Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-04
INJECTED POISON
HYPODERMICALLY
STARTLING EVIDENCE GIVEN
BY PHYSICIAN
PROSECUTOR RIDIcULEs PLEA
OF DEFENSE
Pre- llminary Examination in Murder
Case Continued to June 16 to
Give Attorneys More
Time to Prepare

A new feature in the case of Harper
E. Bennett, charged with killing his
wife February 10, developed yesterday,
when DR.. A. C. Pratt, who was called
to attend the woman, stated the evil
dence of strychnine discovered by ply
sicians who made chemical analysis
of the contents of her stomach two
weeks ago may have been caused by
his administration of salt of strych-
nine by hypoderrnic injection after hot
water and mustard were used as an
emetic with no beneficial results.
! Benefits preliminary examination
was continued yesterday by Justice
Ling from June 10 to June 16, on re-
quest of C. C. McComas acting district
| attorney, who will have charge of the
prosecution.
While Mr.. McComas will occupy the
intervening days with other work, it
| is known that the investigation into
| the Bennett matter has not yet been
compelled, and advantage will be taken
of the delay granted by Justice Ling to
further prepare his case. The defense,
represented by Attorneys e. B. Drake
and Thomas L. Johnson, also NJ be
kept busy during the coming two TSs9sss
preparing to contest every proposition
/ of the district attorney looking to
Benefits being held to answer for
! trial in the superior court.
Benefits Attorneys Hampered
Benefits attorneys are hampered,
owing to the fact that they have not
become informed regarding the con-
tents of the report made to the district
attorney by the analytical chemists,
and this information, 1t was stated
positively by Mr.. McComas yesterday,
would not be vouchsafed to anybody
until the proceedings actually begin in
the justice court.
When informed yesterday of the
/ theory advanced by DR.. Pratt that the
poison found In Mrs. BENEFITS stom-
ach may have resulted from hypoder-
mic injections, Mr.. McComas ridiculed
| the idea, and, while refusing to d.
vulge any portion of the report on the
analysis, indicated that 1t was of such
nature as to successfully refute DR..
Pratt's statements.
How could hypodermic injections
enter the stomach in such large guam
tities?" he demanded caustically. 81
can say only that when this affair is
brought into court there will be a big
| surprise for some persons"
| Are you continuing the investiga-
tion?" he was asked
Q Investigation Completed
ut is practically completed" he re-
piled. "There are still a few matters
| to be inquired into, and we will have
ample time to do that before the date
| set for the examination, June 16. When
the case is next called we will be fully
prepared to show that there was more
than justification for Benefits arrest"
DR.. Pratt stated yesterday that when
| he was summoned few hours before
Mrs. Benefits death he saw evidence
of poisoning and administered hot wa
ter and mustard as an emetic, and
later hypodermically injected salt of
strychnine with view to stimulating
the heart action. The DOSE ne said,
was about one-thirtieth of a grain, and
trace of it might be shown in the an
alysis. He added that he still feels
positive that death was due to pto-
maine poisoning.