Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-11
STATE 5 EVIDENCE
NEARLY ALL GWEN
Likely That Prosecution Will
Finish Its Testimony Tomor-
row In Pratt Case
EXPERTS ON STAND TODAY
State Chemist Kinney Recalled, States
His Opinion That Arsenic Was in the
Stomach Before Death-other Wit
nesses corroborate His Opinion
Today's Proceedings.
snecia, to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Rockwell City, Jan. 11.-ln the Pratt
murder trial today the state recalled
Professor Kinney, state chemist. He
said very little of the embalming fluid
could find its way into the stomach on
account of the position of the corpse,
and the time the injections are made.
There was very little indication OF
| zinc in the stomach, aud the formade-
i hyde seemed to have made little or no
impression on the stomach, or the ef-
feet would have been more noticeable.
Kinney stated that the arsenic must
have been in the stomach prior to the
injection of the embalming fluid
SCoroner Morton was also recalled. He
gave it as his opinion that the stom-
ach was ruptured prior to the time of
it's removal from the body.
The states evidence is about all in.
1t is expected that the testimony for
the prosecution will be finished to-
morrow and it is possible it may be
fconcluded this afternoon. 1t looks now
| as If all of next week will be required
ITO finish the case.
!! In the examination of State Chemist
| kinney yesterday afternoon the state
| after long and exhaustive eXamina-
| ton propounded a hypothetical ques-
ton The question embodied practical-
/ ly all the evidence thus far brought
out in regard to arsenic and the condi-
/ tions found in Pratt's stomach. The
question reduced to writing fills about
a column in space, and asks, taking in
to consideration all the conditions emu
merated, what, in the opinion of the
witness, was the cause of Pratt's
death. Professor Kinney unhesitating-
ly stated that he believed death was
due to arsenical poisoning.
In the afternoon DR.. Lewis Schooler.
of Des Moines, was put on the stand,
| the cross examination of Prof. Kinney
being temporarily suspended for that
purpose.
II should say he died from arsenical
poison" said DR.. Schooler, in response
to the same hypothetical question that
! the state propounded to DR.. Linn Tues
day This question covered six
pages of type written manuscript and
related the symptoms and circumstan-
ces of Josiah Pratt's illness very
| fully. Both physicians who have been
on the stand as experts have given
their professional opinion that these
symptoms and the combination of them
indicate that Josiah NJ. Pratt died from
arsenic poisoning.
| Dr. Schooler stated that he had prac-
ticed medicine thirty-two years, and in
Iowa for twenty three years; was con-
nected with Mercy Hospital and prt-
| vate hospitals in Des Moines He des-
4 cribed arsenic as a metallic irritant
poison, having an irritant action on
| the tissues and may destroy them.
| The smallest fatal dose is two grains.
There may be either slow or rapid
poisoning by arsenic. Some symptoms
of slow arsenical poisoning are loss of
strength, nervousness, paralysis, swell
ing under eyes, inability to control ex-
| tremities, pains in stomach, looseness
of bowels, vomiting, bloody discharges.
In an acute case there would be burn
| ing pain in throat stomach and mouth,
great thirst, pallor, weakness, vomit
streaked with blood, pain between
shoulder blades and in region Of fifth
rib, ETC. Sometimes the eXtensor mus
cles of the legs are paralyZed while
| fieNor muscles are normal, making it
difficult for the patient to get his heels
to the floor because the foot is
stretched downward so that the toes
strike the floor first
| On cross examination DR.. Schooler
testified that from the symptoms he
would say the case began with mild
form of arsenical poisoning and became
acute in the last stages.
On the question Of auto-digestion he
said that it never occurred during life
of the tissues, but that there might be
cases where portions of the tissues
would become dead and thus be sub
ject to the destructive action of the
stomach secretions. Auto-dlSestion
acts at the time of or after death.
Counsel asked questions about each
of the number of symptoms described
and witness said that any one OF these
alone would not necessarily Indicate
arsenical poisoning, but on the combi-
nation of them ne based his judgment
that this was a case of arSentcal pois-
oning.
Cressey and Pearl Pratt. daughters of
Jennie Pratt, accused of the poisoning
of her husband, took their places at the
side of their mother this morning. Ihey
are aged II and 8, respectively, and
their childish faces. glowing with JOY
at seeing their mother after the separ-
alton, touched everyone in the crowd
ed court room. The younger child, who
is extremely pretty. with delicate skin
and small features, sat close to her
mother with the latter's hand pressed
in her own delicate fingers.
Mrs Pratt may or may not be
criminal, but wealth of mother love
glowed in her eyes, as they rested on
her small daughters. For the first
time since the beginning of the trial
she smiled and made show OF cheer
fulness. The children understand their