The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-30
Arrest of Man and Woman
. Expected in Philadel->
phia Today. Il
POISON IN ALE;
DEEP LAID PLOT
Victim Had Unsavory Professional
Reputation, But Large Circle
of Warm Friends.

PHILADELPHIA. June SO.-Arrest Of
q young .Lan and woman. rich and
prominent IN society circles here, Is
hourly looked for today, as a sequel 20
the poisoning by cyanide Of potassium
Of DR.. William II. Wilson. who died af-
ter drinking part of a bottle OF ale sent
10 him by express.
The two young persons whom the
police suspect are brother and sister
Or. Wilson. it is believed. operated on
another sister. who died. and ner rela-
tives, crazed by grief yet dreading the
scandal thar would follow prosecution
OF the physician. are believed 10 have
determined on vengeance by the secret
method which killed the man.
The source Of Dr. Wilson's big in
come. though a mystery 10 his neigh
bCrs was known 10 the police No
patients came to his nome, and he had
TAO other office. but TO detectives he
was well known as a man who would
take chance" 10 prevent a society
scandal, II the pay was big enough.
One such case. ii IL almost certain. re-
suited n the vendetta that brought him
death.
Many Women Involved.
At the express office it was found
the box containing the ale had been
sent by young man ana woman. and
further search led the police TO the
two now under suspicion It Is declared
that their arrest viii unearth such a
sensation as has not been revealed here
In q decade, and that the names OF
many rich and prominent women will be
involved should the two ever come
To trial
Death was never administered in a
more terribly swift and certain form
or with more deliberate cunning. A
particularly cruel feature OF the plot
Is that Dr- wilson's Innocent wife and
fye-y -year-old chilc narrowly escaped
sharing his fate Hrs Wilson. fndeed
tasted the poisonc. ale, but, luckily.
Spat IL out again.
A week ago the physician received
onrocgh the nails rv rvpewriJten letter
on what pUrpoTted e the stationery
Of the Peter S-hsLlm Brewing Com
pany. OF this city The letter stated
formally thaL the company had for
warded under separate cover a sample
OF ale, which the physician was asked
10 test FOR its tonic properties and
medicinal value 20 nervous, exhausted
patients There was nothing in the letter
10 arouse suspicion OF the doctor, as
sample packages Of all kinds OF tonics
and preparations are continually re-
ceived by all practitioners.
Sender Knew His Habits.
Tuesday an expressman delivered a
small box at the doctors house. The
wooden box, addressed IN a bold hand
writing, contained a pint bottle Of ale.
The ale was placed In the ice box and
was not again touched until DR.. Wilson
on Friday returned TO town with his
family. Tuesdays and Fridays were the
only two days the physician was at his
office during the week. The rest Of the
time he spent at Cornwells. Bucks coun-
", where he had a bungalow The
sender Of the ale, in havil.1sit delivered
on Tuesday. proved therefore that b..
was well acquainted with the habits OF
his victim.
Friday evening. Dr. Wilson was ready
TO return TO COrnwells with his fam
ily. His automobile was already in
waiting at the corner when he was re
minded of the bottle Of ale in the ice
box. The bottle was stll untouched
as il had been delivered. sealed with a
crown cork and small paper label
across the cork Dr. Wilson opened
the bottle himself IN the presence of
his wife anS little daughter, Vera,
whom he invited TO share the cooling
drink with him.
Had Peculiar Taste.
MY, that has a peculiar taste" re-
marked the physician as soon as he
had swallowed a mouthful OF the ale.
He blanched and plainly suspected at
once that he was poisoned. as he ran
quickly 70 the outdoor kitchen for some
milk, which acts as an antidote for
many poisons. but is pOwerless to couu-
teract the almost instant effects Of
cyanide Of potassium
Just taste It, May. but don't swal-
low it," cried the doomed man to his
wife. as she unsuspectingly took up the
glass. Mrs. Wilson was warned By her
out the drink. as her husband collapsed
with the words: Save that bottle"
When Mrs. Wilson ran screaming
from the room for help. neighbors rush
ed in, and four physicians were sum
moned from lie neighborhOod Drs. Ed
win Miller. Max Stern and George ROS-
enbaum, who first arrived. believed Dr
Wilson to be suffering from an attack
of apoplexy-
The patient was seized with convuI-
sions, there was no suspicious odOr
noticeable. and the physical condition
of the stricken doctor was such that
he naturally would be suspected of hav-
ing a weak heart. DR.. 2. A. Trau who
has been the family physician Of Dr.
Wilson for several years, arrived later,
and as ne was better acquainted with
the patient health his suspicious were
at once aroused. he ordered Dr. VIII
son removed to the St. Joseph's Hos
pital, where he died shortly after.
No Reason for Suspecting Ale.
There was apparently no reason.
though, for supposing that the innocent
looking bottle Of ale had anything to do
with the physicians death. Coroner's s
Detective Frank Paul took nothing for
granted, however. and started out By
questioning the Schemm Brewing Com
pany about the circumstances under
which the sample ale had been bottled.
He learned at once that his brewing
company never has made any ale; that
the sample bottle had never been sent
out by Il, and that the letterhead bear
ing its name was a forgery. II was not
even a copy Of the style Of the COM
pany's stationery.
This was the first evidence Of foul
play that the authorities discovered,
and it showed at once that they were