New-York tribune., 1906-10-17
CASE NEARING CLOSE.
WILL REACH JURY TO-DAY.
Physicians and DR.. Brouzcers S
Mother Testify for Defence.

Toms River. Oct. 16 (speciaD.-The trial of
DR.. Brouwer on charge Of numbering his wife
is practically finished. Tomorrow the attor-
neys for both sides will up, and the JUS
tice is expected to deliver his charge before the
noon recess
DR.. E. McLane Forman was the first witness
on the stand to-day. and was followed by DR..
Brouwer's aged mother. DR.. Brouwer wept Bit
terly when he saw his mother helped to the
stand. She denied emphatically that her son was
guilty. and her testimony about his life and
habits and the relations Of her and his wife
made profound impression.
DR.. Forman said he had practised medicine for
forty years. and he corroborated DR.. Brouwer
as 10 the latter having summoned him on Sat-
urday. September 16, to attend Mrs Brouwer
The witness was at his home in Freehold when
Dr. Brouwer telephoned him. he said. and he
told Dr. Brouwer he could not get train that
night. Dr. Brouwer told him the case was ur-
gent, and requested him to make the trip in an
automobile. but he was not physically able to
do this. At 1870 o'clock the following morn
ing, he said. he reached the Brouwer house and
met the two nurses. Miss Lippncott and Miss
Dudley
What happened then?"
Miss Lippincott escorted me in to Dr. Brou-
wer's study and told she had suspicious that
Mrs. Brouwer had been poisoned by strychnine."
DR.. Forman said he then went into the room
where Miss Dudley attending Mrs. Brou-
wer. He found the patient showed no symp-
toms Of spinal meningitis. but evidence Of con-
vUlsions, just the reverse of what Miss Lippin-
colt had told him. he testified.
What did you tell Miss Lippncott when you
came out of the sickroom?"
Il told her that she was probably mistaken
as to the cause of Drs. Brouwers illness"
In T1r
said that the condition of the contents OF the
stomach indicated ptomaine poisoning He said
II was easy to detect arsenical poisoning If the
poison was administered before death It was
also easy to tell whether ground glass had been
administered before death.
rs there a single symptom in the case of Mrs
Brouwer. from the time of her seizure until her
death that could not have been caused by
ptomaine posoning?'
No, not one" was the reply
What was the cause Of the seizure?"
Acute indigestion; and of the Conv1llstons
ptomaine poisoning
DR.. Forman produced a mild sensation by
making the positive statement that ground glass
effect and would not cause death. He said he
had not been paid or received promise of any
pay to testify, and that he appeared as wit
ness out Of pure friendship for DR.. Brouwer
Mrs. Althea Calverly, the prisoners mother
who is sixty nine years old, was then called to
the stand. Mrs. CaIverIy said she was called
TO her sons home on Friday, September IL
Mrs. Brouwer was then very weak. The witness
was in and out of the sickrcom at all hours
Mrs. Brouwer had convulsions on the next day
Mrs. Calverly said she was not in the sick
room at the time her daughter-in-l law died, but
was sitting just outside the door Of the room
With her. she said were DR.. Brouwer, Miss
HOrlock, the nurse, and Mrs. Irons.
Mrs. Calverly said she remained at her sons
home after her daughter-in-laws death, and
she and DR.. Brouwer talked over the matter of
getting some one to look after the house and
children. Failing to get other help, II was de-
ctded, she said, TO ask Miss McClenahan to be
an inmate of the Brouwer home.
Tt was at my suggestion that Miss McClena-
han was invited to my sons house." said the
witness, and l engaged her"
In answer to question Mrs. Calverly saiG she
had never seen her and Miss McClenahan
riding or walking together and had never no.
ticed any familiarities between them. She said
that Miss McClenahan had left the house be-
cause of unpleasant newspaper notoriety The
witness said that her sons manner toward her
daughter-in-law was always pleasant, and that
there had never been any serious trouble be-
tween DR.. Brouwer and his wife
After the usual formal motions are disposed of
in the morning Frank McDermott will open for
the state speaking about one hour. Mr.. Wilson
will then speak for two hours behalf of the
accused Then Aaron Z. Johnson will close for
the state. The charge is not expected to be very
long. and the case may be submitted to the jury
early in the afternoon.