The Jersey City news., 1906-10-09
BROUWER ON TRIAL
New Jersey Physician Charged
With Poisoning His Wife
Faces Jury.
SCHOOL cHUM is FOREMAN.
Msn 70 Decide Fate of Accused Doctor
Headed by Old Friend - Dead Wo-
mans Sister Bitter Against Brother
in-Iaw-Physician Says Death Was
Due to Strychnine.

Toms River, N. j., Oct. 9.-After sew
eral sensational and dramatic scenes a
jury was finally selected to try DR..
Frank Brouwer, a prominent physician
of this place, for the murder of his
wife. School chums and friends of his
boyhood days were called as talesmen,
and their trembling lips and red eyes
showed but too plainly the feeling they
had against serving as. Jurymen. 1t
was near time for adjournment when,
the challenges having beeas exhausted
by Both sides, the work of selecting the
jury went rapidly forward
One of the sensational scenes that
took place in the courtroom was due to
the defense trying to induce Benjamin
Crammer, farmer of Forked River,
DR.. Brouwer's birthplace, to qualify.
The mans hands were trembling, his
features quivered, and his voice was
choked.
What is the matterY' he was asked.
''The question had been, do yeu OBJ
ject to capital punishment?'
Old Friend Breaks Down.
Suddenly tears streamed down the
mans face, and he burst out:
For Gods sake don't put me on this
jury. Frank and are old friends"
He was hastily excused.
S. Judson Ridgeway of Tuckerton
flushed crimson when chosen as fore
man of the jury and asked to face DR..
Brouwer, his chum of schoolboy days.
The scene was dramatic. According
to the custom Of New Jersey, the pris-
oner was required to stand and face
the jurymen while the clerk asked:
Has the defendant any objection to
the juryman? If so state it now
Ridgeway was greatly agitated. He
breathed deeply, and his face was a
rosy red. DR.. Brouwer was resolute.
81 have no objection. He suits me all
right, he said in strong, firm voice,
and Ridgeway took the first seat in the
jury box.
Crowd Jeers Or. Brouwer.
When DR.. Brouwer was taken from
the Jail in the rear of the courthouse
hundreds rushed forward and tried to
speak to him. He was jeered and hoet-
ed by the men, but women in the
crowd cried "Shamel'' The accused
man was rushed through the crowd by
two deputy sheriffs, and he himself
with his powerful frame helped.
With the courtroom packed to suffo-
cation by several hundred spectators,
many of them women, the trial began
Foremost in the crowd that gazed ca
gerly at the accused physician as he
was led into court was Miss Elizabeth
Hyer sister of Mrs Brouwer, the vic
tim, and her brother Trevanian.
81 feel just as sure at this minute
that Frank Brouwer killed my sister
as did the day she died. I am going
to attend the trial every day, waiting
and hoping that the man will receive
his just punishment said Miss Hyer
Miss Hyer arrived here from Lake
wood to be the principal witness
against DIR. Bpcuwer.
Carrie told me the day before she
died, L know / have been poisoned, ?
continued Miss Hyer. "My brother
and l are determined to spend every
cent of our fortune if necessary to
ayenge our sisters death. / can con-
ceive Of no more brutal act than the
giving of poison to helpless sick
woman"
Experts to Be Called.
The trial of Dr. Brouwer bids fair. to
stand out in legal history as one Of the
mightiest battles Of experts ever seen
In a court of justice Men of reputa-
ton in the medical profession that are
famous all over the country are to be
called on both sides. Theodore ]. r..
physician, will bring forward experts
to testify that Mrs. Brouwer died a
victim of no less than two deadly
poisons and ground glass. That Mrs.
Brouwer showed unmistakable symp-
toms of strychnine poisoning iT the
positive declaration of a local practl-
toner in this town. who said:
Il was called In to consult with other
doctors about one week before Mrs.
Brouwer died. At first thought she
was suffering from tetanus, or blood
poisoning, but when found that could
not be I at once became convinced
that she had been given strychnine.
Says Accused Man Laughed.
"The symptoms are exactly the same.
l told DR.. Brouwer at that time of my
diagnosis, but he laughed and would
not listen to me- This so disgusted me
that l washed my hands of the whole
affair on the spot and never visited his
house again.
When told that counsel for DR.. Brou-
wer had announced that they would at
tempt TO prove Mrs. Brouwer's death
was caused by ptomaine poisoning he
laughed.
I'm my mind,'' ne said, "this state.
ment on their par makes 1t look very
much to me as il the defense had
found itself up ssainSt a stone wall
and is making a desperate attempt at
4 bluff TO set Itself right in the eyes
Of the public"
q4 70. -