The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-11-18
CASE
Being HEARD
GRAND JURY NOW LISTENING TO
THE FACTS IN WHEEliNG's
6l GSENsATloN.

WHEELING, w: Va, Nov. 1s.-To.
day the famous case in which Mrs:
Laura Farnsworth, Schenk is accused
OF poisoning her husband with arsenic.
Will be submitted TO a special grand
jury. The jury will convene this
morning and in all likelihood 1t will
be ready to- report some time before
noon or at least early in the afternoon.
The list OF witnesses subpoened to ap.
pear before the jury have been close.
" guarded and no one aside from
the authorities will know who they
are until the case Is called TODAY.
Prosecutor Handlan yesterday said
that there had been new developments
In the case. but what they were he
would not disclose without inj,ring
his case, and for this reason he de.
clined to talk. The fact that there
would be no preliminary hearing was
developed yesterday for a Certainty.
None was held yesterday and 1t can.
not be held today. The fact that the
preliminary hearing was dispensed
with was somewhat of handicap to
counsel for the defense, because by
no other means could they force the
state to show its hand prior to the
trial.
DR.. G. A. Ackerman, who is under.
stood to have been the first physician
to diagnose the symptoms OF poison.
ing in Mr.. Schenk's case Yesterday
gave out an interview. in Chicago
which Is! given as follows:
u used to be the Sehenk family
physician before John Schenk mar
Eted, but.tor twelve Years was not
called urlil the packer returned from
Europe and was taken suddenly and
violently Ill. Schenk's brother called
me then. | have never seen Mrs,
Schenk. | ordered Mr.. Schenk taken
to the North Wheeling hospital. had
The case under observation only three
Gays, but knew things were not right,
told Schenk that he seemed to have
been poisoned but he laughed at my
fears. ..
My cursory diagnosis, however
finally came TO the ears of Mrs.
Schenk and without one word of ex.
PLANTATION was Immediately dis,
charged"
Release Woman.
Should n true bill! be found against
Mrs. Schenk by the special grand Jury
she VIII be released on bond Friday
evening or Saturday morning, stated
one OF the attorneys for the accused
woman yesterday afternoon to !: rep.
resentative of the lntelligencer. I'm
leSs there Is a charge OF murder prc.
ierrcd against the accused she will be
released OH bond the attorney stated,
and such charge cannot be made un.
less Mr.. Schenk dies.
Counsel for the defendant state that
Mrs. Schenk will not have the leas.
trouble in securing bond for her an.
pearance and that already number o:
her friends have volunteered 10 20 on
her bond. Attorneys for Mrs. Schenk
state that public sentimt Is rapidly
changing in her favor and that when
the evidence In the case is submitted
the, public will discover that the
charges against her are untrue and
without foundation Mrs. Schenk is
conf Int that she will be acquitted
of the charges against her and seem.
ingly is not worrying over the out
come of her trial.
On the eve OF the case going to the
grand jury Mrs. Schenk was hard at
work arranging for hen defense and
spent large portion of the day and
evening consulting with her attorneys
and directing .th m in obtaining evi.
dence. Over half hundred wit.
nesses will appear for the defense at
the trial, 1t Is said.
Mr.. Schenk is steadily improving at
the North Wheeling hospital, but will
not be able to be out for long time.