The Washington herald., 1910-11-13
DETECTIVES TRAIL
ARSENIC PURCHASE
Working on Last Link in
Poison Case.
HOPE FOR, SCHENK DWINDLEs
Millionaire Packer of Wheeling
said 60 he Dying, and Ris Wife,
on Verge of Nervous Collapse, Al
legged 20 Have Made a Fuii Cen
fessiOn to the Prosecution.

Special to The Washington Herald.
Wheeling W. Va, Nov. 12.-Prosecuting
Attorney J. b. Handian has employed
detectives 10 see druggists not only in
every drug store in Wheeling. but in all
cities within radius of 100 miles, to find
out whether or not Mrs Laura Farns-
worth S-henk. accused OF poisoning her
millionaire husband. John o. Sehenk, had
purchased arsenic. the poison that was
found by analysis IN the lithla water ad-
ministered TO Schenk.
Detectives are also employed 70 keep
under close surveillance several men who
are believed to be implicated in the poi
soning plot The warrant issued Thurs
day Is said TO be for a prominent ply
sieian accused Of giving Mrs. Schenk in
structions on how 10 administer the pol
son so as to cause slow death.
Evidence Now Complete.
The prosecutor says he has all the di-
rect evidence needed to convict. and that
inasmueh as there was no possibility Of
Mrs. Schenk securing bali or of the
Others suspected getting away, there was
A' 0Nf41A ANA AiatitFr AAEt0 II cltidli
hope held out that schenk win recover.
Mrs Schenk viii be given her prelf-nI-
nary hearing before Justice r. G. Hobbs
Monday or Tuesday.
Mrs. Schenk, who has stood up so well
since her arrest. has now broken down
completely and is almost a nervous
wreck. The authorities expect at any
time now a confession from her which
will implicate more than one prominent
man. At least two OF them are married
professional men, who have been on
numerous icy rides" with the prisoner
when the Schenk car was being driven
by a detective disguised as chauffeur
Mrs. Schenk has a sister who IS said
10 have died insane at the Tyler County
lnfrmary. 1t is believed that the at
torneys for the woman will plead insan-
ity as a defense.
That the person who put the poison in
Mr. Sehenks hthia water was rather well
versed in chemistry. or was coached by
person skilled in this science OF medi-
cine. is the opinion of the chemists who
analyzed the lithia water at both the Uni
versity of Virginia and Johns Hopkins
University. There are many compounds
of arsenic, but only one that can be dis
GOAff fN III WGtN4 ~ II AdfihOt DD hctCCltQ.
This was the compound that was given
TO Schenk.
Expert Chemist I'm Plot.
It seems evident to the prosecution that
II Mrs. Schenk really gave Mr. Schenk
the poison she is either well versed in
chemistry from reading works OF arsenic
or was guided by person who was ac-
aualnted. with all forms of this deadly
drug The analysis of the water is In
possession OF the State. and will be used
in the case when il comes 10 trial
Following a confession by Lundy VIII
son, former chauffeur OF the Sehenk
family, that Mrs. Sehenk was in love with
a S2O-a-week clerk. Mrs. Schenk tried to
commit suicide. according TO report cur
rent to-day. II was said that poison had
been smuggled into the woman's cell and
that Mrs Sehenk was detected by
wardress in time to save her life.
Young Clerk Involved.
Seeking a motive. the prosecution claims
to have found X I'm a young man, well
known In the high life Of the city-the
exact antithesis of the self-made million
aire packer. on him she is said to have
lavished money, jewelry, and clothes.
This young man, Dan Phillips, il is as
serted. was Mrs. Schenk's companion on
many automobile rides and trips TO road
houses, and that on one occasion she
took hlrD- TO Atlantic city and paid all
his expenses.
Phillips is acknowledged TO be the best
dressed young man in Wheeling, although
his salary is only $40 a week. He wears
many diamonds and spends money Law
ishly. He has not been arrested. but has
been examined by the prosecuting attor-
ney, and is said 20 have admitted his re-
lations with Mrs. Schenk. He denied,