The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-15
DR.. Dams Reports Absence of
Rough on Rats.
IN COLLAPSE
Self Accused Murderer a Spec
tacle of AFFECT Terror.
Taken Back to Jail by Order of
County Attorney.

DR.. F. B. Dams, head of the depart
ment Of chemistry at Washburn coll
lege. has failed to find the trace Of any
poison whatsoever in his analysis of the
stomach of Mrs. Mary J. Short, "the
mysterious woman in black whom Fred
Tanning confessed he had murdered by
giving her Rough on Rats. in coffee
Such a result of the test comes as
surprise to the authorities who. how
ever ordered the analysis following the
confession of Tanning that they might
substantiate the fact before beginning
a prosecution.
The body Of Mrs. Short which had
been buried a week was exhumed, Sun
day, November z. the day after the
confession. The stomach was taken to
the laboratory at Washburn. Interest
in the case has centered in the an
rouncement of the analysis ever since
that day.
The statement of Tanning made No
yember 6 was not generally accepted
owing tc his apparent ignorance and the
suspicion of an outside influence, the
accusing eve of Mrs. Fannie M. Math-
er, the sister of Mrs. Short from Seat
tie, Wash.
At the day of his confession, as Mrs.
Mather testified on the stand, Tanning
was a strong and healthy man, how
ago. Today he is a complete wreck
from his confinement and frequent
sweatings and forced admissions.
When the coroner's jury assembled
in the court room of the court of To-
peka this morning followed by throng
gether with Mr.. and Mrs. English and
Lonnie McCauley, as fellow prisoners,
ere led in.
flaming an AFFECT Spectacle.
One of the first things to catch the
SAGE of one looking into the court
DOM was the spectacle of Fred Fan
ring the shattered wreck of a stall
wart man. Ignorant, illiterate and a
victim of weird religious beliefs,
Authorizations and terror, the man
stumbled along where led trembling in
limb and body while his face twitched
rom agony of mind. When his hand
was placed on the. arm of chair
which he was to take, he reeled side
ways and toppled into it. There he
wrung his hands and bowed his head
and agony. His hair was .disheveled,
his beard has gone two weeks without
shaving, his clothes dirty and disar-
aged and as he heard the evidence
legin with I. reading of his confess
sion a mortal terror seized him and
he trembled SO that his chair creaked
as big tears dropped from his closed
Eyes. A little later DR.. "a Keith ap-
l.
who are you? Who are you?'' he
cried. What do you want?''
I'm DR.. Keith; don't you remem- |
Ter me?" replied the doctor.
But Tanning could not see across !
The three feet of intervening space, |
instead his eye caught sight of a dia- |
mond ring on the doctors hand. AS |
uncertain as a child the terrified man
nervously reached toward the gleam- |
:ng stone and touched it.
what is it? What is it? It's look
ing. What is it?'' he cried and |
clenched his hands together tighter, |
turning his head.
Taken Back to Jail.
After another short space of time |
the attention of County Attorney |
Schenck was attracted to the condi- i
ton of the prisoner. He saw simme- |
diately that the confessed murderer |
could not be placed on the stand and |
''The man is right now on the verge
of total collapse he said, I'VE can !
not use him now.
This dismissal of Tanning for the I
time illustrates the purposes of the !
county attorney in having the murder |
er testify again to the killing before
the coroner's jury. When the fact {
that there was no poison found in the
stomach of the dead woman, became +
known to the county attorney it be- /
came his plan to have all the witnesses /
in the case go before the jury with |
their testimony and add that of Fam |
ing to confederate his confession be- |
fore calling DR.. Dams to disclose the |
fact that there was no poison found. |
Confessions Are Read
In the pursuance of that plan, Mrs. |
w. E. Atkinson StenOgra pher, who !
took down the different statements of