Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-08-29
B|RKS SWALLOWED
ACID By mistake

The inquest held in connection with
the death of Joseph E. Birks, who lost
his life by drinking carbolic acid pur-
suant to adjournment Saturday, recon :
vened in the Office of Justice of the
Peace Oglebsy at 10 O'Clock Monday
morning. Several additional witnesses
had been subpoenaed and the testi-
mony adduced at the inquest was very
full and conclusive. The verdict rend-
cred was that death was accidental.
DIR. Patton, who testified Saturday.
made it clear that death was due to
carbolic acid. Birks was still living
when the doctor arrived but he was
unconscious and died few minutes
after taking the dose. The doctor de-
tected the odor of carbolic acid and
administered an antidote. The bottle
out of which Birks was alleged to
have drank the poison was delivered
over to DR.. Patton and was later pro-
duced at the hearing. 1t was a large
brown bottle, not so high as a beer
bottle, but much thicker. 1t was label
ed "poison." According to the testi
mony it contained about three ounces
when brought to the brewery. The
quantity remaining in the bottle ac-
cording to DR. Patton was about 2
ounces, five drams implying that Birks
might have swallowed quantity
equal to about three teaspoonfuls. DR..
Patton explained that fraction of a
teaspoonful of the deadly drug is suffi-
cient to produce fatal results. A teas
poonful is apt TO be very quick in its
effects, the victim dropping dead
few minutes after taking the dose.
Edward Waite was the first WITNESS
sworn Monday morning. He saw
Birks at the brewery Saturday: he
was perfectly sober. Witness saw Birks
pull bottle out OF Fetterman's pock-
ct and with quick movement appar-
emily swallow some of the contents
The bottle was wrapped in a paper.
which Birks pushed down from the
neck as he raised it to his mouth. Wit
ness was not sure that the paper was
removed far enough down to reveal
the label of the bottle. Neither was he
sure that Birks swallowed any of the
contents. he was under the impress
sion that it was all a joke -" Fetter-
man quickly took the bottle away from
Pm
that Fetterman did not know that
Birks had drunk any of the carbolic
acid but Thought he was fooling. "
Elwood Garrett described Birks'
condition when the carbolic acid be.
gan to take effect. He was visibly af-
fected as he described the awful agony
the man endured Theygthought Birks
had fit and carried him out into the
wash house. The man could not speak
and mp to that time it was not known
that he had swallowed any of the car
bolic acid.
Jacob Blackman along with John
hase was washing kegs when the af-
fair took place. Blackman saw Birks
run and get cup of hot water with
which he tried TO rinse his mouth out
John Kase also testified. When Birks
ran out and drank cup of hot water
witness asked him what he was tax.
ing hot drink for Birks replied
I've drank carbolic acid. " They took
the man out into the wash house where
he vomited a little. They could smell /.
the carbolic acid. BY this time Fet.
terman was aware of what had occur
red and was up in the brewery lament
ing
Ii. +, Fetterman was sworn. He pur-
chased fifteen cents worth of carbolic |
acid at Ross Harner's drug store for
the purpose of killing lice on chick
ems. He stepped into the brewery for
the purpose of paying bill. He stood |
there talking when Birks reached into /
his pocked and got the bottle Fetter-
man said, "Tale care; got that for
chicken lice" " When he saw Birks
take the cork out of the bottle and
raise it to his lips he reached out his
hand to grasp it, but, as the sequel
shows, he was too late. Fetterman.
however. did not think that Birks had
swallowed any of the contents Of the
bottle after the warning given, but
thought he was only "jokiug.' He
could not believe i. possible until he
saw the deadly effects. Fetterman
testified that he was not sure that he
explained that it was "carbolic acid'':
ne merely warned Birks to be careful
If it, as he got the stuff to kill chick.
IN lice. While testifying Fetterman
'aid that he doubted whether Birks
would have paid much attention to it.
4 he had told him in so rnany words
hat it was carbolic acid, as he would
nave continued to think that he was
'nly joking.
The coroner's jury consisted of Isaac
Hoffman, William Price, Charles Jame-
ION, John l.. Campbell, Robert Miller
md Alexander H. Grone, who upon
heir respective oaths, declared that
rom the view of the body and from
he evidence produced before them it
that Joseph E. Birks came