The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1911-01-12
.SEVENTE[NDROWKCRU At TRIAL
Women Fight For Seats tC
Hear SChenk Case.
! DOCTOR DISCOVERED ARSENIC
Physician Testifes He Found Poison
In Water and in the Medicines
He Prescribed For the
Sick Man.

Wheeling, w. Va. Jan. IL. - One
thousand people the majority Of them
women. besleged the criminal court
and swept down the aisles. pushing
chairs and everything movable against
the judges bench.
Court officers who attempted to
stem the tide we're swept aside, and
at the trial OF Mrs. Laura F. Schenk,
accused Of poisoning her husband,
II was only after one woman had mar
rowly escaped being trampled to
death. another losing her oyershoes
and third having her pocket picked,
that quiet was restored.
Dr. Frank lie Moyne Hupp was on
the stand He il was who first discoy.
cred the arsenic in the lthia water
and the medicine that was being ad-
ministered to John o. Schenk by his
wife.
DR.. Hupp testified that he was called
to attend Mr.. Schenk on the 18th Of
October and Mrs Schenk told him
that her husband was very Ill. The
doctor prescribed for him and returned
the following Gay to make a more com
plete examination. Continuing, DIR.
Hupp testified: Il noticed Schenk was
pale. instead Of having a reddish pink
color. | noticed a dark line about the
gums and dirty colored tongue. The
a.. II 10 tAtpfu a tlffln y
aggerated. as by tapping just below
the knee he would jerk. On tapping
his abdomen he complained OF tender
ness His hart action was little faster
than n should be-"
Wife Satisfied to Let Him Die.
The witness said that he continued
to call on Mr.. Schenk. and on the 18th
OF October when he visited the house
nc found Mrs Schenk crying. with he,
arm about her young son. She said TO
him: III it we're not for my darling
sweetheart | wish I was not here"
meaning the boy.
Then" said Dr. Hupp. she turned
TO me and said: Doctor, perhaps,
would be better satisfied II you would
le him die " DR.. Hupp further said
that in the qunlne that he prescribed
for Mr.. Schcnk there was one-ninth OF
a grain OF arsenic.
ON a later visit to the house" said
Dr. Hupp Il made an examination OF
the Pallardale water that was being
given and found that II had a strong
al omatic perfume. With the aid OF the
nurse on duty managed to secure a
semple Of this water. This was bottled,
sent to the Johns Hopkins hospital at
Baltimore and there an analysis OF II
was made. II revealed arsenic In the
water.
Medicine Was Changed.
"I.aier | also found that the medi-
cine / LETT for Mr.. Schenk to take was
changed in color. sent samples OF
II away, and analysis Of It revealed
the presence Of arsenic. Finally or
dered that Mr.. Schenk be removed to
the North Wheeling hospital.
While a patient there | found that
his medicine was tempered with. Mrs.
Schenk complained to me about his be-
ing at the hospital and said that she
would much rather have him at home.
| told her that his condition was such
that he should remain at the hospital
She said that she would have him
brought homo hpraaif and n was then
that called in Albert Schenk, brother
of John. DR.. r. NJ. Haskins and Prose
cutting Attorney Handlan.
Immediate action was decided on,
and Mrs. Schenk was arrested. met
her in the Office OF the pi ,secutIng at
torney, and she said TO ne with great
surprise and agitation: What do you
think. doctor7 Some Of US are accused
Of poisoning John told her It was
no great surprise to me.
II bro the news to John o. Schenk
that his wife had been arrested for
attempting to poison him. He became
very excited, and for some little time
his condition was exceedingly danger
Gus. He has continued to get better,
but at the present time he Is still far
from being a we'll man"
Mrs. Schenk was In a very good
humor She paid the closest attention
to everything that was said, and sew
eral times prompted her counsel