The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-04
THE ROWLAND CASE
Damaging Testimony Given
Against Defendants
STRANGE ( HEALTHY MAN
Died Immediately After Hypo>
dermic Injection
Business of Two Houses Confined to
Organization and Old Officers Were
Reelected by Acclamation-Holy
Communion Service Most interest
ing of Proceedings of the Day.
Especial to The MESSENGER }


Raleigh, Oct 2-In the trial of Dr.
d. S. Rowland and his wife, Lille NJ
Rowland, charged with the murder by
poison on the 9Th of April, Of Engineer
CHARLES K. Strange, the present Mrs
Rowland being his wife, the state to-
day introduced many witnesses while
the crowd overran the capacity of the
court house
The fight for the state is first to show
that Strange was a healthy man, and
had no heart disease as the defense is
relying upon witnesses to show that
his sudden death within two hours OF
the time that DR.. Rowland gave him
some hypodermic injection was caused
by heart disease, while the state intro
duced witness today, who is relied
upon to show that the symptoms were
from an alkaloid poison, such as acom-
tine, though no trace Of poison was
found in the stomach Of Strange.
Many witnesses testified to Stranges
good health up to he day before his
| death, this for a period Of three or
four years, and that he had stated he
had no heart disease.
Mrs. Neal testified that she went to
Stranges house, DR.. Rowland entered
and gave Strange a hypodermic injec-
tion; Rowland stood by his bedside
and asked who the strangers were; ne
was told they were railroad people
Rowland said he thought he knew ali
railroad people. but these were new
ones to him.
| Mrs. Robert Johnson swore that she
| went to the house of the Stranges
| just after he died; she heard Rowland
ask the ladies to- leave the room; he
said he would give Mrs. Strange some
thing to put her to sleep.
! Mrs. Johnson told Mrs. Strange
not to take any medicine from
DR.. Rowland; that the latter had been
drinking. The ladies did not leave the
room and DR.. Rowland left. While
Mrs. Johnson was in the room Mrs
| Strange told her not to let Dr. Row.
land give her a hypodermic injection.
Mrs. Strange told Mrs. Johnson Strange
became ill at breakfast.
| There was evidence that Rowland
went to the funeral and stood so he
could see Mrs. Strange, and watched
| her keenly as she also did him through
her thin veil and under dropped eye
| brows.
Conductor H. J. Stewart said Strange
seemed always to be in good health, he
went to Stranges home the day of his
| death. Rowland was there sitting be-
side Mrs. Strange, holding her hand
and rubbing it. Stewart left, but re-
turned later and was in the room when
Rowland came in. He asked Rowland
what was the matter with Strange
Roland evaded the question but finally
said I gave him a hypodermic injec-
ton and then he asked for a drink Of
water. I gave it to him and then he
said lay me down I am dead
| There was evidence that after the
death Mrs. Strange said she did not
know where Dr. ROwland's office was
and told the men who arrested her on
May Goth that she never saw Rowland
until the day her husband died, that
F, she had te1ephoned for another doctor
Engineer Matthews said Strange had
a fine record as an engineer, appeared
strong and went on his regular runs
oftener than most engineers.
Tickets bought by Rowland from RAJ
leigh to Norfolk were introduced, signed
by him, this to show they travelled on
a sleeping car as man and wife before
Ii io1 rrrac cic ON
ed Lille NJ. Rowland.
Engineer G. R. Smith said Strange
told him he never had any heart trou,
BILE and had never taken medicine In
his life.
marriage certificate dated May Ii
was put in evidence Rowlands hand
writing with tickets and one prescip,
|