss Berner was plainly
la.bOring under an intense strain as
she gave her evidence at the inquest.
and she showed a good power of self
control.
There are still the usual number OF
crazy stories floating about, and the
noble army Of cranks has shown that
II has many a follower in Honolulu:
but as a matter of simple fact there
has been developed not thing. so far.
which can be considered as a cIag to
the identity Of the murderer, IL such
there be. The police here believe that
their work is practically finished. and
that il is now up TO the San Francfsco
force 10 find the murderer, II murder
was done. as there seems to be little
or no indication of the guilty nartv
being in the Territory Of Hawaii.