The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-20
COrOner's Jury Returns Verdict
in Poisoning Case.
Finds That j. s. Grice Was
Slowly Murdered.
NO ONE is NAMED.
Jury Says 1t Was Administered
by Unknown Person.
Prof. Dams of Washburn an
Important Witness.

AAAOA SA4cl4Al nv SL4CO
circumstances indicating arsenical
poisoning, returned a verdict this af-
ternoon. They found that Mr.. Grice
came to his death from arsenic
poison. the drug being given by par
ties unknown to the jury.
The examination was conducted by
Coroner Keith, the jury consisting of
J. D. Coddington, Roy De Muth, Ar
thur Ruthven, ]. NJ. Brunt, j. P.
Terrell and Elias Shull.
On the night of January 4th John
s. Griee died at his home, T07 Western
avenue, after a fingar1ng Illness
dating from the early part of Novem-
Der. During the carrier part of his
illness he was attended by DR.. Dick
who later called in DR.. Keith as
consulting physician and Mr.. Grice
was taken to the Keith hospital.
At the inquest this morning DR..
Dick testified to these facts and stated
that as he detected strong indicationsof
arsenical poisoning, he had asked that
another physician he called in for con-
sultation. An analysis made at this
time confirmed the suspicious of both
OF the doctors and later examinations
made Indicated that Mr.. Grice's sys-
tenn had been loaded with the deadly
drug in doses given at widely different
periods.
The analyses were made by Profess
SOT DAlnS OF the chemistry depart
ment at Washburn college and the re-
suits showed that arsenic in large
quantities had been taken into the
system by Mr.. Grico. During his
examination DR.. Dick was asked If he
had a any time prescribed arsenic or
medicine containing 1t for Mr.. Grice.
He replied that he had a year before
while treating Mr.. Grice for erysipelas
given medicine in wn1cn there was a
trace of arsenic but had given nothing
of the kind during the illness which
caused his death or imm ediately prior
to this time.
Professor Dams of washburn COL
lege was questioned closely this
morning by the attorneys on both
sides of the case and testified that he
had found traces of arsenic in the
four parts Of Mr.. Grice's body exam
ined by him. Professor Dams exam
ined parts of the liver, kidneys, spleen
and stomach and in all of these there
were unmistakable indications of ar
senic.
He also testified that from the time
that he had made examination that
the quantity of arsenic had diminish
ed with each examination made. IN
ing the poison though at the time of
the last examination there were
traces which were unmistakable.
The testimony indicated that there
must have been between 15 and 20
grains in the system at one time
though it was gradually thrown off
until only a small amount remained
at the time of death. The testimony
of Professor Dams also showed that
death has been known to result from
arsenical poisoning though there
were no traces of the poison in the
system after death.
would it have been possible" ask
ed one of the attorneys in the case
"for Mr.. Grice's system to have alb
sorbed this amount of arsenic from
wall paper in which arsenic was used
in the manufacture
mo, sir" was the reply of Profess
sor Dams.
Gould it have been taken into the
system in any other way than through
tho mouth, by ABSORPTION for in
stance was the next question and
the answer followed NO, sir
Professor Dams explained to the
jury that death sometimes resulted
from arsenical poisoning several
weeks after it had been eliminated
from the system. The effects he said
being to cause general breaking
down of the system.
The amount of arsenic found in the
examinations mace Of the parts of the
body of Mr. Grice though small in
dictate that the suspicious of Doctors
Dick and Coroner Keith were correct.
Mrs. Grice on the Stand.
Mrs. Mary Grice, widow of J. s
Grice, was called to the witness stand
and testified to incidents relative to the
last illness of her husband and when
questioned stated that he had been iii
about a year previous though at that
time he had erysipelas. She was not
questioned as to her knowledge of the
trouble which caused Mr.. Grice's death
further that she was asked as to the
ant 6TTvf It,
When did Mr. Grice become iu?'
asked Attorney Hungate.
In the later part of October last
year I think that it was. He had beer
up with me for three nights when ]
ed of feeling i'll and of burning sensa-
tfons in his stomach"
Did DR.. Dick wait on him?"
Eyes, SIR
Was Mr.. Grice i'll about year ago?'
Yes, sir
who waited on him at that time p
'Our family physician, Dr. Dick"
Now did you, Mrs. Grice." asked Mr.
Hungate, have a conversation witt
Mr.. Grice about this time in which thf
disposition of his property was men,
tioned?"
Yes, sir. Just before he went te
Nevada to assist in Strengthening out
some matters about an estate. Mr.
Grice's first wife's brother died and lief
al estate COHSlSlinS OF mining property
in Nevada which went to Mr. Grice',
first wife's children. There was som,
trouble about this and before he left
suggested to him that he should max.
some kind of arrangements so that +
anything should happen to him tina
there would be no trouble of this kind
THE day before he started away h,
went to a desk and after writing some
thing sealed it up in an envelope am
handed it to me and told me to mt i
away and not open it unless somethin.
should happen to him. I took this en-
velope and placed it in the bool,cas
where it remained until the day afte
his death and then it was opened n,
the advice of my attorney in the pres
ence of Mr.. Glenn, my sister and Mr.
McKeever."
This is the instrument about which
there has been SO much controversy
and while it was plainly intended fol