Amador ledger., 1907-02-22
INQUEST OYER THE
FERRASCI POISONING VICTIMS.
Little New Light Thrown Upon the
Matter.


Ferrasci on Monday morning. The
inquest was held III the supervisors
room. he following named persons
comprised the jury: Il. &. Kay, q.
Heiser, Mel Ford, +. A. VOORHEES,. W.
2. Peek, James Meehan, N. Marelia,
William Penry jr., B. G. O'NeiIl,
and Richard Webb. The four victims
of this tragedy died on the 10th and
2lst of January last. That the
inquisition was so long delayed was
for the purpose of having the report
of the analytical chemists, Thos
Price x Son, of San Francisco, before
the jury, In the hope that the report
would throw much light upon the
causes contributing to the fatalities
This hope was doomed to disappoint-
ment. We are Just as much in the
dark now as before the examination
was held. There was no shorthand
reporter present, and this fact doubt
less cut short the inquiry. The
matter would no doubt have been
gone into much more thoroughly ex-
cept for the tedious process of taking
down the testimony in long hand.
Only three witnesses we're examined,
namely, Dr. Endicott, DIR. Gall, and
TobIa Ferrasei. Their testimony was
su bstantially as follows:
DIR. Endicott Was called as a ply
sician and surgeon to the family of
Tobia Ferrasci on the morning of the
2lst of'January, IN company with DIR.
Gall. He waited upon James Felrasci,
aged twelve years. The three other
victims had died before he got there,
and the boy was then in practically
dying condition. lie was conscious
but had great difficulty In breathing
and swallowing. and died within a
short time after he got there Ihe
Immediate cause of death was 'respira-
tory paralysis, produced by some
poisonous substance in the system.
Held an autopsy assisted by Dr. Gall,
upon the body of Ermipia Cottini,
the following day. Found consider
able congestion at the upper portion
of each lung; also much congestion
of the membranes and outer portion
of the brain. The stomach and
bowels were anaemic; other vital
organs seemed normal. Removed
stomach and contents, also spleen,
portion of the liver, and one kidney.
Placed the same in hermetically
sealed jar, and marked the same for
Identification. In his opinion the
conditions found were due to some
poisonous substance.
DR.. Gall testified that be was called
to the Ferrasci home on the 10th OF
January. Got there between aud
O'Clock that evening Did not see
kirminia Cottini. She had died before
he got there. Treated Mrs t'errasci,
and James L. and IIidia t'erIasci All
complained Of the same symptoms
dizziness, partial loss of sight in
ability to swallow, dryness of the
throat and mouth, constipation
There was dllation of pupil of the
eye, and partial paralysis of the
muscles of respiration. In his opln-
ion death was caused from ptomaine
poisoning. Assisted st the autopsy
on the 22nd. Examined the heart,
found it normal, except that the
veins were dilated on the outside of
heart. Upper portion of lungs were
congested, the left lung more than
the right: liver, spleen and kidneys
were slightly congested; stomach and
bowels we're anaemic; brain normal,
but membranes surrounding brain
we're slightly congested. Could not
form an opinion of the cause of death
from the autopsy alone. This diIa-
tion OF the veins might be due to
insufficient oxygen. From the symp-
toms in life, and the examination
after death, he believed that ptomaine
poisoning was the cause of death. All
died from the same cause. By pto-
maine poison was meant poison
generated from decomposing animal
or vegetable matter. Not one of the
known commercial poisons would
produce the symptoms present in
these cases. Bella donna would pro-
duce some of them, but not all. Did
not examine the respiratory muscles
at autopsy. Such an examination
would not reveal anything definite.
The brain must be looked to for the
effect upon the muscles of respiration.
Tobia Ferrasci, the head of the
stricken family, and uncle of Erminia
Cottini, was called, and testified:
Erminia Cottini died ABOUT p. m.
January 10th she was II years Old.
Marie FerrascI, aged 49, died at a.
m. Lida, aged 10 years, died at a.
m. January 2lst, and James L.
terrasei, aged y, died at II the same
day. The two first named were born
in Switzerland; the others were
natives of California When ques-
toned in regard to the midday meal
on Saturday, January 10, he stated
that it consisted of preserved beans.
salamI, fresh cabbage grown on the
premises, and homemade bread. The
meal was prepared by Erminia-
Cottini. The salamI was also home
made, and the beans we're put up by
his eldest daughter Theresa last sea-