The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-03-09

The leading features of yesterdays
session of the trial of DR.. J.. B. Mat
thews were the testimony of the wit
ness's father, Mr.. B. w. Matthews, Of
DIR. A. L. Petree as expert, and the
w%rangling Of deense and prosecution
over the admissibility or non-admissi-
lbility of testimony. At least one i'm
portant decision was handed down in
favor of the defense. This declared
competent the testimony of DR.. Mat
thewS' father concerning the alleged
the defense, was necessary to establish
the prisoner.
ACTED QUEERLY ABOUT DOG.
The first witness called to the stand
yesterday morning was Sheriff John
Weatherly who testified that he had
known the prisoner for two years, and
that in the last year he had noticed
that he was not exactly fright" He
said that DR.. Matthews had first acted
strangely in some matter concerning a
dog. On the cross-eXamination much
amusement was caused by Solicitor
Brooks question as to whether many
men were not peculiar on the subject
of dogs. Sheriff Weatherly included.
Sheriff Weatherly's response to this
was that it was his dog and not him
self that was peculiar.
c. G. Lewis was then called Il testify
that he had noticed something wrong
about the prisoner, who had been his
family physician and that he had de-
cided not to employ him any longer.
DIR. PETREE EXPERT WITNESS.
DR.. A. l.. .Petree was then called to
the stand and qualified as an expert.
He was asked to suppose hypOthetic-
ally that the jury should find as a fact
that when Drs. Turner, Brooks and
Farrar went to the house they found
Mrs. Matthews in d state Of complete
coma, which continued till death, that
her respiration was from twelve to
fourteen a minute, that her pulse was
high and weak, that she died in convul-
sions, that the doctors had given her
two n sixtieth grain doses of strych-
nine, one thirtieth grain dose in COM
binatiOn with II One-hundcedth of a
grain of nitro-glycerine, one one-htn-
dreth of a grain Of atrOpine, and one
two hundred and fftieth of a grain Of
e~digitallis, followed by one or two
doses of caffeine. DR.. Petree was
then asked in the face of this hypothe-
sis to state what in his opinion vas
the cease of death.
DIR. Petree's reply to this question
was that the case was S complicated
shat he could not say what the cause
of death could have been. He stated
that the symptoms We're not typically
indicative of any poison, or any
drug. The state of profound coma, he
said, while typical of opium poison
ing, would also follow the administra-
ton Of other toxic drugs. If the case
had been one of opium poisoning the
pupils ought to have been contracted.
The rapid pulse was a proper symp-
tom, but the commissions were not, save
as exceptions to the rule.
NOT TYPICAL OF STRCHNINE
POISONING.
Neither were any of the symptoms
related typical of strychnine poisoning,
said DR.. Peteree, as commissions fol-
lowing ~strychnine poisoning were
much more violent than those Mrs.
Matthews is stated to have had. More
over, in Strychnine poisoning the mind
of the patient would remain clear until
Immediately before, dissolution. The
dilated pupils were, however, an i'm
pOrtant symptom in strychnine poison
ing.
AS to the atrapine present in the
tablets of morphine used by the doctors
who prescribed for Mrs. Matthews,
DR.. Petree said that the commercial
morphine tablet usually used by loo
tors had in them n quarter Of a grain
of strychnine and one One-hundred
and fiftieth of a grain Of atropine. If
these quantities were exact neither
would predominant in the production
of symptoms. If the atropine predom-
mated the dilation of the pupils of the
eyes would follow.
The second hypothetical question
asked was what would have been the
result s%uppOsing that tue jury should
find it a fact that Mrs. Matthews took
fifty one thirtieth grain tablets of |
at II O'Clock p. m. n that
DR.. Matthews gave her II quarte:
grain doses of morphine every half
till morning. DR.. Petree stated
that this would relieve the commissions
and antagoninze. the effect of the
and the reflex nerves. The
patient would have lived longer for
taken the morphine.
DIR. Petree was then asked to sup
pose that the jury would find it Il fact
that Mrs. Matthews was in a state Of
from 10 O'Clock a. N. till night,
and to state what effect thai coma
have on the ahSOrntiOn of nOiSOD
into the system.
The profound coma, was the reply,
have interfered with the Absorb
ton of the strychnine because it would
have caused a dryness of the alimen-
tary canal, would have dried the secre-
tons, would have kept down peristalt
of the intestines, would have
action of the stomach. n
would SO have weakened the circula-
ton that the poison would be distribUt-