The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-10-16
HE DID NOT
POISON HER
DR.. Brouwer Dramatically
Denies Guilt.
TESTIFlES he LOVED WIFE
Accused Toms River Physician DE.
scribes Fully Last Illness Of
Dead Woman. q
TESTIFIES he LOVED WIFE

| IOMS RlNEK, y. j., Oct. lO.-Df.
Frank ]. Brouwer, on trial charged
with the murder OF his wife by poison.
went on the stand In his own defense.
"As God Is my judge | never gave
my wife arsenlcw he cried dramatIcal-
ly In answer 10 questions. IL never
gave her any poison except as my judg-
ment as u physician and her condition
required"
He told OF his boyhood, his studies,
his marriage and his home building
With tears streaming down his cheeks
he denied that his wife had ever ac-
cused him seriously OF being unfaith-
full.
He denied positively the assertion OF
Elizabeth Hyer, his dead wlfe's sister.
that he had threatened TO get a divorce
Il could not, for / loved her." he said.
and declared that Benjamin Hyer had
told but half the truth In order TO make
q petty incident related in his testi-
mony appear important
DIR. Brouwer described fully his
wife's last illness and the treatment
given by himself and the other physl.
clans called IN TO attend her.
DIR. Brouwer took the stand just be-
/ fore noon. He said he was thlrty-six
years old and was born In Jersey City.
His father died before he was two
years old. His mother then went to
live in Cedar Creek, Ocean county,
n. j. He went to school there from the
time he was six years old and later at
tended school In Providence, Il. l., un-
Ill he was sixteen years old.
DIR. Brouwer said that on the last
night OF his wlfes Illness he gave her
brandy and onetwentleth OF grain OF
strychnine.
Did the enema administered include
strychnine?" asked Mr.. Carmichael.
mo; II did not" was the reply.
"Dld you at any time give your wife
arsenic?"
mo; | never gave arsenic TO Mrs.
Brouwer."
Ibid you ever prior to or during your
wife's Illness give her strychniner
"As God Is my judge, | never gave
my wife any strychnine except in the
one instance the night before she died"
ibid you ever put In your wife's med
iclne or food powdered glassT'
mo; did not"
did you ever do anything to cause
your wife's deathT'
Il did not"
DIR. Brouwer denied that his wife
was ever jealous. although she some
times spoke about women who visited
his office and after they had gone
would ask who they were and what
they wanted.
Did your wife ever speak to you
about Miss McClenahan or Miss
Kearns?" asked Mr.. Johnson.
NO; she did not" the witness re-
piled.
DIR. Brouwer said that he had never
walked on the street with Miss Kearns,
but one occasion took her for a carriage
ride.
He denied that he eyer told any one
he would get divorce or that he ever
heard his wife say she would apply for
a divorce.
what about the testimony of Ben
jamin Hyer TO the effect that you once
struck your wife?'
ben Hyer only told half the truth,
to my detriment. My wife wanted to
punish one of our little boys and did
not want 1t. But never struck her"
did your wife ever complain of kid
ney trouble before her last sicknessT'
YES. and DIR. Cate attended her for
it.
"What did Mrs. Brouwer eat just be-
fore she was taken ill?
AT about 6 o'clock In the evening
she ate canned soup and corn. potatoes.
cottage cheese, break and butter, wa
termelon and drank bottle of beer"
did she eat any more that even
ing?"
Yes. About 10 o'clock she ate three
onion sandwiches and slice Of water
melon and drank more beer"
The witness said that his wife's sick
ness. in his opinion, was the result of
overeating and was not caused by i'm
pure food. He thought that too
hearty meal had produced cholera NOR
bus.
DR.. Brouwer said the insurance on
his wife's life had not been collected.
In filling out the proof Of death he
gave Bright's disease as the cause of
death because he believed that that
was the cause.
Army of Cuban Publication.
ASHINCTON Oct l6-Brgader