New-York tribune., 1908-03-12
ARSENIC KILLED BAKER
Erpert Says Large Guaranty " as
Administered Before Death.

u,okerssox ~ March II tSpecaD Arsenic
killed Walter Farnsworth Baker. ACCORDING 20 'h
expert testimon- brought out at the cohliua''i u
the inquest before Coroner De Mund to-day III
George Il 71agrsth medical examiner Of SUFFOLK
County Mass who was the physician that per-
formed the autopsy in Boston IN cctooel al INC
instance of the dead mans brother, testlneo 'ha'
he found all the organs normal even the kidneys
This testimony showed that the man oeath hau
not been caused ny Bright's disease
Dr. William Boos. of the Massachusetts zen
eral HOSPITAL testified that Baker had died -of
arsenic poisoning, and that in his oplnlon ''S
poison was administered to him in solution
He came to the conclusion with the other ex-
perts that approximately between fifteen ana
twenty grains Of arsenic must have been taken
by Baker before ne died
Dr. Boos testified that he examined the 1Ver'
part of the kidneys and part of the stomach He
declared that Baker must have taken the dose q
arsenic before death.
.'Thst was shown" he said, "by the fact that the
arsenic was scattered in the different organs II
arsenic had been put into the stomach after the
man was dead IT would take three TO four months
to scatter il through ali the organs Of the body as
it found
Prosecutor Koestor then asked: IF a man nad
partaken of a good supper, with champagne
punch O'Clock in the evening, and had received
dose of arsenic at the same time no" ions
would it take before he would be sick from the
poison" Two and a half three hours br
Boos replied.
embalming solution used h. the undertaken Ri
cardo He found no arsenic in the samples OF the
fluid used IN preparing Baker body for shlpnleII
from Bogota to Boston. Dr. Boos said two grains
Of arsenic fatal dose
Dr. Charles Harrington. also of Boston. examined
portion Of the stomach and found two ana
half grains OF arsenic Arsenical poisoning he de-
clared caused the death of the man. He said that
the arsenic was admitted TO the body before death
and not after death
~ the end of this expert testimony It was cp-
served that z. E. Smith, professor Of hiologlcai
chemistry. was taking notes of the expert testl-
rnony at the inquest. It was found cut later mat
he represened the counsel for the Hurds. at whose
home il Bogote Baker died He was the one who
asked the undertaken to give him some of the OF
gans of Bakers body for examination.
Ex-Coroner A. Z. Lees was the next witness
While he was replying the questions of Coroner
De Mund he showed some feeling, which was taken
some Of the spectators indication tnat ne
does not entertain any great love for Coroner De
Mund The latter forced answers to what appeared
70 be dalnaging questions from his predecessor in
office Lees was heard say to a friend. after
the session was adjourned for the day: IN make
De Mund sweat for the questions he asked me-
Lees testified that wnen he reached the Hurd
barle he had 4 conference with Mrs. HUrd. He
declared that far he knew the body of
Baker was not embalmed. and that he did not
discover any of the usual marks made under the
arms by the undertaken He said he did not look
ct the eyes tongue Of the dead man
when you made the death certificate YOU
He'd upon somebody elses opinion?" asked Cor
oner De lfund-
I certainly did. for 1 not a physician
called in DR.. NcFadden to make diagnosis, re-
piled Lees
You were not as rigid in this Investigation
YOU should have been?'
i certainly was.
In repIy to other questions Lees testified that
he was not in the habit of allowing undertakers
TO ernbaIm coroners' cases before he passed on
them and he wanted that so ths record
You made considerable money when YOU were
coroner did you not?' asked Coroner De Mund.
That's none of your business. sir said Lees,
reddening and getting excited in manner.
What remuneration did you get for not holding
ar inquest?